3 gourmet confections to make from store-bought cake mix

This might be controversial to say, but there is 100% absolutely nothing wrong with using boxed cake mix. So don't feel guilty the next time you reach for that store-bought box. But, if you're looking to up the presentation or flavour the next time it's your turn to make dessert, the hosts of The Goods have a few tricks up their sleeves to help you out. In a bona fide cake-off, they shared their secrets for making the most of a time-saving mix. Here's how to bring their cake-baking tricks into your own kitchen.

Jessi's Mixed Berry Shortcake

Jessi turned her cake mix into a Mixed Berry Shortcake with the help of fresh fruit and cherry cola! For this delicious dessert reminiscent of summer, you only need one can (355ml) of cherry cola, some berries of your choice and your store bought cake mix and icing.

Simply mix up a vanilla cake mix with cherry cola and bake as directed in two 9 inch cake pans. Once it's cooled, layer icing and berries in between and on top of the cakes and that's it! It makes for the perfect dessert to take along to any BBQ, plus the cola makes it moist and adds in a subtle hint of cherry.

Andrea's Boozy Coffee Cake Surprise

Impress your guests with a boozy coffee cake the next time you're tasked with making dessert. Andrea simply subbed in ¾ cup coffee and ¼ cup coffee liqueur or Irish cream into her cake instead of the water the box called for. If you're making this at home, use the mix and follow the instruction as normal (with Andrea's substitution) but bake in a greased bundt pan instead.

For a delicious icing that's half-made homemade, melt ¼ cup of brown sugar over low heat on the stovetop. Remove it from the heat and and mix in 2 tbsp of 35% cream along with ¼ cup store-bought icing and ¼ tsp salt and that's all it takes. 

To finish it off, drizzle your icing over the cooled cake and garnish with gooseberries, blackberries and chocolate shavings for an extra gourmet touch.

Steven's Roulade

It may look super fancy, but this cake is also from a box. Steven changed up the ingredients of his cake mix to turn it into a roll cake garnished with candied beets for a colourful, earthy addition to a simple sweet. It's a multi-step process so make it the day before you intend to serve because the candied beets need to dry overnight!

To make this confection at home, start by grating ½ of a medium beet and add it to a small bowl with ½ cup milk, microwave until softened (about 1 ½ minutes) and let it cool. Next, beat 6 eggs in a large bowl until fluffy, add in your cake mix along with half a cup of vegetable oil and mix until smooth. To finish the mix, add in your cooled beet mixture and mix until everything is combined.

Instead of a traditional cake pan, this dessert calls for a sheet pan. Be sure to spray a half a pan with cooking spray, line with parchment and then spray again before spreading ⅔ of your mixture across the lined part using a spatula (the rest is enough for 6 cupcakes!). Let it bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean

Now it's time to roll it up. When the cake comes out of the oven, lay down a clean kitchen towel on your counter and sprinkle it with icing sugar. Flip the cake over onto the towel while it's still warm and remove the parchment paper. To achieve that coveted roll, start with the narrow end closest to you and begin to roll the cake away from you. Keep your cake covered with the towel and let it cool until it's room temperature. After about an hour, gently unroll your cake, remove the towel and use a spatula or pallet knife to evenly spread store-bought vanilla icing over the cake. Then, re-roll and refrigerate while you make the candied beets

The candied beets are the finishing touch on Steven's masterpiece. Thinly slice up the other half of the beet and then cut into julienne strips. Cook them in one cup of boiling water for 2 minutes until they're slightly soft but still a bit firm. Then, just remove them from the pot, toss in a bowl of sugar in small batches and let them dry on a cooling rack overnight.

To pull your cake together, ice the top of the cake and then sprinkle and press lightly toasted shredded coconut flakes all over the top. Garnish with your candied beets and you've got the perfect treat for tea time, or anytime really.