Box Cake Mix

[nap]

This is inspired by the price of preparing food for others thread

I'm responsible for taking dessert to Christmas at the in-laws. There will be 15 people there and I refuse to spend my time and money making something fancy that won't be appreciated. These are brown and serve roll type people - they always turn their nose up my fancy food and never eat it.

I've decided to use a box cake mix and bake it in a bundt pan. I would like to use store bought icing as well but I'm at a total loss as to what brand and flavor to use. The box cake isle at the grocery is totally overwhelming and I can never decide between all the brands and flavors.

So, if you were me what flavors would you use?

[Figwit]

Honestly, there isn't much difference between the brands. I would just go with what's on sale, maybe something light like lemon? I'd veer away from strawberry or spice - they can have an off taste really easily. German chocolate is my favorite of the chocolates because it's so much lighter (although a good devil's food cake is deeeelish), but I never used the coconut/pecan frosting - always cream cheese.

Icing a bundt cake is such a hassle, and they look beautiful with glazes or ganache. Lemon with powdered sugar glaze, chocolate with a cinnamon/chocolate ganache or cream cheese drizzle (that word is so gross) are all easy options. Bulky frosting sort of overwhelms the shape of the pan which is the entire point of it, you know?

I used to bake from box mixes all the time (I was a birthday party coordinator at a children's museum) and the best tip I have is use a stand or handheld mixer and just let it whip whip whip whip whip until it's insanely creamy and light.
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[meexie]

[christinaheart]

Oh, brownies. If you want easy dessert, do a boxed brownie mix. They're always so effin' moist.

But, yeah, all the cake mixes are about the same. I'd stick with a brand name (sometimes the store brand tastes a little weird) but other than that, whatever's on sale/tickles your fancy!
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[caropop]

The fudgy cake mixes are always slightly more impressive in terms of texture and taste.



(though, frankly, I love cheap white cake)
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[crookedtree]

I actually do have an opinion on box cake mix! I always have better luck with Dunc@n Hines.

I don't do store bought icing, though. I usually just make yellow box cake and pour my grandmother's chocolate fudge icing on top of it. It's not fancy (grandma is a brown-and-serve-roll gal herself), so if you want the recipe to try on your own box cake, I can dig it up. It works better when you bake the cake in a rectangle pan, though. I always just dust powdered sugar on my bundt cakes.

[nap]

[scarymonster]

You could also do a cake with a fruit topping/glaze, like devil's food cake with cherry pie filling, or white cake with sliced strawberries (in sugar until they get all syrupy)

eta: one year for a b-day cake I did chocolate boxed cake (in a round pan) with mini marshmallows baked on top until they were golden and gooey.

[Pearliepie]

You know what's totally amazing and everyone thinks I've slaved over all day?

One box devils food chocolate cake mix (any brand, I buy the cheapest cuz I'm cheap)
One 15 oz can pure pumpkin

Nothing else. Mix until smooth (this takes FOREVER) pour into baking dish of your choice (I use muffin tins) and bake for about 20 min at 400 degrees.

OMG. So, so good. It doesn't raise up a ton though, So I'm not sure what it would do in a bundt pan.
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[scarymonster]

just saw this!

http://www.20goingon80.com/2011/11/8-ways-to-transform-cake-mix.html

[miss e]

My friend makes this cake all the time and it's really good:

Chocolate Pudding Cake. It's chocolate cake mix, sour cream, instant pudding, and chocolate chips.

or

the kevin and amanda best chocolate cake ever is different version of the above.
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[crookedtree]

Grandma Smith's Chocolate Fudge Icing

1/4 cup milk
6 Tbs. cocoa
1 stick margarine or butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box 10X sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Place milk, cocoa, and butter in a saucepan. Melt together and bring to a boil. Add sugar, vanilla, and nuts if using. Pour and spread over cake.

(this icing hardens, so it's like a layer of fudge on top of the cake rather than a layer of creamy frosting.)

[PrickleyPete]

You can add one package of a powdered instant pudding mix to one box cake mix, prepare cake as directed and frost with a can of frosting. Go with whatever is on sale for pudding, cake and frosting.
I think when you start adding things it can get expensive and if these are brown and serve people, the cheaper the better. The only thing to watch for is some of the brands are 2-4 oz different weight whichI think is almost 1 whole slice.
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[knittykat]

We find that the strawberry cake mix is actually quite addictive :-) Maggie picked it because it was pink, for Miao's birthday cake (yes. we do bake a cake for our cat's birthday. And light candles and sing and make her favorite dinner.) We thought it was odd and figured well, oh well, it's only a couple of dollars. And we all were surprised by how good it was.

We've made it since for a number of ocassions and it always gets rave reviews. It is VERY pink. You could just mix powdered sugar and a bit of milk and drizzle over the cake, or dust with powdered sugar.
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[ashular]

what about an angel food cake? this is perfect for bundt pans. then you can tops with strawberries (either fresh and cooked with sugar and a little water until syrupy, or canned pie filling) and whipped cream (again, either fresh or some cool whip).

i find this is a nice balance between the boxed cake and a little homemade touch, plus it'll look nice and christmassy!
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