When Jell-O mix goes on sale at the grocery store, I love stocking up. It tastes great on its own, and I enjoy turning it into boozy shots or decorative finger foods for parties. Recently, I discovered a clever route to use these powdery packets in a completely new way, and now I may need to add even more boxes to my cart when I spot a deal.
Jell-O mix works as a game-changing addition to cake baking. It creates a tender crumb, bright bursts of color, and plenty of flavor in your dessert.
All you need is a packet of Jell-O, boxed cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, water, and frosting ingredients to make a cake. Instead of letting Jell-O expire in your cabinet or simply following the instructions on the back of the box to serve it, you can turn this basic dessert into an even more exciting sweet treat.
Why You Should Add Jell-O Mix to Your Cakes
Jell-O first appeared in the late 1800s. And over time, it quickly became a popular gelatinous dessert that has appeared on tables for decades, offering a sweet, jiggly, colorful treat that many people enjoy.
Today, Jell-O comes in more than a dozen fruity flavors, from classic Cherry to Island Pineapple and Berry Blue. Most packs contain the same basic ingredients: gelatin, flavoring agents, and sweeteners.
One of my favorite Jell-O cake recipes leans on the lemon-flavored packet. It takes only 15 minutes to prepare and combines lemon-flavored gelatin, water, lemon cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil to create a citrusy dessert finished with lemon icing. You can use this method with other flavors as well, such as peach, strawberry, or any Jell-O packets you like.
This hack works reliably, but don’t overdo it by adding too much Jell-O to your cakes. For most recipes, use one three-ounce packet of Jell-O with one box of cake mix. Following this method will guarantee moist, colorful, and flavorful cakes every time.
Other Ways To Use Jell-O Mix in Desserts
Don’t let those unused boxes of Jell-O mix suffer the fate of expiring in your cupboard. There are plenty of ways to enjoy it, especially for anyone with a sweet tooth:
- Bake it into cookies. Using Jell-O mix in cookie dough adds color, tender texture, and delicious flavor, just like it does in cake.
- Make colorful cereal treats. Add Jell-O powder to crispy rice cereal when making bars or balls to boost color and flavor.
- Add it to pie custard. Mix Jell-O powder with boiling water, sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, and fresh lemon or lime zest to make a quick custard for lemon or Key lime pie.