Cake mixes aren’t just for making cakes.
They are incredibly versatile, they save time, and generally speaking, when using cake mix in a recipe, the chances of the recipe “turning out” are incredibly high.
The cake mix companies have been in business for a hundred years for a reason: cake mixes work.
Not to mention, certain flavors are incredibly hard to recreate on your own and even if you could, it’s a bit like re-inventing the wheel. Perfect yellow cake, Funfetti, strawberry, and devil’s Food cake come to mind.
The texture, the lightness, the flavor, the balance of flavor intensity to sweetness are all trade secrets are hard to nail perfectly.
15 of my favorite recipes using cake mixes:
and none of them actually make cake
Bars
Coconut Peanut Butter Magic Cake Bars
Cookie Butter Funfetti Triple Chip Bars
Creamy Mixed Berry White Chocolate Crumble Bars
White and Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Chocolate Cake Bars
White Chocolate Vanilla Marshmallow Cake Bars
Cookies
Pina Colada White Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Mounds Bar Chocolate Coconut Cake Mix Cookies
Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Cupcakes and Cake
3 Musketeers Marshmallow Candy-Stuffed White Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream
Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cupcakes with White Chocolate Icing – use a brownie mix rather than cake mix
Truffles and Chocolate
No Bake Vanilla Cake Batter Chocolate Truffles
Oreo Cookie-Stuffed Brownies with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting– use a brownie mix to make life easier
Popcorn
Vanilla Cake Batter and White Chocolate Chip Caramel Corn
Beverages
Chocolate Cake Batter Milkshake
Do you like cake mix? How do you use it?
Recipe links welcome
Ironically, I don’t tend to make cakes with cake mixes. Everything except cakes.
I love the results from cake mix. There’s no shame in taking a shortcut.
And the smell of cake mix is intoxicating. I’d wear cake mix perfume if such a thing existed. Actually, years ago I had red velvet cake bodyspray by Calgon that I found at Rite-Aid and got tons of compliments on it from passerby. Apparently everyone loves the smell of cake.
However, I know some people like to make everything from scratch and more power to them.
Are you brand loyal to a certain mix?
Sometimes I grab what’s on sale and sometimes I choose with more intention.
Duncan Hines classic yellow cake mix, Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cake, and any of their cake mixes are probably my top choice if all things are equal. Generally, they tend to be about 50 cents more per box at my grocery store.
I love Betty Crocker’s French Vanilla Cake Mix for white or vanilla cakes. The French vanilla flavor is deeper and I prefer it to other vanillas.
Pillsbury’s Funfetti is one of a kind. Love it. Pillsbury Strawberry Cake Mix is so incredibly moist and the box says there’s “pudding in the mix” and I believe it.
Winner to be announced Saturday for the Ani Phyo Cookbooks Giveaway – Set of Two
Have a great weekend!
This is such a great round-up of recipes! Definitely hanging on to this post for cake mix baking inspiration!
Can I have one of each, please?! Yum!
LOVE. THIS. POST! Can we just talk for a hot sec about your cookie butter funfetti triple chip bars?!?!??!?! Those make me want to crawl through my screen and grab one! haha…seriously though, those are the most decadent and delicious looking things I’ve ever seen! thanks for a drool-tastic post! have a great weekend!
Glad they have that effect on you! haha!
It’s amazing how many things cake mix can be used in that – like you said – are not cake! I heard of someone who even puts a tbsp or so in her protein shakes to make them taste like cake batter!
my favorite kinda recipes! i’m all about the cake mix and adding sodas/alcohol too! i made the most amazing red wine cake:
https://theactorsdiet.com/2012/05/02/recipe-recap-red-wine-cake/
Red wine AND cake…in one. Now that’s some smart thinking :)
Awesome roundup! I am Pillsbury all the way when it comes to boxed mixes. Love it!
Interesting that you’re Pillsbury all the way!
Averie … I love that you use cake mixes for everything but cake … Happy Weekend!
I love the simplicity of so many of your recipes. Beautiful, even elegant, but simple. I have used cake mixes (like a spice cake) to make mini-cupcakes for parties using pumpkin only, but that’s not really anything inspiring ;-)
Spice cake mix is so good…it’s like carrot cake without having to shred any carrots or be bothered!
What a great list. Everything looks delicious!
Yay for cake mix. The more idiot free a recipe is for me, the better! You’re right- cake mixes work! :)
Yes, they’re almost a guarantee :)
When I was younger boxed mixes were the way we went. In my adult life (before I became Raw 1 month ago- today is my 1 Month Rawniversary!!! :D ) I only made things from scratch. My favorite recipe I had made back in the day with a box of cake mix were lemon cookies that also used pudding. They were soft and light from the cake mix, a little bit ooey from the pudding and nice and lemony!
Averie, I am obviously loving this recipe round up! I am a HUGE fan of using cake mixes as a shortcut. In fact, i really don’t think I’ve ever actually baked a cake with cake mix… at least not on my blog! (Except for my pinapple upside down cake! yum.) You know I love cake batter, so I love using cake mix to get that cake batter taste in fudge, cookies, blondies, etc. I need to try your cake batter truffles! And that caramel corn!
I am brand loyal to Duncan Hines + Betty Crocker!
Interesting who you’re brand loyal to – I suspected those would be your picks. And yes, I know you love your cake mixes, too!
Girl, you have waaaayyyyy too much fun in the kitchen ~ LOVE that!
I LOVE cake mix recipes! They are so easy and fun!
Cake Batter Puppy Chow is so unbelievably good…
https://luvwhatyoudo.wordpress.com/2012/03/08/fun-with-cake-mixes/
And I can not stop eating these Cake Batter truffles.
https://luvwhatyoudo.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/what-do-you-do-with-an-open-cake-mix/
Excellent idea for a post! It’s great to have one place to go when you are looking for a Cake Mix recipe!
And I’ve seen both of those posts of yours and they both look amazing!
I have never been a big cake baker, so I don’t have any boxed brand preference–I just go for what’s on sale. The mix I have waiting for the mounds bar cookies is a Pillsbury from the “scratch and dent” sale rack at Kroger (89 cents). It hasn’t expired but the poor box has seen better days! My stepdaughter’s high school graduation ceremony is tonight so some chocolate is in order.
Cannot beat an 89 cent sale! You couldn’t even supply the flour + sugar + cocoa powder + other leaveners in the mix for 89 cents even if you wanted to make it all from scratch!
Grew up eating box cakes, but try not to use them myself. The conventional ones have chemicals but the organic ones are more expensive. My one exception once in a great while are the trader joes mixes, but they have limited selection. To each their own. Your bars look delicious, I could try recreating them without!