Dear Neighbor,
“Don’t ask, don’t tell”, is my policy, but I confess, I’ve been making what tastes like “from scratch” cakes from boxed cake mixes, for years. Making a half homemade cake is quick and inexpensive. You can pick up a cake mix for less than a dollar at most stores. Adding one little extra makes any cake even more even more moist and delicious: dry pudding mix. Add vanilla pudding to vanilla mixes and chocolate to chocolate mixes and you will have the most decadent cakes. Add the pudding mix into the dry cake mix and follow the cake box directions.
Here are a few of my ideas for half homemade cakes.
Scarlett’s Citrus Carrot Cake
One vanilla cake mix made per its directions.
vanilla pudding mix
2 cups shredded carrots
1 tablespoon orange rind
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
2 bars of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
Mix cake per directions. Add pudding mix. Now add orange rind, cinnamon and carrots. Bake as directed in a bundt pan or two layer pans. Cool completely. In a bowl, blend cream cheese, vanilla and powered sugar.
Apple Spice Cake
One vanilla cake mix made per its directions. Add:
Vanilla pudding mix
2 apples, diced in small pieces
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
Bake per directions in a bundt pan and when turned onto serving plate, sprinkle with powered sugar.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
One vanilla cake mix made per its directions
Add :
Vanilla pudding mix
1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts
Bake per directions. Frost with chocolate frosting
Chocolate Frosting Recipe
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
5 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 tablespoons milk
Whip butter and cocoa and add remaining ingredients one at a time. Whip until creamy
Decadent Chocolate Cakes
All cakes start with one dark chocolate cake mix made per directions with chocolate pudding mix added.
Double Chocolate Chip– add 1 package of chocolate chips. Frost with chocolate frosting
Almond Joy– add 1 cup of shredded coconut and 1 cup of slivered almonds
Chocolate Reeses– add one cup of finely chopped peanut and 1/2 package of chocolate chips. Frost with Chocolate Frosting and sprinkle chopped hpeanuts on top.
Chocolate Mint– add 1/2 package of chopped Andes Mints chocolates
Chocolate Cherry– add 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1 can cherry pie filling. Frost with Chocolate Frosting.
Chocolate Almond Cake– add 1 teaspoon of almond extract and 1 cup of chocolate chips. Frost with Chocolate Frosting and cover entire top with sliced almonds.
Let me know which are your favorites! Scarlett