Quick and Easy Cakes from mixes

[Imzadi]

Following in the same theme as other wonderful DIS recipe threads, here are some quick CAKE recipes from super easy ingredients:

Dump Cake (It's really more like a cobbler but, nevertheless, very tasty & easy )

Take a large can of pears, with the juice, and dump it into a greased cake pan. Sprinkle a package of blueberry muffin mix over the top. Slice up 3 - 4 Tbsp of butter and dot top of cake mix and bake at about 400 until it's bubbly and the top is browned. SOOOO delicious. (This first one was published in Taste of Home's Quick Cooking a while back.)

Variations:
Pour one large can of peaches in a 9x13 cake pan, sprinkle one spice cake mix over the top, dot with butter and bake.

Pour 2 cans of cherry pie filling into it greased cake pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle a yellow cake mix dry over the top. Dot with butter or margarine. Bake about 20 min. Serve over vanilla ice cream.

Cherry Pineapple
Take 1 can of cherry pie filling and put in 9x13 greased cake pan spread out on bottom, then 1 can of crushed pineapple spread on top of cherries, do not mix. Then spread one box of yellow cake mix (any kind). Dot with butter. Optional: top with one cup of crushed pecans.
Put in oven at 350 degrees for approximately 30-45 minutes (until top is nicely browned).

2 cans Apple Pie Filling
1 (18 oz) Duncan Hines Caramel Cake Mix
1 stick of butter or margarine (cut into pats or melted)

Dump pie filling into a 9"x13" baking pan. Dump cake mix evenly over pie filling. Dot top with pats of butter or pour melted butter over mix. Place in 350 degree oven and bake 35 or so minutes. The top will be golden brown and bubbly.

To use fresh apples, peel and slice 5 cups of apples. Put them in a kettle along with 3/4 cups sugar, 2 TBSP. cornstarch, 1 tsp. cinnamon (more or less to your liking) and pinch of salt. Stir well, then add 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until apples are soft and mixture is thick. Proceed with recipe above.


Here's a Weight Watchers dump cake recipe. Very tasty and only costs 3-4 points per serving, depending on the cake mix & kind of fruit used.

1 box of cake mix
(2) 12 oz. packages unsweetened frozen fruit and/or berries
2 cups diet lemon-lime soda (Sprite, 7-up, etc.)

Spray 9X13" pan with Pam. Spread frozen fruit in bottom of pan. Sprinkle cake mix over fruit. Gently pour soda over cake mix. DO NOT STIR Cover with foil & bake at 350 for 20 min. Uncover & bake 20-30 minutes more till cake topping is set & light brown. Makes 12 servings


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This is also a WW recipe.
Mix a 15 oz-ish can of pumpkin and a box of spice cake mix and an egg or two egg whites if you want to cut the fat even more. The egg/egg white helps it rise like a normal cake. Put in greased non-stick muffin pan, bake according to cake package. Yummy!


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Diet Soda Cake:

One Can of Diet Coke
One Chocolate or White Cake Mix - you have to use Duncan Hines or a mix where there is NO pudding in the cake mix...most of the other brands have pudding in the mix and that affects the cake somehow.

Mix together. Do not add eggs, oil, anything else. DON'T over mix or it will become heavy and loses some of the flavor.

Grease the pan really really well. Since there is no fat or butter in the cake, it tends to stick - bad.
You can grease really well with a cooking spray, then just dust it lightly with sugar. If you don't want to use sugar to dust the pan, use a tad of the cake mix.

Bake in oven according to box directions minus about 5 minutes. Or in the microwave about 10 minutes on high. You can't taste the Coke at all but the texture is incredible and a SUPER MOIST CAKE!!!

Variations: Diet Mountain Dew and a white cake mix. Bake in a greased bundt pan then sprinkle powdered sugar all over it. It is really refreshing.

Devil's food cake with diet cherry coke, when it is done & cooled pour one can of lite cherry pie filling on top & then top it all off with ff Coolwhip & you have a Black Forest cake.

Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme with Diet 7-Up. Top with Cool Whip.

