Orange Cream Poke Cake

This is another recipe we used to make in college. It is delicious. I have a picture somewhere of my roommates and I eating it in the living room and it looking like Texas as we were eating it from each corner. Good memories.

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 package (18.25 oz) lemon cake mix
1 envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix
3 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Gelatin Mixture:
1 package (3 oz) orange gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water

Frosting:
1 package (3 oz) orange gelatin
1 cup cold milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping; thawed

Directions:
1. Combine ingredients for cake and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes
2. Pour into ungreased 13x9 inch pan
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes
4. Poke holes in cake using meat fork (or a chopstick works well)
5. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes
6. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water
7. Stir cold water into gelatin mixture
8. Pour gelatin mixture over cooled cake
9. Mix frosting ingredients except whipped topping on low for 2 minutes
10. Fold in whipped topping
11. Let frosting stand for 5 minutes
12. Frost cake and refrigerate leftovers.

Variations: Lime or strawberry would probably be good instead of orange.

Notes:  This is really good. Good flavor and texture. And, not difficult to make at all.

Servings: 16

Estimated Cost: $6.50

Source: Recipe from college friends

Nutrition Facts: Nutrition Facts: 288 calories, 10g total fat, 2.7g saturated fat, 32mg cholesterol, 670mg sodium, 33g total carbohydrate, 24.7g sugar, Vitamin A 1%, Calcium 9%, Iron 3%

Magic Pumpkin Cake

A friend posted this recipe on Facebook and I just had to do it with the kids. A magic cake? Yes, please. They really enjoyed making it and seeing the magic and it tasted delicious too!

Start to Finish: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 36

Ingredients:
Yellow Cake Mix (with eggs, oil, and water)
15 oz pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup brown sugar

Frosting:
1 box white chocolate pudding
1 cup milk
1 tsp all spice
1 tub cool whip

Directions:
1. Mix cake mix as directed on box and put into 9x13 pan.
2. Mix pumpkin puree, 3 eggs, heavy cream, evaporated milk, and brown sugar together and pour over cake mix.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour.
4. Let cake cool.
5. Mix together frosting ingredients and frost cake.
6. Refrigerate leftovers.

Notes: The magic to this is that when baked the pumpkin mixture will be on the bottom instead of on the top, where you put it before baking. Kind of fun.

Variations: I am sure you can use any flavor of cake mix, puree, and pudding mix to change it up a bit.

Estimated Cost: $7.50

Nutrition Facts: 

Amount Per Serving

Calories 143 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7.0g 11%

Saturated Fat 2.9g 14%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 27mg 9%

Sodium 132mg 5%

Potassium 67mg 2%

Total Carbohydrates 18.7g 6%

Dietary Fiber 0.5g 2%

Sugars 12.8g

Protein 2.1g

Vitamin A 38% • Vitamin C 1% Calcium 5% • Iron 3%

Nutrition Grade C

Orange Dreamsicle Cake

Start to Finish: 1-1/2 hours

Ingredients:
(Cake)
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
3/4 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
1 package (1.3 ounces) whipped topping mix
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 medium oranges)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
(Glaze)
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Directions:
1) Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 10-inch tube pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.
2) Place the cake mix, salad dressing, whipped topping mix, orange juice, eggs, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape the sides of the bowl with the rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well blended and thick. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.
3) Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake, invert it onto a rack, and invert it again onto another rack so that it is right side up. Allow the cake to cool completely, 30 minutes more.
4) Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Place the confectioners' sugar and orange juice in a small bowl and mix with a spoon until smooth.
5) Spoon the glaze over the top of the cooked cake and let it drizzle down the sides. Let rest for 20 minutes for the glaze to set, then slice and serve.

Servings: 16

Notes: Yummy! So moist and delicious. We made this for Katie's 3rd birthday cake and have made it since for other birthday events. Everyone always loves it. 2 Tablespoons grated orange zest equals about 2 medium oranges. You can also store this cake, covered in plastic wrap or waxed paper, at room temperature for up to one week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight on the counter before serving.

Variations: Cupcakes; mine took 28 minutes to bake. Also, I could not find whipped topping mix at the store (actually, I believe QFC had it, but I didn't want to pay the $6 for it) so I just used 1/2 cup frozen whipped topping and it still turned out great.

Estimated Price: $4.50

Source: The Cake Mix Doctor
Nutrition Facts per serving: 238 cal., 8.9 g total fat (1.7 g sat. fat), 45 mg chol., 307 mg sodium, 37.3 g carbo., 23.4 g fiber, 2.9 g pro. Daily Values: 2% vit. A, 13% vit. C, 6% calcium, 4% iron

Old Fashioned Cola Cake

Start to Finish: 55 minutes

Ingredients:
CAKE-
Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
1 package (18.25 oz) plain white cake mix
4 tablespoons unsweetened coca powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup cola
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
COLA FROSTING-
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or margarine
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup cola
4 cups confectioner's' sugar, sifted
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly mist a 13-9 inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.
2) Place the cake mix, cocoa powder, melted butter, cola, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Fold in the marshmallows. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.
3) Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 40 to 42 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Place the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. As the butter melts, stir in the cocoa powder and cola. Let the mixture come just to a boil, stirring constantly, and then remove it from the heat. Stir in the confectioner's' sugar until the frosting is thickened and smooth. Fold in the pecans.
5) Pour the frosting over the top of the cake, spreading it out with a rubber spatula so that it reaches the edges of the cake. Cool the cake for 20 minutes before serving.

Servings: 20

Notes: This is extremely moist. I made it for my brother-in-laws birthday cake. He is EXTREMELY picky when it comes to food, but asked if he could take this cake home with him since he liked it so much.

Variations: I used walnuts instead of pecans. Also, it says to use Pepsi, Coke, or RC cola, but I used Ruby Red Squirt and it tasted great. I'm sure you can use any soda that you'd like. I even accidentally used the entire can for the cake and then used Kool-Aid for the frosting. So, be creative!

Estimated Price: $11.00

Cookbook: The Cake Mix Doctor