By Andy Bedwell
If you have any hopes of being a good Southern cook, you need to be a great cake baker. I did not say that it had to be a cake made from “scratch” (as we say in the South), but a tasty and moist one. As far as I can remember, I can never recall my mother ever using a cake mix. That was just a no, no! Please forgive me, Mother, but I have some really good cake mix cakes that I want to share with young bakers and people who do not want to stay in the kitchen all day but want a delicious cake.
To begin with, I want to share with you that Duncan Hines’ cake mixes have decreased by three ounces for the past three years. I have always used Duncan Hines cake mixes but I now have to add three ounces to each box. I keep opened boxes of cake mixes in my refrigerator just to add to any recipe that I use with a mix. Three ounces does make a difference especially when you are baking a cake.
Coconut-Pecan
Pound Cake
1 box butter-pecan
cake mix
1 can coconut-butter
pecan frosting mix
5 eggs
3/4 cup Crisco oil
1 cup water
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix all ingredients in the mixer and pour into a greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour.
Andy’s Note: I know most of you have this recipe but I just had to include this among my favorites. Of course, I always top with a thin powdered sugar glaze and a few crushed pecans. This is a great coffee cake for a fall or winter morning.
Mandarin Orange Cake
1 box of yellow cake mix
4 eggs
6-ounce can Mandarin oranges, do not drain
½ cup Crisco oil
Frosting:
1 large box instant
vanilla pudding
1 large can
crushed pineapple
1 (9-ounce) Cool Whip
Mix cake ingredients together and pour into a greased and floured 9×13-inch Pyrex dish.
While cake is baking, mix the frosting ingredients together. When cake has cooled, frost cake and refrigerate.
Andy’s Note: This cake is fabulous, easy and delish! Decorate with a few fresh orange slices and a sprinkle of coconut.
Chocolate Chip
Pound Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup Crisco oil
1 (8-ounce) package
sour cream
1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (6-ounce)
chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients, then stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour in a bundt cake pan.
Andy’s Note: Don’t you just love these good and easy cakes? It is not too early to start freezing cakes for the holidays. Just a sprinkle of sifted powdered sugar on this one is perfect. Place this cake on a cake stand, which makes the humblest cake look proud.
Roll Tide and War Eagle!
Happy Fall Cooking,
Andy Bedwell
“Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell” can be purchased at Alabama Gift Company in downtown Gadsden and The Messenger on Rainbow Drive.