by Emily Nolan
Size doesn’t matter when it comes to box cakes. Cake mixes vary in weight from brand to brand. I tested all my cake recipes with a variety of brands, so you can choose the brand you like and be ensured good results.
If you’re an experienced box-cake maker, you may realize that sometimes the cakes rise a lot in the middle but the sides are not so high. You may also notice that your cake tunnels or has lots of air pockets. To avoid tunnels and puffy centers in your baked cake, either sharply tap the filled cake pan several times on the kitchen counter before you place it in the oven or run a knife through the batter in an S pattern to pop the bubbles. Also, spread the batter evenly in the pans after you pour it in.
One drawback to baking with mixes is that you aren’t working with all-natural ingredients. Most cake mixes have artificial flavoring. You can combat the fake taste of cake mixes by using nice natural flavors or extracts. Orange juice, lemon zest, almond extract, or even chocolate chips or peanut butter chips can disguise “artificial” flavors when stirred into a mix. Mixes also contain emulsifiers, which bind together the fat and liquid and prevent them from separating. This can be helpful because box cakes stay fresh longer than those made from scratch, but it is another artificial ingredient you wouldn’t have if you baked from scratch.
Mixed goods
The following recipes use box mixes but taste just like you made them from scratch. Having cake mixes on hand can really simplify your life when you want to bake on the spur of the moment. Box mixes make baking easier because you don’t have to worry whether you have all the little ingredients on hand. You may find yourself baking more often because baking with mixes is easy, fun, and really, really tasty.
Baking outside the box
It may come as a big surprise to you, but you can tinker quite a bit with cakes and breads, and they still come out great. I encourage you to doctor up your own cake mixes. Here are some suggestions to go out of the box for delicious box cake results:
Use whole eggs instead of just the whites. Your cake will benefit from the yolks, giving it a richer flavor and a tender texture.
Instead of adding oil, substitute half the oil with melted butter for a better taste and texture.
Instead of flouring cake pans with flour, use cocoa when making chocolate cakes.
Try adding 1/2 cup toasted coconut to the batter of a yellow or angel food cake
For an almond edge, add 1 teaspoon almond extract to the batter, or if you prefer a peppermint taste, simply add 2 tablespoons peppermint schnapps.
Coffee and chocolate go hand in hand. Replace half of the liquid called for with brewed and cooled coffee or espresso.
Super Chocolate Cake
Rich chocolate cake with chocolate frosting studded with chocolate chips. Does it get any better than this? Leave the milk on the counter; you’ll want a few glasses with this recipe. Yum!
Specialty tools: an electric mixer
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
1 package (18 1/2 ounces) chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
6 eggs
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
Chocolate Chip Frosting (see following recipe)
1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans.
2Prepare the cake: Combine the cake mix, butter, eggs, whipping cream, water, and lemon peel in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat an additional minute.
3Divide the batter evenly into the pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the pans and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Chocolate Chip Frosting
2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
10 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
1Using an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream, sugar, and cocoa in large bowl until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips.
2Frost the cake with the frosting.
Per serving: Calories 652 (From Fat 411); Fat 46g (Saturated 24g); Cholesterol 209mg; Sodium 416mg; Carbohydrate 60g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 8g.
Crazy-Good Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
If you love pineapple cake, you will love how easy this cake is. You can have it in the oven ten minutes after you start. The cake is tender and buttery and has a hint of pineapple flavor throughout.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 30 to 35 minutes
Yield: 12 to 16 servings
1 box (18 1/2 ounces) yellow cake mix
3/4 cup sour cream (low-fat is okay)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple slices in its own juice
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted
10 maraschino cherries (optional)
1Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, sour cream, eggs, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup pineapple juice from the slices. Mix well with a whisk. If the batter is too thick, add 1 tablespoon more of the pineapple juice.
2Combine the brown sugar, melted butter, and the remaining pineapple juice (it should be 2 to 3 tablespoons) in the bottom of a 9-x-13-inch baking pan. Mix together well. The sugar should be pretty well dissolved.
3Arrange the pineapple slices in the bottom of the pan on top of the sugar mixture. (You should have three rows: four slices in one row and three in the other two rows. You could even it out by eating one slice.) Dot the centers of the pineapples with cherries, if desired. Pour the batter evenly on top of the pineapple slices.
4Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool about 10 minutes.
Tip: When you preheat the oven, place the pan in the oven with the unmelted stick of butter in it. When the oven reaches the right temperature, remove the pan (the butter will be melted) and stir in the brown sugar and remaining pineapple juice. The sugar dissolves really easily, and you have one less bowl to wash. Just be careful! The pan will be hot.
Vary It! Mix in 1/3 cup sweetened coconut and 1/4 cup chopped pecans with the melted butter and sugar mixture. Don’t limit yourself to canned pineapple. Try peaches, apricots, or even pears. It’s heavenly!
Per serving: Calories 301 (From Fat 115); Fat 13g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 44mg; Sodium 235mg; Carbohydrate 45g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 3g.
Deluxe Corn Bread Casserole
This recipe will be your sanity saver on Thanksgiving, because you can make this dish in no time flat, and it’s popular with adults and kids alike. It’s somewhere between really moist corn bread and a cheesy spoonbread and is the perfect accompaniment to chicken, turkey, and even meat loaf. If you’re short on oven space at holiday time, you can bake it for the first 30 minutes and then set it aside for a few hours. Just pop it in the oven with the cheese on top 15 minutes before you’re ready to eat. Try this once, and it will be on your short list of favorites.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
1 box Jiffy brand cornbread mix
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) creamed corn
1 can (15 ounces) whole corn kernels, drained
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cornbread mix, creamed corn, corn kernels, eg
gs, sour cream, and butter. Transfer to a 13-x-9-inch greased baking dish.
2Bake for 30 minutes or until the center is firm. Remove from the oven (you can let cool, if you want to serve it later). Sprinkle the cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake for 15 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories 277 (From Fat 132); Fat 15g (Saturated 8g); Cholesterol 69mg; Sodium 531mg; Carbohydrate 33g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 6g.
Baking with Refrigerated and Frozen Dough
I must admit, I am a huge fan of refrigerated pie dough. It makes putting a pie together as simple as . . . well, pie. Essentially, it eliminates the need to chill and roll the dough, which are the two most time-consuming tasks of making pie. Although I think the piecrust companies could stand to make the circles just an inch larger, I am generally happy enough with the results of the pie dough that I highly recommend it to beginning bakers. You can even get creative with the pie dough — cut out small shapes or even cut it into 1-inch strips and make a lattice piecrust.
Frozen bread dough has many purposes:
You can roll the dough out into logs, shape it like a pretzel, dip it in butter, and bake it.
You can roll the dough out thin to use it as a pizza crust.
You can shape the dough into a loaf (round or square) or small balls for rolls and bake it for fresh bread for your table.
You can really doctor up bread doughs — with a few add-ins, you can make cinnamon-raisin bread or French bread. The ideas are endless. I highly recommend experimenting with a frozen loaf or two. The recipes in this section are designed to get you thinking about ways to use premade doughs. Then, when you have the time, you’ll be better able to branch out and start making doughs from scratch.
Super-Easy Veggie Party Pizza
Looking for something tasty and incredibly easy that’s a little different? Try this pizza, made with crescent rolls, the next time the gang is coming over. The secret to a flavorful pizza is a mixture of cheeses. If this is for adults, I suggest getting fresh Asiago cheese; it adds a depth of flavor that is quite popular with a more mature palate.
Specialty tools: 1 pizza stone or baking sheet
Preparation time: 10 to 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 slices (4 servings)
1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent roll dough
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups sliced vegetables (choose from fresh mushrooms, green and red bell pepper, chopped red onion, fresh broccoli, sliced olives, zucchini or squash, or corn)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Asiago cheese (optional)
1/2 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1Adjust a rack in the oven to the lowest shelf. Place the baking stone on a cookie sheet and place in the oven on the low rack (a baking sheet will work, too, if you don’t have a stone). Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Let the stone heat in the oven for at least 30 minutes or up to 45 minutes.
2Fifteen minutes before the stone is preheated, start making the pizza. Spray the center area of a piece of aluminum foil that is at least 18 inches long with nonstick cooking spray or dust with cornmeal. In the center of the foil, arrange the triangles of dough into a circle, with the small points all meeting in the center (they will overlap slightly).
