These Easy Baked Goods All Start with Cake Mix

Patty Catalano
Patty Catalano
Patty is a recipe developer and food writer. She worked Alton Brown’s Research Coordinator and podcast producer and in the Oxmoor House test kitchen. She loves maple syrup, coffee and board games. Patty lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children.
updated Apr 21, 2020
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Credit: Olive & Mango

With flour, baking powder, and baking soda all in short supply, what’s a baker to do? The grocery store’s baking aisle (or possibly your pantry) holds the secret to delicious baked goods. Put that box of cake mix to use to make everything from cakes (naturally) to brownies, cookies, and fudge. No flour? No problem.

1. Easy Banana Pudding Cake

There’s nothing more comforting than a classic Southern dessert. Banana pudding flavor comes through in every layer, from the spongy cake layers to the whipped cream cheese frosting, and crumbles of Nilla Wafers. Besides, we know you’ve got a speckled banana just waiting to be baked.

Get the recipe: Easy Banana Pudding Cake

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: CC Buckley

2. Heart-Shaped Vanilla Cupcakes

We all could use a little love right now. Use any flavor cake mix that you have on hand to make these adorable bite-sized treats. Achieve the special shape with a simple trick — no special equipment required.

Get the recipe: Heart-Shaped Vanilla Cupcakes

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Brett Regot

3. Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Light and fluffy coffee cake is the ultimate breakfast treat. Layer sweet, jammy rhubarb between layers of batter and top with cinnamon crumble.

Get the recipe: Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Credit: Angela Chung

4. Pumpkin Dump Cake

Do you find yourself planning an off-season Thanksgiving? Finish the meal with a magical cake that comes together with cake mix, a spiced custard, and crunchy nuts.

Get the recipe: Pumpkin Dump Cake

Credit: Joe Lingeman

5. Slow Cooker Apple Dump Cake

If you’re team apple pie, use your cake mix for this easy 3-ingredient apple cake. If you don’t have apple pie filling on hand, make skillet apples instead.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Apple Dump Cake

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Brett Regot

6. Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

When you’re in the mood to bake but have had your fill of cookies and quick breads, make a spring cake. Tart stalks of pink rhubarb are given an upside-down treatment that’s pretty enough to make you forget you’ve been housebound all spring.

Get the recipe: Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Credit: Joe Lingeman

7. Easy Cake Mix Cookies

Craving cookies but have no plain flour on hand? Use practically any flavor cake mix for after homeschool treats. Coat cookies in sprinkles for funfetti treats, dot red velvet cookies with white chocolate chips, or add cream cheese for gooey butter cookies. With lemon or chocolate cake mix on hand you can make powdered sugar-coated crinkle cookies.

Get the recipes: Easy Cake Mix Cookies

Credit: Jenny Huang

8. 4-Ingredient Funfetti Fudge

All the best parts of a cupcake — made candy-style! You may already have all 4 pantry ingredients on hand to make this sweet fudge treat.

Get the recipe: 4-Ingredient Funfetti Fudge

Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Brett Regot

9. Strawberry Brownies

Pretty pink fruit-flavored cake mix is made into gooey, chewy brownies. Top with swirls of tangy cream cheese frosting and a shower of sprinkles.

Get the recipe: Strawberry Brownies

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