To some the idea of using a cake mix for anything seems, well totally not homemade. I am not one of those. Although I do love from scratch cooking and do plenty of it, I'm not too proud to stock my pantry with a variety of cake mixes. Two of my favorite things to do with them is make super quick Cake Mix Cookies and coffee cake. First a note about the Cake Mix Cookie recipe. I usually use a Devil's Cake Mix, but any flavor that goes with oatmeal and chocolate chips would be yummy. Last night while making these cookies for my daughter and her sleepover friend, I had a brainiac moment - wouldn't a yellow cake mix with oatmeal and peanut butter chips (or Reece's Pieces) be absolutely delish? I better add those items to my store slip.
Now for the coffee cake recipe. While perusing the latest edition of our family cookbook I ran across this recipe and starred it immediately. Simple ingredients and no nuts or cooked fruit. I have a 9 year old boy (name withheld) who likes simple desserts without nuts or cooked fruit. He will eat plain nuts and plain fruit, just not cooked and definitely not together.
Rippled Coffee Cake
1 yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
In a mixing bowl, combine above ingredients and beat well. Spread 1/2 of the batter into a greased 9x13 pan.
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Stir together above ingredients and sprinkle over batter. Carefully spread remaining batter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Mine usually takes about 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool until just warm. Make icing.
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup milk
Combine above ingredients. Drizzle over warm cake. I make a 1/2 recipe (1 cup powdered sugar) of the icing because the full recipe, although extremely delicious, is a little too sweet for the average coffee cake lover. What I love about drizzling the glaze over the warm cake is that it soaks in a bit, especially around the edges. Ooohh, it's so good. Allow the glaze to dry before cutting into the cake. Serve with tall glasses of cold milk or large mugs of hot, black coffee.
So what do you do with cake mixes? Share.
