The Best Liqueurs To Elevate Your Chocolate Box Cake

Although using a box of cake mix may sometimes feel like you're cheating or being lazy, this really isn't the case. You can make some amazing things with a box of cake mix, especially when you add in extra ingredients.

Depending on what kind of cake you'd like to make, you can add different ingredients to the batter. For instance, per The Pioneer Woman, you can use one more egg than the recipe says for an extra-moist cake, or you can swap out water for other liquids (such as milk) for a richer-tasting cake.

For a deliciously indulgent cake, you might consider adding liqueur to your box mix. Particularly in the case of chocolate cake, liqueur can really take the flavors that are already there to a whole new level, and who wouldn't want that? So, let's take a look at which liqueurs you should be adding to your classic chocolate cake recipe for an experience like no other.

Cake chocolate is great, but sometimes it's just not chocolatey enough. Interestingly, adding liqueur to your box of cake mix can help those chocolate flavors really shine through in a way you didn't know was possible.

According to Bon Appétit, liqueurs like espresso, dark rum, and Kahlua can really elevate the chocolate notes in the cake and are therefore the best additions. If you think about it, it makes sense that chocolate and rum in particular would complement each other, considering how they're both major Caribbean products and have similar flavor notes (via Toast Magazine).

With all that being said, you can use these liqueurs in more than just chocolate cake. Sure, you can try your hand at the Barefoot Contessa's chocolate cassis cake or a Black Forest cake recipe incorporating cherry liqueur, but you can also try a Caribbean rum cake recipe or even a brand-new recipe of your own invention.