Yellow cake w/ lemon lime,
White with diet orange.
Carrot with diet orange.
Carrot cake w/ ginger ale
Lemon cake w/ Diet 7-up



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Upside down Chocolate Pudding Cake

1 cup Bisquick® baking mix
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup and 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 2/3 cup hot tap water

Mix bisquick, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 Tbsp. cocoa, milk and vanilla. Spoon batter evenly into lightly greased crockpot. Mix remaining sugar, cocoa and hot tap water. Pour over the batter that is already in the crockpot. Cook on high 2 1/2 hours or until batter no longer looks shiny on top. *Note* This ends up looking like a cake from the top, but when you slice (scoop) the cake, there is a layer of pudding underneath it. Very rich!


"Bisquick" Substitute (for our friends overseas )
From www.recipesource.com

1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/8 cups flour
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

Sift together powder and sugar into flour. Sift together twice into large mixing bowl. Slowly add oil, cutting in with pastry blender (or 2 knives), until mix is consistency of corn meal. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature or may be refrigerated. Spoon lightly into cup and level with spatula. Use for pancakes, waffles, biscuits, coffee cake.


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These two recipes below don’t use CAKE mixes but do use boxes of PUDDING mixes and are so easy, so I’ve included them below:

(Posted by member MELSMICE in a previous thread )
This isn't a traditional cake but we use it for birthday celebrations anyway because my DD's & everyone else loves it.

--Use 9 X 13 pan (or larger one if you have it)

--Layer bottom of pan with graham crackers

--Next layer is 1 box of instant vanilla pudding mixed with 8 oz. cream cheese (softened) & 1 cup milk. Mix until very smooth & pour on graham crackers

--Add another layer of graham crackers on top of vanilla pudding mixture

--Next layer use 1 box instant chocolate pudding, 8 oz. cream cheese & 1 cup milk. Mix smooth & pour on graham crackers

--Add another layer of graham crackers on top of chocolate pudding mixture

--Last layer is 8-12 oz. of whipped topping smoothed over top

--Drizzle with chocolate syrup before serving.

Must be kept in refrigerator.


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(Posted by member BLONDIE in a previous thread )
Chocolate Eclair Cake goes over BIG time and it's similar to MELSMICE's recipe but doesn't have the cream cheese:

Chocolate Eclair Cake

2 (3.5 ounce) pkgs. instant vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip (or similar) thawed
3 cups milk
1 (16 oz.) pkg. graham cracker squares
1 can pourable chocolate frosting (or 2 cans, use to your liking)

In a medium bowl thoroughly blend the pudding mix, whipped topping and milk.

Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking pan.

Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Top with another layer of crackers and the remaining pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.

Spread the frosting over the whole cake up to the edges of the pan. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.


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English Trifle:
In the two pudding recipes above, substitute packaged soft ladyfingers or sponge cake for the graham crackers and add in layers of fruits like raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, (use fresh, jarred preserves or compotes,) or canned peaches (drained,) over the pudding.


PLEASE ADD YOUR RECIPES!


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Here are also several wonderful DIS archived threads compiled from the various boards for cookies, treats, appetizers & other goodies. (They are not just for the holidays!) They are excellent DIS resources.

Quick & Easy Christmas treats - scroll down page to compiled list

Here's the link to my favorite thread on the DIS:
Cookies from cake mixes! Super Easy! NOW w/ BISCOTTI and Cookie BAR recipes

Quick and Easy Appetizers & Snacks

New Year's Eve appetizers

The *Official* Holiday Recipe 2007 Thread
Christmas cookie thread

 

[PartyOf5]

Wow! Thanks for sharing...these are great!

 

[smacky1]

Thanks for the great ideas. Our local store had cake mix for .77 a box this week. I already had an abundance of it so I didnt buy any, but these recipes will help me get rid of some over the holidays. Great dessert ideas!

 

[fofinia]

Can you use regular soda in the Diet Coke cake? I'd like to try that one just for the fun of it!

I have a really easy one:

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

In a bundt pan (or use another shape if you want)
Grease pan. Sprinkle a few teaspoons of brown sugar into bottom of pan. Try to get it up sides a little.
Next take a can of pineapple rings, reserve the liquid. (Crushed works well too. Just not as pretty.) Layer the pineapple rings all around the bottom of the pan, on top of the sugar.

