I have to make one of the largest cakes I've ever made (a 2.5 foot long carved breast cancer ribbon) this week and I don't have time to bake the cakes from scratch. I need to use a boxed pound cake (because it's denser and will be easier to carve), but I want to add some flavor to it. I was thinking of tangerine. Do I simply add grated tangerine zest to the batter, or do I also add tanegrine juice? And if so, how much juice so that it doesn't mess up the consistency of the cake?

I am a self-taught novice cake decorator, but I'm a terrible baker. I have NO idea how to change recipes without messing them up. Please help!

Thanks

(I can get orange extract from the grocery store so) I would add orange extract (unless you can find tangerine locally) to the pound cake mix batter to change the flavor (from the standard vanilla).

Tangerine or orange oil would be another option. Some WalMarts and Michaels/Hobby Lobbys carry a limited selection of LorrAnn oils.

If you can zest the tangerines without grating up any of the bitter pith (white portion) that'd also be a great flavor enhancer. My grocery also carries dried orange zest in the bakery aisle. Fresh zest contains oil so its stronger than the dried.

And I would start by adding small amounts of extract and/or zest because you can always add more....

HTH