All-New Cake Mix Doctor - Anne Byrn [1]
What I have learned about baking and writing books is that with practice you do get better. That is why I say cooking and baking are things that improve as you age! They benefit from trial and error. I know this book and all my books would never have been possible without the wisdom of Peter Workman, who understood the cake mix idea from the moment he saw it. Thanks also go to Suzanne Rafer, my editor, from whom I have learned much. And thanks to Nancy Crossman, who is wise not only about books and publishing but about cooking and being a mom.
When you combine all of the above and bake, you have a book and a cake truly worth savoring. And you have friendships that last a lifetime. Thank you!
Anne Byrn
Contents
INTRODUCTION
I’M BACK . . . SO LET’S BAKE!
TAKE A CAKE BREAK
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
The tips you need to get you baking. Choosing the right cake mix. Prepping the pans. Testing for doneness. Plus the 10 Secrets for Sensational Cakes.
LOVE THOSE LAYERS
Majestic and delicious, when a celebration is at hand, these are the cakes to serve. A Triple Decker Chocolate Icebox Cake, Williamsburg Orange Cake, Holiday Eggnog Cake with Apricot Filling, plus 36 others.
MAKE YOUR OWN WEDDING CAKE
Bake a once-in-a-lifetime cake to celebrate their lifelong love. This elegant, moist triple layer white cake with a rich cream cheese frosting will have your guests shouting, “I do!” (And because you made it yourself, you’ll be able to say, “I did!”)
BUNDTS AND POUNDS
Easy to tote to picnics and parties, visually pleasing, and perfectly paired with a cup of coffee or tea or a glass of lemonade. It’s hard to resist a slice of Key Lime Pound Cake, Kathy’s Cinnamon Breakfast Cake, or Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake.
SHEET CAKES
When you’re baking for a crowd, sheet cakes come to the rescue—there’s little prep, little assembly, but big flavor results. Just slice and serve. Dazzle friends with a Pink Lemonade Party Cake, Chocolate Bayou City Cake, Brown Sugar and Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake, or the Birthday Cake for a Crowd.
CUPCAKES AND MUFFINS
Longtime favorites of kids (and kids at heart), these miniature cakes pack a lot of flavor into their small size. Bake up Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cupcakes, Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes, or Apple Spice Muffins. And if you’re feeling nostalgic, there’s even a recipe for Whoopie Pies.
BROWNIES, BARS, AND COOKIES
Whether they’re for a school, church, or Girl Scout troop fundraiser, expect these bake sale favorites to fly off the table. Gooey Pecan Pie Brownies, Angel Food Macaroons, Pineapple Coconut Bars, and German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are just a few favorites.
FROSTINGS
Homemade frostings, icings, and glazes are the heart and soul of this book. Classic Buttercream Frosting, rich Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, delicious Chocolate Pan Frosting, Caramel Glaze—these are easy, no-fail recipes that will turn a good cake into a great cake.
CONVERSION TABLES
INDEX
INTRODUCTION
I’m Back . . . So Let’s Bake!
My mom might have fried up chicken, stocked our freezer with soups, breads, and casseroles, carved watermelons into fruit baskets, and baked birthday cakes in the blink of an eye, but she admitted she couldn’t do everything. The cakes, she later revealed, were a lot easier to assemble if they began with a mix. Then she’d slather them with her signature from-scratch, easy Chocolate Pan Frosting!
Her casual approach would transform how my on-the-go family made birthday cakes, and later it gave me the idea to write a newspaper story about doctoring up a box of cake mix to make it taste better than if you just followed the package directions. I received so much feedback from that one story that I decided to take my mom’s approach to another level. The result was The Cake Mix Doctor, a book that gave busy cooks everywhere hundreds of yummy baking solutions.
That was ten years ago. Since the first book, I’ve gone on to write four more cookbooks—Chocolate