Luscious Joys

by Kathryn Hartwell

The Newsy Neighbour Magazine

October Issue 108

CAKE. Now doesn’t that word just perk up your ears? Think about all the luscious cakes you have eaten in your life. Visions of chocolate, whipping cream, fruit and ice-cream pop into my head – yes, let’s all say it again together: CAKE! Wonderful, delicious and you could make a different cake every single day of the year and still have not made all the different varieties of cake in the world. Is there anything more wonderful?

Well I am here to share with you a few crazy different ways you can use your cake mix and they are such wonderful and inspirational ideas! I’m sure they will make you think of your very own ideas of what you can do with that box of cake mix you have had setting in the back of your cupboard for months!

 

Cake Batter Rice Krispy Treats

3 tbsp butter                                                 ½ tbsp vanilla
1 - 10 oz. bag mini marshmallows              1/3 cup vanilla cake mix
6 cups Rice Krispies                                    ¼ cup rainbow sprinkles

In a large sauce pan over low heat, melt butter. Add vanilla and stir. Add marshmallows, stir and toss as they begin to melt. Continue to stir. When marshmallows are completely melted, add one tablespoon of cake mix at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour in Rice Krispies. Stir until coated well. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles (2 tablespoons). Stir to disperse throughout. Grease a baking dish with Pam or your favourite greasing method. Spoon Rice Krispy mixture into prepared pan. Spray your hands with Pam and press down on the mixture to spread out. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of sprinkles. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Store covered.

Double Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies 

½ cup butter                                                                     1 egg

1 packet instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp water            1 tbsp oil

½ tsp vanilla                                                                     1 box chocolate cake mix                             

1 ½ cup chocolate chips                                                   1 ½ cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter until smooth. Add the egg and beat again until incorporated. Add the coffee, oil, and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the cake mix in batches and beat slowly after each addition until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Roll into balls and place on a baking sheet a few inches apart. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until the tops are just set (not wet-looking anymore), the cookies are evenly flattened, and they are starting to get cracks in them. If the cookies are done, they should come off the pan relatively easily with a spatula. If the cookies are not holding together, you probably need to bake them a little longer. Remove from the baking sheet and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

The timing on this one is kind of important to get that soft, chewy texture, so make sure to look for the signs of doneness (flattened out, slightly cracked tops, cookie holding together, etc.) to get it right for your oven.

Cake Mix Waffles

Use a box of Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix, or any cake mix for that matter, and followed the instructions to make the cake batter. The box says either water or milk but I always use milk. Follow the instructions of your waffle maker on how to make waffles, pour the batter into your waffle maker and when the light goes off, they are ready. Make sure you put a scoop of ice cream on the waffle while warm. You will not regret it. Talk about easy and delicious. You could also use some chocolate or caramel syrup over the ice-cream; now that would be decadent.

Cake Batter Pull Bread

This sinful recipe is so simple and ridiculously delicious! OMG this is just for special occasions, I put on 10 pounds just reading this recipe!

Recipe type: Dessert

1 round, unsliced loaf of sour dough bread          ½ cup butter, melted (add more as needed)

½ cup brown sugar                                               ½ cup yellow cake mix, dry

¼ tsp cinnamon                                                    ¼ cup colour sprinkles

Cream Cheese Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

2-3 tbsp. milk

Slice bread to make ½-1 inch sections, slicing almost all the way to the bottom of the loaf. Be careful not to cut too far or to cut through. Use a serrated knife and cut on inch slices all the way down the width way of the loaf. Then use kitchen shears to snip the ½-1 inch sections on each row, just to avoid any of them tearing off. Place loaf on cookie sheet. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, yellow cake mix and cinnamon. Stir to evenly mix together. Set aside. Evenly pour and distribute melted butter between each of the sections, making sure to get in-between each one. Trust me, you want the buttery goodness :) If you need more butter, simply melt as much more as needed. Evenly sprinkle/pour sugar/cake mix mixture between each of the sections. Rub in to cover them if necessary. Be care not to tear any of the sections. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes.

While the Cake Batter Pull Bread is baking, make the glaze. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat until smooth. Add more powdered sugar/milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Drizzle as much as desired over warm bread. Sprinkle with some added sprinkles, if desired. Serve warm.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

1 white cake mix                                                     2 eggs

⅓ cup canola oil                                                      ½ cup crunchy peanut butter (or creamy)

½ cup grape jelly (or other flavor)                          1 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together cake mix, eggs, oil and peanut butter. Set aside ½ cup of the mixture. Press remaining mixture into a parchment lined, greased 8”x 8" square pan. Spread jelly over the crust in pan. Mix the ½ cup of cookie mixture with the peanut butter chips until large crumbles appear. Sprinkle the crumbles evenly over the crust in the pan. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.

O.K. I cannot take it anymore! As soon as I finish this article, I am immediately going into my kitchen to whip up something incredibly bad for my diet and it most certainly will be made out of cake mix!

50 extra sit-ups tonight.

Enjoy!

Kathryn Hartwell

References: bakedbyraquel.com, pinchofyum.com, theblackpeppercorn.com and thegunnysack.com