One Cake - 5 Ways

By srumbel

Today’s recipe takes one super easy cake and shows you how to mix it up into five different flavors! Each is delicious and super moist. Pistachio, banana, lemon, coconut and vanilla – take your pick!
from lifeloveandsugar.com

Ingredients

• Cake Mix
• 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
• 2 cups (414g) sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3.4 oz instant pudding mix*
• 1 cup (240ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (240ml) hot water
• Buttercream Frosting
• 3/4 cup (168g) butter
• 1/2 cup (95g) shortening
• 5 cups (575g) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp flavored extract
• 3 tbsp (34ml) water or milk**
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (57g) butter, room temperature
• 4 1/2 cups (518g) powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp (30-45ml) water or milk**

Preparation

Step 1

To make the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and grease a 9×13 inch cake pan.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pudding mix in a large mixer bowl.
3. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
6. Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
7. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
To make the buttercream frosting:

1. Combine the butter and shortening in a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth.
2. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add the flavor extract of your choosing (vanilla, coconut, etc) and the water or milk and mix until smooth.
4. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
5. Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake.
To make the cream cheese frosting:

1. Combine the cream cheese and butter in a large mixer bowl and mix until smooth.
2. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add the water or milk and mix until smooth.
4. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
5. Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake.

* Feel free to use the pudding mix of your choice. I used Jello brand and found vanilla, coconut cream, banana, pistachio and lemon to work the best.

** The milk or water can be replace with another flavoring, such as honey, lemon juice or something else to add additional flavor to the frosting.

Yield: 12-16 slices