All-New Cake Mix Doctor - Anne Byrn [27]
This Takes the Cake!
Cakes were meant for sharing with others. Here are ways you can travel with cakes without a lot of fuss or expense.
• A 13 by 9–inch metal baking pan with a plastic lid is good for transporting bars, brownies, cakes, and cookies.
• Invest in a round plastic cake server—or two. Tupperware cake carriers are not only durable, their lids lock in place; go to www.tupperware.com.
• Tote bars, cookies, and cupcakes in shirt boxes after lining the lids with waxed paper.
• Oatmeal containers are good for taking cookies to a friend. Decorate the box if you like.
• Gallon-size resealable plastic bags hold cookies and brownies.
• Cover a square of sturdy cardboard with aluminum foil to make a base for a layer cake. Wrap plastic wrap over the cake and the base to tote.
A Jar of Cake: To ship cakes, bake them in pint-size wide-mouth glass canning jars. The best cake recipes to use for this are simple ones with few add-ins. A Bundt or sheet cake recipe will make five or six jars of cake.
Spray the jars with vegetable oil spray then pour in a scant one cup of cake batter in each jar and set the jars on the oven rack to bake. The cakes will be done after 28 to 30 minutes at 350°F. When the cakes are done, remove the jars from the oven, immediately wipe the rims, and seal the jars with a jar lid and ring. Mail the cakes with tubes of frosting and sprinkles. You can also make banana or zucchini bread the same way.
To make smaller jars of cake, use half-pint jars, fill them with a half cup of batter, and bake them for 18 to 20 minutes.
BLUEBERRY MUFFIN CRUMBLE CAKE
WHO CAN RESIST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS? They are my younger daughter’s favorite thing to bake. So with summer blueberries plentiful and sweet, we baked this fun layer cake that tastes just like a giant blueberry muffin. And just like that muffin you’ve got a crunchy pecan and brown sugar topping and a sugar and milk glaze dripping down the side. And you’ve got the subtle flavor of lemon, which goes so well with blueberries. Serve this cake warm for brunch at home or take it to the office and slice and serve it with coffee. It’s even a treat for dessert with ice cream after a summer barbecue.
serves:
12 to 16
prep:
35 minutes
bake:
24 to 28 minutes
cool:
25 minutes (optional)
1¾ to 2¼ cups fresh blueberries
Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pans
Flour, for dusting the pans
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick) cold butter
½ cup finely chopped pecans
1 medium-size lemon
1 package (18.25 ounces) vanilla or yellow cake mix with pudding
1 container (6 ounces; ¾ cup) lemon yogurt
½ cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Recipe Reminders
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1. Rinse the blueberries and drain them on paper towels.
2. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist only the sides of two 9-inch round pans with vegetable oil spray, then dust them with flour. Shake out the excess flour.
3. Using a pencil, trace the bottom of a 9-inch round pan onto two pieces of parchment paper. Cut out the two round pieces of paper, place them in the bottom of the two prepared cake pans, and set them aside.
4. Place the flour