3In a small cup, combine the oil, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the mixture over the dough.
4In a mixing bowl, combine the vegetables, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of the Cheddar cheese, plus the Asiago cheese, if desired, and the Parmesan cheese. Arrange the mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese on top of the pizza. Roll the edges of the dough toward the center to create a crust.
5Remove the pizza stone from the oven and place near the pizza. Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees. Carefully transfer the pizza to the pizza stone by lifting it with the aluminum foil and centering it onto the stone.
6Bake for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked and the crust is golden. Remove from the oven and, using the aluminum foil, carefully slide the pizza onto a large plate to serve.
Tip: Be careful! The pizza stone will be very hot when you’re transferring the pizza onto it. If you aren’t certain that your foil will be strong enough to carry the weight of the pizza, use a double layer of foil.
Per serving: Calories 305 (From Fat 202); Fat 23g (Saturated 10g); Cholesterol 39mg; Sodium 641mg; Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 13g.
Apple Turnovers
I like to make my turnovers with two different types of apples, one a sweeter baking apple and the other a tart apple. It adds a depth of flavor that I really enjoy. You can dice up any fruit to mix in with the apples, such as pears, peaches, or raspberries.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 35 to 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
3 cups diced apples (about 4 medium apples)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1 package (17 1/4 ounces )frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 egg, beaten
1Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the apples, 1/2 cup sugar, apple juice, and cinnamon in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until apples are soft, about 6 minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until the mixture thickens and boils, about 1 minute. Cool.
2Cut the pastry into four even squares (6 x 6 inches). Place 1/4 cup apple mixture on top of the center of each pastry square. Brush the pastry edges with the beaten egg. Fold the pastry over the filling, forming triangles and pressing the edges gently with a fork to seal.
3Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pastry and apple mixture. Brush the tops of the turnovers with the beaten egg, if desired.
4Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly before serving, at least 15 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 870 (From Fat 427); Fat 48g (Saturated 7g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 311mg; Carbohydrate 104g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 9g.
Soft Pretzels
With the help of frozen bread dough, you can have these made in no time flat. They’re great to serve at a party or have on hand for a snack. Serve them with dipping sauces, such as mustard, spaghetti sauce, or warmed cheese spread. You can also make smaller or larger pretzels by dividing the dough into more or fewer pieces. I’ve made them larger and then sliced them in half and used them as really tasty pretzel rolls. It’s entirely up to you. Be sure to roll the pretzels into somewhat thin ropes because they will double in size when you bake them.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 pretzels
1 pound frozen bread dough, thawed according to manufacturer’s instructions
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 to 2 tablespoons coarse salt, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds
1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough into 6 or 8 pieces (6 pieces will make larger and thicker pretzels). Melt the butter in the microwave in a glass pie plate or round, shallow dish, about 45 seconds.
2Lightly dust your hands and work surface lightly with flour (do not use more than 1 teaspoon). Roll out each piece of dough into a 24- to 30-inch rope, about 1/3 inch thick. Twist the rope into a pretzel shape, pressing the two ends into the bottom of the pretzel.
3Holding the bottom ends of the pretzel, dip it in the melted b
utter and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
4Sprinkle the top of each pretzel with the salt or seeds. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the cookie sheet and cool for 15 minutes before eating.
Tip: You can melt the butter over low heat and transfer the melted butter into a glass pie plate or round shallow dish. Alternatively, you can melt the butter in the oven while it’s preheating.
Per serving: Calories 208 (From Fat 75); Fat 8g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 16mg; Sodium 737mg; Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 6g.
Folded Peach and Berry Pie
This pie is perfect to make when you want a wow dessert with about two minutes of preparation. Using refrigerated pie dough and a few other ingredients, you have a lovely and delicious dessert. If you don’t have access to fresh blackberries, use frozen or fresh blueberries or raspberries, or just make it plain peach. It will still be delicious. If you like a juicier pie, use only 2 tablespoons of tapioca. See the color section for a photo of this pie.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
1 refrigerated 9-inch piecrust dough
16 ounces frozen sliced peaches
3 to 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons tapioca
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1 cup fresh blackberries
1Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Unfold the piecrust into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Repair any crack in the piecrust by lightly pressing the split creases together.
