Thank you for supporting Special Kneads and Treats by purchasing a cake mix! If you’re not quite sure where to start or need a little explanation, here are the full steps you need to prepare a scrumptious cake. If you are looking for something different, keep reading for a set of recipe ideas below!
First, you’ll need 4 large eggs. If you do not have large, medium eggs will do. If mixing by hand, you can use a fork to beat the eggs just a little bit to make mixing easier later on.
Then, 1 cup of water. Tap water is fine.
Next, 1 cup of oil. Use a neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil. Strong flavored oils like olive oil can affect the taste of the cake.
Tip: If desired, you can use a solid fat, such as coconut oil or butter. Just make sure to melt them completely beforehand and they will work just fine as well.
Now that we have our ingredients, we want to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180° Celsius). Next, we need a bowl. Any medium sized mixing bowl will work, just make sure it can hold all the ingredients and still have a little room leftover to stir. Combine all the wet ingredients in the bowl, then add in the mix from the bag after all of the wet ingredients have settled. You can mix with a stand mixer on medium-low speed, a hand mixer on low, or just a spoon. Mix until batter is smooth with no clumps left. Our batter might seem a little thin, but that’s okay. It will bake up just fine.
Tip: Adding the wet ingredients first can help prevent pockets of mix forming on the bottom.
Now it is time to prepare our pans. Our bag makes one standard 9×13 rectangular pan, three standard 9″ by 1″ tall round cake pans, or 36 standard sized cupcakes in liners. You can experiment with other sizes, too, such as mini cupcake pans or different shaped pans, but let’s start with the basics.
If making a full cake, take your pan and grease it with shortening or spray oil, then add a couple tablespoons of flour and shake it around the pan to completely cover it. This will help prevent the cake sticking to the pan. Then, just pour your batter into each pan, splitting evenly among them if you’re filling multiple. They should end up about 1/3 full.
If you’re making cupcakes, simply place a cupcake liner into each slot of your cupcake pan. It’s okay if the liner sticks out over the top of the pan’s holes. Then, fill them each to about half full.
Tip: If you’re making cupcakes, you can use a scoop to get even more batter out of your bowl. Most stores sell small scoops that you can squeeze to push out batter or dough. You can also use cookie scoops; two scoops from a cookie scoop will fill a standard cupcake wrapper just fine.
Tip: You can mix together a “pan release” paste to use instead of greasing and flouring your pan. Mix one cup of flour and one cup of shortening in a mixer, then add one cup of a neutral oil slowly until you get a smooth substance with no lumps. It doesn’t spoil, so you can keep this in your pantry for any future cakes!
Now that we have our pans, we need to bake. Cupcakes bake for about 18 minutes, while the cakes can take anywhere from 25-35 minutes. Remember that dark pans bake faster and glass pans bake slower.
When your cakes (or cupcakes) are done, carefully pull them out of the oven and set on a heat safe surface. Let cool until room temperature before removing from pans or eating. While it may be tempting to eat the cake hot, not only might you burn yourself, but the cake needs this time to set and finish. Also, if warm, it may melt any icing, so always left cool before icing. For more tips on icing, click here.
Tip: For best results, set a timer for a few minutes before you think the cake will be done, then when the timer goes off, stick a toothpick or small knife into the cake in the oven. If the toothpick or knife comes out clean (with no wet batter on it), then the cake is ready. If not, put back into the oven, reset your timer for another few minutes, then check again. If the cake wobbles when you go to put the toothpick or knife in, then it needs to be baked for several minutes longer before being checked again.
Other Recipes
If cakes aren’t your thing, you can use our mixes to make all sorts of other baked goods! Check the recipes below for some inspiration…
Double Chocolate Brownies
A dense, chocolatey brownie for when you need that fudgy chocolate fix. Makes 24 2×2 in. brownies.
- 1 Chocolate Cake Mix
- 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter
- 3 eggs
- 12 oz. of semisweet chocolate chips
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
- Put half of the chocolate chips (about 1 cup) and the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals until fully melted.
- Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until there are no lumps.
- Prep a 9×13 pan with shortening or pan release and spread brownie batter evenly in pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until top springs back to the touch. Note that a toothpick inserted will still often come back wet even when done.
- Let brownies sit for 30 minutes before cutting or removing from pan. Enjoy!
Ideas:
- Add 1 cup of your preferred nuts to make brownies with a rich, savoy crunch.
- Top with a cream cheese or buttercream icing to make rich, creamy brownie bites.
- Warm, then serve with ice cream for a decadent treat.
Rocky Road Cookies
These ooey-gooey, crunchy, chewy cookies are messy in the best possible way! These thin, soft cookies are truly unique and make a decadent snack or party treat. Makes 36 cookies.
- 1 German Chocolate Cake Mix
- 4 oz. (1 half-stick) butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups of mini marshmallows
- 1 cup of walnuts
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Using a stand mixer, mix cake mix, nuts, eggs, softened butter, and 1 cup marshmallows until a sticky dough forms.
- Line baking pans with parchment paper and form dough into 1 inch balls and place 4 inches apart. For consistency, use a cookie scoop to make cookies the perfect size each time while keeping your hands clean. Be aware these cookies spread out a lot and are very flat, so they need plenty of room.
- Bake for 8 minutes, then top with a few marshmallows and bake another 3 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before eating.
Notes:
- These are not your traditional cookies! These gooey cookies are a unique treat that have a soft chew and crunchy nuts.
- Place parchment or wax paper between cookies when storing or they will stick together.
- We strongly recommend you use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for these cookies. They are very rough on hand mixers.
Chess Bars
This simple dessert is sure to impress and make your guests think you slaved away for hours. Makes 24 2×2 in. bars.
- 1 Vanilla Cake Mix
- 4 eggs
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 3 1/2 cups (about one pound) of powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- In a mixer, beat cake mix and 2 eggs until you have thick dough.
- Place parchment paper or aluminum foil in the bottom of a 9×13 pan and spread the dough out evenly to form a crust on the bottom of the pan.
- Using your mixer, beat the other 2 eggs into your cream cheese, then add powdered sugar, mixing until light and smooth. Spread out evenly over your crust and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to set for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!
Ideas:
- You can use other cake mixes to make a different flavor. Try using strawberry mix and placing sliced strawberries on the top after baking for a fresher summer treat!
- Make sure to refrigerate any leftovers! These are just as good the next day.
- Using a chocolate cake mix and dusting with cocoa powder when done makes an elegant looking dessert.
Coconut Bars
A dense bar full of coconut flavor that’s sure to impress any coconut lover. Makes 24 2×2 in. bars.
- 1 Coconut Cake Mix
- 15 fl. oz. of sweetened condensed milk
- 2 eggs
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Mix cake mix, eggs, and sweetened condensed milk in a medium mixing bowl until you have a thick batter.
- Prep a 9×13 pan with shortening or pan release. Spread batter evenly on it and bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Ideas:
- These bars are best eaten same day for maximum coconut flavor, but be sure to refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container to keep as long as possible.
- Cream cheese icing can transform these simple bars into a rich dessert.
- If you don’t like coconut, use a vanilla cake mix in this recipe to make blondies!
Troubleshooting
My cake shrunk after it cooled!
This is most likely caused by over-mixing the batter. Try mixing the batter until it is just smooth. It can also be caused by cooking in an oven that is too hot. Not all ovens cook the same, so you may have to adjust based on your oven.