Turn Any Boxed Cake Mix Into A Moist Fall Dessert With 2 Pantry Additions

If you need to whip up a fall-themed dessert, you don't necessarily need to work for hours to execute a great one. The foundational element of boxed cake mix is delicious and easy as a jumping-off point. From there, those yummy fall flavors can be mixed in with just a couple of pantry additions: canned pumpkin and warm spices. No need to drag home a real pumpkin or make a complicated recipe from scratch!

If you're in a hurry, a super-quick dessert can be achieved by simply taking dry spice cake mix and combining it with a 15-ounce can of pumpkin, which replaces the liquid ingredients called for on the box but still lends plenty of moisture. Spread the batter into a greased pan and bake according to the directions on the box. Bear in mind that the instructions on the cake package for mixing in eggs or oil should be completely omitted — following the package instructions is a big mistake, anyway, only yielding up a meh cake that's passable instead of a superstar cake that's stellar.

Instead of using a spice cake mix, you can also begin with a vanilla boxed cake or a yellow cake mix — Betty Crocker's Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix is the one we recommend — and incorporate your own blend of fall spices into the batter. Top it up with a cream cheese frosting, which can also be dusted with some of those autumnal spices.

The go-to flavors of fall include pumpkin spice, of course, which can be easily made at home by combining the quintessential elements of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves. Warm spices in general are a hallmark of fall, as are other cozy flavors like maple, caramel, and pecan. Any of these tastes can be integrated into a cake-mix-based treat to give it fall flair.

There are multiple ways to add maple flavoring to a boxed-mix cake. If you're executing a layer cake, you can simply warm some pure maple syrup and brush it onto the cooled layers. You can also take a poke cake approach and poke small holes into your hot-from-the-oven goodie, drizzling maple syrup over the top and allowing it to soak in via the holes. A third option is to substitute the cup of water called for on your boxed cake directions and add in a cup of maple syrup instead.

Incorporating nuts into your cake batter can lend some earthy qualities and fall-esque flavor, as well as adding texture. You can use heartier pieces of rustic chopped nuts, or blend them up in a spice grinder or blender to make a nut flour and add that into the batter (¼ or ⅛ cup will do for one boxed mix). Toasting the nuts first will take your cake over the top, bringing in hints of fall leaves and crackling fires that will have every mouthful tasting like fall.

Another quick way to add fall taste is to simply adorn your cake with some seasonal flavors at the end of the preparation. Drizzle on some caramel and then grate on fresh nutmeg and cinnamon, for instance, or add candied or toasted nuts to the frosting layer.