How do you feel about boxed cake mixes? For me, they’re OK in a real pinch. The avid baker though (of which I’m one), tends to consider them less than best. However, that said, it’s a measurable fact that most folks, baking purists or not, do keep one or two on hand for that pinch time.

Whatever your stance on cake mixes, maybe we can agree on one thing: they can always stand a little improvement. Thankfully, mixes are incredibly easy to soup up; substitute an ingredient here or add an ingredient there, and you'll have all the flavor of a homemade cake, with all the ease of a boxed mix. Here are eight awesome ways, thanks to the site, Food Hacks Daily (www.food-hacks.wonderhowto.com) to make your boxed cake mix taste homemade.

The number one tip? Swap the vegetable oil for butter. Vegetable oil always leaves an after-taste that makes the end product just disappointing. I'll always say that butter is the secret to making a dish better. But with a cake mix, it really makes an enormous difference. Butter has much more flavor than vegetable oil, and it makes for superior texture. Just replace the oil with an equal amount of either softened or melted butter, and you'll get a drastically better cake.

Replace Water with Dairy. The average cake mix calls for the most boring of liquids: water. Instead, use a dairy product. Replacing the water with milk makes cake instantly taste homemade, while using buttermilk will make it taste rich and creamy. Just replace the water with the same amount of milk, or a little bit more buttermilk (because buttermilk is so viscous, you need to add more liquid than the recipe calls for).

Or, you replace the water with coffee. Use the same amount of coffee as you would water. Because coffee and chocolate is a match made in heaven, this is a must try hack for a chocolate cake mix (but, it’s also delicious with a basic yellow cake).

Soda works well as a water replacement, also. In case you haven't noticed a theme by now, one of the best ways to modify cake mix is to replace the water. Adding soda to cake may sound bizarre, but it really does amplify the flavor tremendously, without being overbearing. The pros at Food Hack Daily recommend replacing the water with dark sodas, like Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper; but a fruity, citrusy soda will also make for a delicious cake.

Add some mayonnaise. "Mayonnaise" and "dessert" aren't words that you typically see placed together. But add a couple of tablespoons to any cake mix, and you'll instantly see an improvement in the texture. Mayo makes cake mix incredibly luscious and homemade tasting.

Add lemon. It’s one of the best ways to improving most desserts, so it's no surprise that it goes so well with cake mix. One caveat on that though is the chocolate cake. Lemon and chocolate don’t do well together, so avoid that combo. But do add lots to a yellow cake. Lemon juice or lemon zest (or both!); the tartness will help cut the inherent sweetness of the mix, while the lemon flavor will shine through and add new flavor to your cake.

Add an extra egg. There aren't a lot of things out there that beat a nice, rich cake crumb. Boxed cake mixes tend to be lighter in consistency, but if you're wanting a thicker, moist cake, then all you have to do is add an extra egg to your mix. The difference an extra egg makes is shocking.

Get brave and creative with flavorings. Cake-making isn’t rocket science. So get brave; you add anything you want, and so long as you like the ingredients, you'll get a good end result. Raid your cabinet and add what you like: pure flavor (vanilla, almond, rum, etc.), spices, nuts, chocolate or butterscotch chips, and bananas will always elevate your cake mixes.

Finally, here’s my personal tip [Alice’s] on flavorings. Outside of pure vanilla, you’ll get a better result if you opt for baking emulsions rather than extracts. They’re formulated so the flavor doesn’t bake out and your cake will sparkle with true flavor.