I have a bunch of easy recipes in my recipe box. And some of the simplest start with an ingredient you can find in almost any grocery store. Cake mix!
To anyone who thinks using a pre-packaged cake mix to start a recipe is “cheating,” let me change your mind. Because while it’s a bit of a shortcut, the base makes for some of the most delicious desserts I’ve tried!
Below, find some of my favorite dessert recipes that start with a cake mix.
5-Ingredient Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
I first discovered this cake in college when some of my sorority sisters made it in the community kitchen.
It starts with a sweet and juicy layer of crushed pineapple and juice that makes the cake extra moist. The cherries poured on top add a slightly tart taste that will offer a burst of flavor in every bite.
When I make this recipe, I typically serve it chilled in small bowls with some homemade whipped cream. You can definitely serve this warm with some vanilla ice cream too!
HERE is the recipe!
The Best Lemon Poke Cake
I’ll never forget the pure joy of tasting my Grandma’s lemon poke cake for the first time. Sheer, lemon-puckered bliss. So moist and tasty!
Baking this lemon cake and TASTING it again brought back so many memories. It was like Grandma was in the kitchen with me. And the cake was everything I remembered it to be.
My Grandma’s lemon poke cake will, no doubt, become a go-to recipe for you. It’s so easy to make and the results will speak for themselves with all of the compliments you’ll receive.
Find the recipe HERE!
Banana Fudge Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
This easy banana fudge cake with peanut butter frosting might just be the best thing I’ve ever come up with.
Why? Peanut butter and bananas are one of my favorite combinations and the decadent peanut butter frosting atop this cake makes the most mouthwatering dessert.
I used the 13×9 cake pan for ease, but if you really wanted to step this cake up, you could easily make this a layer cake and use the fudge topping as the center icing.
Take a look at the recipe HERE!
5-Ingredient Mixed Berry Dump Cake
This mixed berry dump cake is one of those dessert recipes I’ll make time and time again. Why? It’s baked in one pan and you can prep it in less than 10 minutes!
It has a sweet yet tart berry base, and a buttery, crumbly topping, slightly browned from baking. Delish!
In my opinion, it tastes best when warm. So after letting the dish cool for a bit after it leaves the oven, feel free to serve it up. My favorite way to enjoy it is with a scoop of vanilla ice cream atop!
HERE is a link for the mixed berry dump cake!
Easy Black Forest Dump Cake
This easy black forest dump cake brings together gooey chocolate cake with the subtly tart (but perfectly sweet) taste of cherries. A winner whether you’re bringing it to book club, prepping it for a spring picnic, or enjoying the cake with your family throughout the week!
My recommendation is to enjoy this dump cake warm and with a scoop of ice cream on top. The combo of flavors, temps, and textures is such a treat.
Take a closer look at the recipe HERE!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Cake
This delicious pumpkin cream cheese swirl cake tastes delicious during the fall months. But who says you can’t enjoy pumpkin year-round? It’s made with a moist pumpkin cake that’s sweet with a touch of spice. And that cream cheese ribbon throughout is really the star of the show.
The cake mix I use for his recipe is spice cake mix. And because it’s packed with pumpkin, it actually has some pretty great nutritional benefits too. So I won’t judge if you want it for breakfast and dessert!
HERE is the recipe!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Ribbon Cake
When I started to graduate from the easy bake oven to the real oven, this was one of the first cakes I learned to make with my Mom. I was always so proud when we would attend an event where we brought a dessert and I could proclaim “I made this!.”
The cheesecake ribbon through the cake takes your everyday chocolate cake to the next level!
And it’s really a dessert you can make for any get-together. If you ask me, this delicious cake will become one of your go-to recipes!
Find the recipe HERE.
Sock It To Me Cake
Whether it was a family dinner or a teacher’s luncheon, you could always count on my Mom to make her “sock it to me” cake. No doubt, people really like it because it’s tender and light with a swirl of cinnamon and nuts. What’s NOT to like?
It’s easy to make because you’re transforming a cake mix into something so flavorful and yummy, it tastes like homemade. I like it as a breakfast treat, but really, it’s good anytime.
HERE is the recipe for this cake!
My Favorite Strawberry Cake
I’ll never forget the first time I took a bite of this strawberry cake. Not strawberry shortcake… strawberry cake! Pink, pretty, tender, moist, and sweetly delicious.
This is typically the cake I make for myself on my birthday. Sometimes I make it as a two-layer cake or as cupcakes. But the easiest way to make this is to simply bake it in a 13×9 pan.
I think this cake is especially pretty for a spring gathering, Mother’s Day brunch, or even for a baby shower.
Take a look at the recipe HERE!
Easy Pumpkin Cake
Can you really make a delicious pumpkin cake with just 2 ingredients? Yes! Yes! And yes! A box of cake mix and a can of pumpkin. You can handle that, right?
While I don’t know that you can call any cake “healthy,” this is a better choice when you’re being mindful of calories, fats, and cholesterol. With no oil or eggs, it’s an option that allows you to bake your cake and eat it too!
HERE is the pumpkin cake recipe!
If “easy” is your middle name, I hope you’ll take a look at these cake mix recipes. So simple and SO enjoyable!
From my kitchen to yours,
Jill
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