# Cheater cake from cake mix?



## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I have to make two cakes for next Sunday. I have 6 cakes mixes in the house bought on sale. Besides adding pudding, does anyone know of any recipes that would make the cake mixes not taste like mixes and have more of a home made texture? This is for a fancy pants meal and I don't want to be embarrassed by my contribution, but neither do I want to go to the trouble of making one from scratch.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

What flavor of cake mix?

For white or yellow, just make them, fill with good raspberry jam, and frost with whipped cream. You won't have any complaints.

For chocolate, toss in a handful of chocolate chips and use brewed coffee instead of water to make the mix. Frost with either chocolate butter cream or cream cheese icing. Or dribble a chocolate glaze, which always looks fancy.

My aunt used to make a great cake with one box of chocolate cake mix and one box of brownie mix. I think she reduced the amount of water a little bit. She used canned frosting, which is gross, but you could frost with a chocolate butter cream.


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## HoofPick (Jan 16, 2012)

If they are spice cakes you can replace the eggs and oil with canned pumpkin.


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## grammajudy (Nov 11, 2010)

You can make a bundt cake, if you have a bundt pan, and just drizzle frosting on it. Some people actually like plain cake with icing for dessert though.


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## Classof66 (Jul 9, 2011)

You could make the Dream Cake, I bet it's still on the Dream Whip box. It always turned out nice.

Then frost with some fantastic frosting.


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## grammajudy (Nov 11, 2010)

I just read this last night. Take a white cake mix. Use Marachino cherries juice for part of the water; use other ingredients as listed on the box. Dice the cherries and add to the mixed batter. Bake as directed. Frost with whipped ceam. The picture showed it as two layers, but you can also make it in a 13x 9 pan. 

Then there is the poke cake where you make a white cake. Use a fork or wooden spool handle to make holes. Make jello, any flavor, pour it in the holes. Refrigerate. Frost with whipped topping. Keep refrigerated.


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

I always add a little vanilla to any mix; add extra spices to spice mix; add a tablespoon of potato flakes to any mix, to make it a little moister without pudding; to chocolate, add a little cocoa powder and a little dark balsamic vinegar; and to any other mix, add a little white balsamic vinegar.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

oregon woodsmok said:


> What flavor of cake mix?


I have white, yellow, spring confetti, German chocolate and devil's cake. 




grammajudy said:


> I just read this last night. Take a white cake mix. Use Marachino cherries juice for part of the water; use other ingredients as listed on the box. Dice the cherries and add to the mixed batter. Bake as directed. Frost with whipped ceam. The picture showed it as two layers, but you can also make it in a 13x 9 pan.
> 
> Then there is the poke cake where you make a white cake. Use a fork or wooden spool handle to make holes. Make jello, any flavor, pour it in the holes. Refrigerate. Frost with whipped topping. Keep refrigerated.


Thanks - the first sounds good -- might consider it. And this affair is certainly a two layer one, not a sheet cake. 



Marcia in MT said:


> I always add a little vanilla to any mix; add extra spices to spice mix; add a tablespoon of potato flakes to any mix, to make it a little moister without pudding; to chocolate, add a little cocoa powder and a little dark balsamic vinegar; and to any other mix, add a little white balsamic vinegar.


Hadn't known about the potato flakes adding moisture. Good idea. 

I found these two recipes that sound good. I love both Turtle candy and Italian creme cake. I have a large round deep pan I could do the turtle cake in. Maybe ice the top only with buttercream drizzled with toffee sauce? I'll have to choose between turtle and the marachino cherries above as both sound very good. 

Italian Creme Cake from Mix

1 (18.5-ounce) package white cake mix with pudding 
3 large eggs 
1 1/4 cups buttermilk 
1/4 cup vegetable oil $
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut 
2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted 
3 tablespoons rum (optional
Cream Cheese Frosting 

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.
Bake at 350Â° for 15 to 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
Sprinkle each cake layer evenly with rum, if desired; let stand 10 minutes.
Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Chill 2 hours before slicing.


Turtle Chocolate Cake from mix

1 German Chocolate cake mix
3/4 c. margarine 
1/2 c. evaporated milk 
14 oz. bag of caramels
1 c. chopped pecans 
6 oz. chocolate chips
Mix cake according to directions. Pour half of the batter into 9 x 13" pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Melt milk, margarine and caramels together. Pour over hot cake. Add pecans and chocolate chips on top of caramel mixture. Pour rest of batter over cake. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the top layer comes out clean.


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## 3ravens (Mar 16, 2006)

Google cake doctor recipes. You will get more than you can read in a week!


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## CNCfamily (Sep 13, 2010)

I make custom cakes and i almost always use box mixes (except for my famous chocolate cake! ) I use all milk or cream instead of water, I add an extra egg, a 1/4 c of mayo, a pinch of salt, and about a teaspoon of vanilla. (And a 1/4 c flour, but that's for my elevation) Makes all the difference!


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## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

Maybe I'm nuts but I prefer box mixes to scratch. There are a few scratch cakes I like to make, but most of the time I just use a box!

Cinnamon is a GREAT addition to a chocolate cake, fyi!


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## bluebird2o2 (Feb 14, 2007)

If you use applesauce in place of half the oil its very moist.usually directions are on the boxes for masking it lower fat.works for chocolate or vanilla.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

Out of the white or yellow you could do a Boston cream pie. Bake your cake per directions. Cut in half so you have two circles, but thinner. Add a layer of custard in between. Make a chocolate ganauch (sp) using chocolate chips melted in milk until you get a soft creamy texture and pour over the top of the cake allowing it to run down the sides.

Also, for white cake you can take some strawberries or raspberries, mix with some sweetened whipped cream and spread between the two layers of cake and on top.


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## FrogTacos (Oct 25, 2011)

There is a free Kindle book for 'Dump' Cakes - they use boxed mixes and are really tasty!


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## CrossCreek Mom (Aug 21, 2007)

Take a butter golden cake mix, use slightly less water than it calls for, mix well. Then stir in 1/2 - 3/4 of a container of coconut-pecan frosting ( like for German choc cake ) and cook in prepared bundt type pan. Start checking cake 5-8 minutes sooner than usual times, pans and stoves can have different results, but you don't want it overdone.

Makes a yummy coconut-pecan "pound" cake.


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