Mix a yellow or white cake mix according to directions. Replace the water in the recipe with some of the reserved pineapple juice, if desired.

Bake according to directions. After it semi cools flip out of bundt onto plate. If some of the pineapples or sugar stick you can scrap out and stick back on top of the cake, but only if it's still a little warm. When cooled totally drizzle with white icing (confectioner's sugar and milk).

Voila! Everyone always loves it. And it is really, really easy.

 

[The Disney Bunch]

Not for nothing, though - as nice as these recipes are - don't they belong in the cooking/recipe forum? This is really OT.

 

[fivefordisney]

Not for nothing, though - as nice as these recipes are - don't they belong in the cooking/recipe forum? This is really OT.

NO! No! Please don't move our "Quick and Easy" threads!! I love them!!! This is right where they belong!

Thanks, Imzadi! My MIL gave me an excellent recipe that makes the best cake. Every time I make it, people ask for the recipe!

One Pan Chocolate Cake

1 choc cake mix
1 choc instant pudding mix
2 eggs
1/4 c oil
1 c chocolate chips
Water called for in mix

Pour oil into 13 x 9" pan--tilt so oil covers the bottom. add other ingredients, stirring until mixed.

Bake at 350 for the time listed on mix!

This is so so so good!

 

[problemchild718]

Don't move us!!! This is budget-cake mix ison sale and have a coupon!!!

Here's one:
Pumpkin/Spice Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 large can pumkin pie mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
Mix well for 2 min, bake according to pan size on box-or until toothpick comes out clean.
This is sooo versitile-it can be made into a cake, bread, muffins. I usually make iti n a bundt pan and pour cream cheese frosting over top.
You can add nuts, raisins, more spices. You can dust it with confectioners sugar and cinnamon. It gets moister as time goes buy

 

[Benducci]

But isn't that whole purpose of the cooking forum? So you can look for recipes? If I want a recipe, I go there, not to the budget board. To me, this is just the type of OT posts that people gripe about.

 

[fivefordisney]

But isn't that whole purpose of the cooking forum? So you can look for recipes? If I want a recipe, I go there, not to the budget board. To me, this is just the type of OT posts that people gripe about.

Nope! Not me. The first place I look for anything is the Budget Board. Everyone here is so awesome and so willing to share. If you look at the topics on the Budget Board, there are many that have nothing to do with budgeting--of course, there are some that are indeed about budget-related items. Think of it this way, we are sharing recipes in order to avoid going to the bakery which costs more!

Just ignore the posts that seem unrelated to your needs--life is too short to gripe about this...

 

[krcit]

I made this for Easter and it was a big hit.


Pistachio Cake
1 box of white cake mix
1 box of Jello pistachio pudding mix
3 eggs
1 cup oil
12 oz can of Sprite or 7-up

Beat ingredients on med/high for 4 minutes(scrape down sides after 2 minutes) Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. I made 2 9 inch round cakes and lined the pans with was paper.

Frosting

1 box jello pistachio pudding
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tub of Cool whip

Mix together and then frsot the cake. The cake needs to be refridgerated. It turns out a pretty pale green. Perfect for Christmas!!

 

[gomomgo]

Nope! Not me. The first place I look for anything is the Budget Board. Everyone here is so awesome and so willing to share. If you look at the topics on the Budget Board, there are many that have nothing to do with budgeting--of course, there are some that are indeed about budget-related items. Think of it this way, we are sharing recipes in order to avoid going to the bakery which costs more!

Just ignore the posts that seem unrelated to your needs--life is too short to gripe about this...

ITA, plus budgeting is about money savers, but I also thing it is about time savers too. Budgeting my time is waaaaaaaaaaaaay harder than budgeting my expenses. So, anything that saves money AND time is worth staying on the budget board.

 

[Imzadi]

This is a post by Moderator BethR on another thread in response to certain negative posts designed to drive a thread into the ground. I assume it's relevant for this thread as the Mods haven't closed or moved it yet, and it does follow in the same vein as the other wonderfully successful "Quick & Easy" threads that have been so popular on the Budget Board and have given much joy, creativity & saving of time as well as money.

