Kitchen Basics
Getting the Most from Sale Priced Mixes
When I walked into Granny's Friday morning, she had an old manual on her counter
for her Sunbeam Mixer. In it I found suggestions for using basic cake mixes to
create a variety of cakes.
With holiday season coming up, cake mixes will be very inexpensive. Because I
use only eggs and water to equal the amount of water and oil called for in my
mixes, these are often far less expensive than using all the ingredients
required to make my own cake.
The following suggestions come from the 1957 Sunbeam Home Economics Department
and were published in their manual.
Angel Food Cake Mix
Cherry: Mix batter per package directions. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped maraschino
cherries, drained on paper towel, to mix. Frost with Butter Cream Frosting to
which you add a little chopped cherries.
Mocha: Add 2 tsps. instant espresso dissolved in the liquid called for in
recipe. Mix as directed. Frost with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting with 2 tsps.
of instant coffee added.
Chocolate Marble: Mix batter as directed, then half. Into one, fold 2 tbsps.
cocoa. Alternate spoonfuls in pan. Cut through with a spatula. Frost with Cocoa
whipped cream.
Chocolate Flecked: Grate 2 squares of chocolate. In layers, starting with
batter, alternate batter and chocolate ending with batter. Frost with Chocolate
Butter Cream Frosting.
Tropical: Cut cooked cake into layers. Mix one box instant
lemon pudding, reserving 2 tbsps. dry pudding mix. Put together with lemon
pudding. Frost with whipped cream mixed with reserved amount of dry pudding mix.
Top with grated coconut.
Yellow Cake Mix:
Coffeecake: Mix as directed. Bake in oblong pan. Top with streusel topping or
cinnamon and sugar.
Orange: Use orange juice to replace water called for in directions. Add 1 tbsp.
grated orange rind. Frost with Orange Butter Frosting or Orange Cream Cheese
Frosting.
Maple Nut: Add 2 tsps. maple flavoring and 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans into
cake batter. Frost with Sea Foam or 7 minute frosting.
Ribbon Cake: Mix batter. Divide into thirds. Leave one plain, add 2 tbsps. cocoa
to one, and red coloring to tint the third pink. Bake each third in prepared
layer cake pans.
White Cake Mix:
Chocolate Chip: Add 1 cup mini chocolate chips to prepared batter. Frost with
Chocolate frosting.
Lemon: Add 1 tsp. lemon extract, and 1 tsp. grated lemon rind to batter. Frost
with lemon glaze, or lemon Butter cream frosting.
Peppermint: Add 1/3 cup finely chopped peppermint candy to
batter. Frost with Chocolate Mint Frosting, or with Sea Foam frosting and top
with more crushed candy.
Devil's Food Cake Mix:
Mocha: Use strong brewed coffee to replace the water called for in directions.
Chocolate Peanut Cake: Top prepared, baked cake with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3
tbsps. peanut butter, 1 tbsp. melted butter and 3/4 cup chopped peanuts. Run
under broiler.
Java Spice: Add 2 tsps. instant coffee, 3/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. allspice to
batter.
Glazed Spice Cake: Place batter in oblong pan. Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup
granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup cocoa. Sprinkle over batter. Pour over 1 cup
coffee. Bake 50 mins. Top slices with ice cream to serve.
Broiled Frosting: Mix 2 tbsps. soft butter, 3 tbsps. honey, 1 tbsp. cream, 1 cup
coconut, and pinch of salt. Spread on cooked cake and broil.
Prune cake: Add to batter 1 1/2 cups pitted prunes, cut up. Frost with Caramel
Frosting.
Gingerbread Mix: Zesty Gingerbread: Add 2 tbsps. orange rind to batter, bake and
frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Apple Upside Down Cake: In bottom of pan, mix 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4
cup melted butter. Top with canned, drained apple slices. Pour over prepared
gingerbread mix.
Apple Right side Up Cake: Bake Gingerbread as directed. Top with canned apple
slices. Combine 3 tbsps. butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsps. cream, dash salt,
and 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Spread over apples and broil.
Fruity Gingerbread: Spread 1/2 cup packed brown sugar in bottom of pan. Add one
16 oz. drained can of pineapple chunks. Pour prepared batter over top. Bake 375F
for 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Invert. Serve with whipped cream.
(C)2004 PennyAnnPoundwise is soley created,owned and written by Terri Cheney.
No portion of the newsletter may be reproduced without permission of the author.
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