The British Way to Make a Boxed Cake Mix 10x Better

Jessica Wrubel

8 January 2025 at 5:45 pm·4-min read

Boxed cake mix is truly the unsung hero of the baking aisle. It's convenient, reliable and cost-effective. Almost all cake mixes only require three additional ingredients: water, oil and eggs. And thanks to modern food science, they're engineered for maximal tastiness, so following the directions will give you a decent dessert.

But we're the kinds of cooks who can't help but tinker with things, including boxed cake mix. And we're not alone. For years, home bakers have been experimenting with ways to elevate boxed cake mix and, as is the way of the internet, they share what works (and what doesn't).

We've seen a boxed cake mix hack (or 10) in our day, but we recently came across one that's new to us. Hint: it's something British people like Queen Elizabeth and judges of The Great British Baking Show drink every day. Yes, to make boxed cake mix better, just replace the water with brewed tea.

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Why You Should Make Boxed Cake with Brewed Tea

Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker and most other cake mix brands typically call for 1 cup of water to be added to the mix. But according to the Redditors on the board r/BakingNoobs, swapping out the water for brewed tea creates a moist cake that's infused with a subtle but sophisticated flavor.

This isn’t just another internet trend, either. In her 2021 cookbook Baking with Dorie, iconic baker, food writer and cookbook author Dorie Greenspan suggests playing around with her Everything Cake recipe by mixing some tea into the melted butter in that goes into the batter.

In her New York Times recipe for Earl Grey Tea cake with Dark Chocolate and Orange Zest, recipe developer and cookbook author Samantha Seneviratne steeps Earl Grey tea in heavy cream. "Loose Earl Grey tea stirred into buttery cake batter adds a sweet, floral essence that's subtle but lovely," Seneviratne writes in the recipe headnote. Clearly, tea and baked goods are a match made in culinary heaven!

How to Make Boxed Cake with Brewed Tea

Adding brewed tea to a boxed cake mix is easy to do. All you need to do is brew some tea and let it cool slightly. Replace the water in the recipe with the same amount of tea. So if the box calls for 1 cup of water, add 1 cup of brewed tea instead.

The Best Teas to Use in Boxed Cake Mix

The beauty of this hack lies in its versatility. You can pair the type of tea with your cake mix to create custom flavor profiles. Vanilla cake mix sings when combined with Earl Grey, thanks to the tea's citrusy bergamot notes. Pumpkin spice cake mix gets and extra kick of spice with some chai. Green tea brings a subtle earthiness to a classic yellow cake mix. A fruity tea (think raspberry or peach) would be a fun addition to a white or yellow cake mix. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination—and the tea stash in your pantry.

Redditors also shared tips and flavor combos that really take the cake. One user says, “Use several tea bags to make it strong enough, and then the moisture level isn’t altered.”

“If the leaves are fine enough, just dump them in. If they’re not, crush them into powder or brew a very strong tea to use in the mix," said another.

So the next time you’re whipping up a boxed cake, put on your fanciest apron and brew a cup of tea—both to sip on and to stir in. The Brits would be proud.

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