The Surprising Ingredient Hoda Kotb Adds to Boxed Cake Mix

Justine Lee

10 January 2025 at 6:45 pm·3-min read

Today truly marks the end of an era. After nearly two decades at NBC and six years anchoring the main program of the TODAY show, Hoda Kotb is signing off. This Friday morning's show was Hoda's very last as one of the co-hosts of "TODAY with Hoda and Jenna" and we at Parade are definitely in our feels about saying goodbye to the beloved anchor.

Throughout the years, Hoda has been a beacon for kindness, vulnerablility and positivity. Through sickness and through health, through good days and bad, she's helped audiences nationwide come to see how they can make the ordinary extraordinary.

Case in point: the lineup of incredible yet simple recipes her name is attached to on the Today Show, some of our favorites being her 2-ingredient ponzu fish and her grilled romaine Caesar salad. Hoda is a dinner savant but it turns out she also knows a thing or two about simple sweets. We just learned of her favorite way to upgrade one of our favorite store-bought dessert staples, boxed cake mix. Hoda's boxed cake upgrade is a true celebration cake and all you need to add to your shopping list is a box Ritz crackers. Here's what you need to know.

😋😋 SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & more in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter 🍳🍔

Why Hoda Kotb Adds Ritz Crackers to Boxed Cake Mix

Birthday cake choices are very personal. While many of us request a Funfetti layer cake adorned with sprinkles, Hoda has her own tasty definition of a party cake. On the episode filmed on her birthday, the TODAY show team surprised Hoda with a special surprise birthday cake: a vanilla layer cake with frosting covered in Ritz crackers. TODAY culinary producer, Anthony Contrino, the baker behind Hoda's cake, even went the extra mile and folded Ritz crackers into the cake batter. For the final touch, he topped the cake with Ritz cracker crumbs and four Ritz crackers that spelled out HODA.

Adding Ritz crackers to cake might seem curious at first, but if you really think about it, it's pretty genius. When the buttery, salty Ritz crackers combine with the sweet yellow cake and the sugary frosting, you get a great balance of flavor and texture.

Hoda's cake is said to have had a yellow cake mix base and vanilla frosting, but Ritz crackers would be a perfect addition to any cake and frosting combo.

How to Make Hoda's Ritz Cracker Cake

To make this simple sweet, prepare two boxes of yellow cake mix according to package directions. Crumble up the contents of one Ritz cracker sleeve and gently stir the crumbs into the batter. Divide the cake batter evenly between two greased round cake pans. Bake according to package directions.

Once the cakes have fully cooled, frost them with homemade or storebought cream cheese frosting. Cream cheese frosting is the way to go here because it has a little tartness to balance out the sweet. Decorate with whole Ritz crackers around the sides of the cake and add some crumbled crackers on top.

Up Next: