Turn Cake Mix into Fancy Dessert
How to Cheat in the Kitchen and make Decadent Treats from a Box
Creating a masterpiece from a cake mix is as simple as being creative. Follow these simple steps to turn the ordinary into something extraordinary.
Who has the time to make fancy cakes from scratch? You need not worry! With a few easy tricks a common cake mix can be turned into an uncommon masterpiece.
Strawberry Birthday Cake
This cake is absolutely stunning when finished. Prepare a strawberry cake mix like the box suggests using two round cake pans. Add a couple of drops of red food coloring for extra pizzazz. Defrost a box of frozen strawberries. Once the cake is finished poke holes in both layers with a fork. Drizzle the juice from the defrosted strawberries into the holes. Between the two layers of the cake, spread the chunks of strawberries. Frost the entire dessert with a white cream cheese frosting, and then liberally sprinkle with rainbow round shaped sprinkles. The result is a gorgeous strawberry cake with real fruit, and bright celebratory colors.
Decadent Butterfinger Crunch Cake
Prepare a chocolate cake mix according to the directions in a long glass or metal pan. Once cooked, poke holes in the cake using a fork. Drizzle an entire can of sweetened condensed milk into the holes and let sit. Take three or four regular sized butterfinger bars and put them in a ziploc bag. Pound the bag with a rolling pin, or a hammer. Whichever is handy. Once the butterfinger bars are crushed into dust, sprinkle all but a couple of tablespoons of the Butterfinger over the cake soaked in condensed milk. Spread a liberal layer of cool whip over the top, and sprinkle the remaining candy over the whipped cream. Refrigerate and serve chilled. The result is a cake so moist and sinful your guests will swear you slaved all day on it.
Black Forest Layer Cake
Prepare a rich chocolate cake mix in a long glass or metal pan. Once the cake is cooled, spread a can of cherry pie filling over the cake. Top with a liberal layer of cool whip. Sprinkle the top with chocolate shavings, or chocolate sprinkles. The cherry pie filling adds a tart, cool flavor with the rich chocolate, and the whipped topping instead of icing keeps the entire dessert light and decadent. For an extra special twist, after the cake is entirely cooled, smooth softened vanilla ice cream over the cake before adding the cherries. Finish with the above steps and place in the freezer for one to two hours before serving.
Unusual Decorations for Common Cakes
Sugared Rose Petals: Dip each rose petals first in egg-white, then in sugar so they are coated on both sides. Let them dry completely, each laying separately on wax paper. These make an excellent tasty and beautiful garnish for cakes and cupcakes.
Cake Shapes: Pour two cups of cake batter on a cookie pan and cook until springy. Wait until cool and then use a cookie cutter to cut shapes in the thin cake. Decorate individually, and "attach" to the larger cake with icing as glue. This gives a three dimensional look to a regular cake.
Marbled Icing: Poke holes in any sheet cake and drizzle with melted icing. This will give added moisture, and a pretty internal marbling look when cut and served.
There are plenty of ways to doll up your every day cake. Impress your guests and loved one with a homemade masterpiece crafted in under an hour. For more ways to cheat in the kitchen, check out How to Cheat with Fancy Appetizers and How to Cheat at Elegant Desserts. And for those of you planning a wedding, don't miss Unique Cupcake Wedding Cakes.
