Taste of Home Cake Mix Creations Brand New Edition: 234 Cakes, Cookies & other Desserts from a Mix!

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Pictured on front cover: .

and cookies, trifles, bars and other yummy sweets made from a cake mix!

Its easy to bake up scrumptious desserts even when youre short on time! Weeknight surprises, bake sale contributions and classroom treats are a snap when you have a box of cake mix on hand!

Taste of Home Cake Mix Creations has 234 recipes shared by family cooks who know how to cut kitchen time yet serve desserts that are big on flavor. These home bakers offer their secrets for whipping up layer cakes, tortes, cupcakes, cookies, bars and other fabulous treats, each of which stars a convenient cake mix.

Flip through this colorful collection and youll find cakes to suit any occasionfrom crowd pleasing snack cakes perfect for potlucks to impressive themed cakes sure to steal the show on holiday buffets. Need a cute birthday cake or a fun finale on July Fourth? See the chapter for clever ideas that come together in no time.

Nancy Horton has been baking her family's all-time favoritefor more than 30 years! It's truly stood the test of time.

Cupcakes and cake pops are another reason to reach for a cake mix. Just stir in a few everyday ingredients for bakeshop-quality treats, such as . With Cake Mix Creations, youll save so much time that you can spend a little extra effort on decorating. Inside, well show you how to turn cupcakes into silly monkeys, cute cats, fun clowns and so much more!

Cake mixes are also the base for yummy cookies, from macaroons and biscotti to sweet thumbprints and chip-filled standbys. And dont forget about bars! Cake mixes speed preparation on these snacks, too, featuring flavors such as raspberry, lemon and peanut butter.

Youll discover an entire chapter devoted to heavenly angel food cakes as well as a section, youll find effortless coffee cakes, cinnamon rolls, crisps and trifles. Best of all, a bonus chapter shows you how to turn ordinary brownie mixes into extraordinary desserts such as cheesecakes and even ice cream!

Think you dont have time to surprise your family with an after-dinner delight? Grab a box of cake mix and look for the quickto-mix icon:

For these treats, youll need no more than 15 minutes of hands-on prep work before setting things in the oven. What could be easier?

Turn your kitchen into the most popular bakeshop in town, and let your family and friends think youre a top baker. After all, theres no need to let them in on your little secreta box of cake mix and Cake Mix Creations!

Drizzling limoncello liqueur over the cake layers before frosting adds a tart punch.

AMY FREDERICK ISLAND CITY, OR

PREP: 20 MIN. BAKE: 25 MIN. + COOLING MAKES: 12 SERVINGS

package yellow cake mix (regular size)

1 1/4 cups water

eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

teaspoon lemon extract

carton (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese

cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup lemon curd

1/4 cup limoncello, optional

Fresh raspberries and lemon peel strips

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, eggs, oil and extract; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans.

Bake at 350 for 22-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl, beat the cheese, cream and lemon curd until smooth. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Drizzle with half the limoncello if desired; spread with half the cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Garnish with raspberries and lemon peel. Store in the refrigerator.

Each bite of this luscious cake features the delightful flavors of chocolate, almonds and apricots.