All-New Cake Mix Doctor - Anne Byrn [93]
Recipe Reminders
MADE FOR
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PREP NOTES
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DON’T FORGET
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SPECIAL TOUCHES
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6. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Place the butter, brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and the cream in a mediumsize saucepan over medium heat. Let the mixture come to a boil, stirring, then let it boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat.
7. Slide the cake onto a cake plate and pour the glaze over it so that it drizzles down the sides. Press the toasted pecans, if using, into the glaze while the glaze is warm. Let the glaze set for 10 minutes, then slice and serve the cake.
Keep It Fresh! Store this cake, in a cake saver, at room temperature for up to one week. Freeze the cake, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to six months. Let the cake thaw overnight on the counter before serving.
These Cakes Were Made for Shipping
Firm pound cakes with no frostings are the best for shipping out of town to friends and family. Bake them in a tube pan or Bundt pan, let them cool completely, then wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in a large resealable plastic bag. Freeze the cake for two to three days before sending it off.
Nancy Copeland of Manassas, Virginia, packs her frozen cakes in boxes that are about the size of the cake. Place crumpled packing paper in the bottom of the box, then add the frozen cake still wrapped in foil and the plastic bag. Surround the cake with packing peanuts or crumpled paper so it won’t shift. Seal the box with clear packing tape and address it. Nancy places the box back in the freezer if she is not going straight to the post office. The trick is to mail a cake that is frozen.
“When my son was in San Francisco I sent him two or three cakes a year with great success. My officemate’s son was sent to Kuwait and I felt the need to send him something. I made a Darn Good Chocolate Cake and shipped it. It took six days but it arrived intact and fresh.”
ALMOND POUND CAKE
HERE’S ANOTHER FUN WAY to doctor up a cake mix and turn it into a pound cake. Not only is it rich and buttery but it bakes up tall in the pan thanks to the added flour and eggs. It is flavored with both vanilla and almond, which mellow nicely as the cake rests on the counter. My mother always said a pound cake tastes better on day two or three. Serve it with fresh fruit of the season, such as sweetened peaches or strawberries.
serves:
12 to 16
prep:
20 minutes
bake:
52 to 58 minutes
cool:
35 to 45 minutes
Vegetable oil spray, for misting the pan
Flour, for dusting the pan
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 package (18.5 ounces) plain butter recipe golden cake mix
1 cup milk (see Note)
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt with vegetable oil spray, then dust it with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pan aside.
2. Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until blended and creamy, 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add 1 egg at a time, beating on low speed until each egg is blended into the batter. Stop the machine and add the almond and vanilla extracts and flour. Beat 30 seconds on medium-low speed. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl