The Yogurt Addition
On the small improvements that make Tuesday better
School prep has my brain scattered and the house is chaos, so when my wife suggested we make cake for dessert, we reached for a box of funfetti mix. No shame in that game.
But then I remembered reading somewhere — maybe it was a reel? — about adding yogurt to boxed cake mix. So instead of following the directions exactly, we stirred in half a cup of plain Greek yogurt along with everything else the box called for.
The Simple Swap
Half a cup of plain Greek yogurt added to everything else the box called for — oil, eggs, water, the works. The only other thing I did differently was start checking for doneness about 10 minutes before the box timer said to.
The batter looked the same as usual, but when it came out of the oven? So much more tender and moist. My daughter chose it over ice cream for dessert, which is basically the highest praise possible.
The yogurt thing started because I wanted better texture, but now it's my go-to move. Such a small change but you can actually taste the difference.
What I Want to Try Next
The success has me curious about other small tweaks. What happens if you add an extra egg? Replace the water with milk? Brown the butter first?
I've been collecting other people's box mix hacks like small treasures:
Pudding mix for extra moisture
Sour cream for tang
Coffee instead of water for chocolate cake
A splash of vanilla beyond what the box calls for
Not because there's anything wrong with following directions, but because sometimes a tiny improvement is exactly what your day needs. It also tastes great with some tea.
