Cheater Candy Cane Cake

Okay, the studying continues and I am running out of time so I am breaking out a recipe from Betty Crocker.  I grew up using recipes from that cookbook and it never let me down.  Now it's even easier to find something good via their website.  Over the weekend, I had to make a couple of cakes or treats for the cakewalk at our Christmas Potluck and Bingo.  My first choice was pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting because I can make them in my sleep - they are quick and easy.  But, for my second, I wanted something a little more festive.  Enter Candy Cane Cake!

I searched the web for a peppermint bundt cake recipe and came across this one.  It was just what I was looking for - something very Christmas-y with few ingredients.  I even broke one of my rules and used a cake mix because I got home late after grocery shopping.  We rolled into the house at 3 pm and the potluck started at 5:30.  I, somehow, managed to make the Creamy Pesto Dip with Chicken, Pumpkin Bars and this Candy Cane Cake in that short amount of time.  It was crazy and messy in my house for a little while!

Anyway, here is the recipe, straight from the Betty Crocker website.  At the end, I'll give you the link to the original recipe.  And, because I was in such a rush, I only took pictures of the dip in process but not the cake.  I just have the finished product.

Here you go!

Cake:                              

1Box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix                                        

 

Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box

                                                          

1 - 2 Teaspoons red food color

                                              

1 Teaspoon peppermint extract

White Icing:

1 Cup powdered sugar

                                           

1 Tablespoon milk or water

1/2 Teaspoon vanilla, if desired

Decoration:                              

Crushed candy canes or crushed hard peppermint candies, if desired

 

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Generously grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan. (The nonstick spray and flour mix works awesome!)  Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour about 2 cups batter into pan. In small bowl, pour about 3/4 cup batter; stir in food color and peppermint extract. Carefully pour pink batter over white batter in pan. Carefully pour remaining white batter over pink batter.
• 2 Bake and cool cake as directed on box.
• 3 In small bowl, mix white icing ingredients. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Spread over cake. Sprinkle crushed candy on top. Store loosely covered.

I made a couple of changes - I know, big surprise, huh?  I wanted more peppermint flavor and a redder stripe, so I added more peppermint extract and food coloring.  I also don't care for white frosting, so I made a cream cheese frosting and added a little peppermint extract to it.  The above recipe reflects my changes.  The link below is to the original version.

 

This is what my cake looked like:

 

 

Enjoy!

 

This is the link to Betty Crocker:

Betty Crocker Candy Cane Cake