There is more to budgeting than simply counting nickels & dimes. There is the budgeting of time, being resourceful with the supplies one has to work with, and creating a lifestyle that is thrifty without coming off as cheap, or simply living in scarcity & lack.

Food is a celebration of life. Cakes are part of those celebratory times - yet can still be budget conscious without appearing so. The fact that the "Quick & Easy" threads have already has so many responses on the Budget Board proves that something so simple & as crushed Oreos blended with cream cheese can be such a luxurious joy while being inexpensive is PRICELESS.

Well there certainly seems to be a lot of "arm chair moderating" going on on this thread.

"This thread does not belong here."

"This thread does belong here."

"The other thread should not have been closed."

and so on and so forth.

I don't like "pulling rank" on any of you, but unfortunately, it seems to warrant it.
Publicly criticizing Moderator decisions is not permitted on the DIS and you can receive infraction points for doing so.
I know that there is disappointment in the closing of [a] thread, but it was the Mods decision to close it. We did not feel that anyone set out to purposely close it. But to try to purposely post to get a thread closed will result in infraction points.

As I said, I know that there is disappointment in the closing of [a] thread, but there are many other ways of sharing grocery saving and menu planning tips.

And in the end there are the DIS Guidelines for Posting http://www.wdwinfo.com/guidelines.htm that are to be followed. Particularly these ones:

3. NO FIGHTING/SARCASM: While we'd like to think that a Disney fan site is always lighthearted, there are times when there are disagreements. Let's face it, there are certain topics that can transform any of us into a raging "Donald Duck." When you sense this is happening, we ask that you step away from the discussion before it escalates into a fight. Just like Mom always said about fighting, we don't care who started the argument and we don't want it on the DIS. (Okay, she didn't say the part about the DIS, but you know what we mean.) No attacking others and no sarcasm please. Either will result in an infraction.

and

7. MODERATORS: The DIS has a wonderful group of Moderators who have volunteered to assist our visitors and monitor the boards. Part of their responsibilities is ensuring that our guidelines are followed which may require that a thread is edited, deleted, closed or moved. If these decisions impact you, we ask that you respect them. Should you have any questions, please direct them to admin@wdwinfo.com. Any discussion about a Moderating decision that takes place on the boards could result in an infraction.

So could we just get back to being good DIS citizens?

Thanks!

 

[Imzadi]

Can you use regular soda in the Diet Coke cake? I'd like to try that one just for the fun of it!

Yes, you can use any kind of soda, diet or regular with any kind of cake mix.

You can even make cupcakes out of this or a bundt cake sprinkled with sugar on top. Very moist! Or how about red & green icing drizzled on top for the holidays?

I love the cake recipes others have been adding! They sound very decadent.

 

[got2travel]

Ok, I haven't followed the Quick and Easy threads, but you've got me intrigued. Oreos and cream cheese?? Do tell.


I've made dump cake several times. I'm more liberal with the butter though. I melt a full stick and pour it over the mix. And I just use whatever combination of canned fruit and cake mix I have on hand. Always turns out yummy.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

What is this oreos and cream cheese I am hearing about? I don't even know what it is and my mouth is watering!

 

[fivefordisney]

What is this oreos and cream cheese I am hearing about? I don't even know what it is and my mouth is watering!

Take from Quick and Easy Christmas Treats...


Oreo Truffles
1 package Oreo cookies
1 package cream cheese (room temperature)
chocolate for dipping

1. Chop Oreos in a food processor until nothing but crumbs remain. Put crumbs in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with cream cheese until dough like. Roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter and chill.
2. After chilling, dip the Oreo balls in melted chocolate and let dry on waxed paper. An optional decoration would be to drizzle white chocolate across the top or dip the Oreo balls in white chocolate and drizzle with dark chocolate. (In the picture they did them in red chocolate and brown chocolate drizzle. They look incredible.)


They are sooooooo good!

 

[YayDisney!]

I'm bumping this so I don't loose it!! Trying to decide what to bring for dessert on Christmas Day. Thanks for the great recipes!!

Happy Holidays, All!!