Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe comes from a cookbook that my mom got me for Christmas a few years ago.  They're called Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls because the main ingredient is a boxed cake mix...and when I read it, I was sold!  The finished product is moist and delicious, and even a cake-lover like me couldn't tell a cake mix was involved.  Cheating the system without consequences!?  Yay!

1 white or yellow cake mix (I used white)
2 pkgs yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp salt
2 c flour
--
3+ c flour
4-5 TBSP butter
cinnamon sugar, to taste
frosting of your choice

Combine first four ingredients (cake mix, yeast, salt, and 2 c flour).  Add 2 1/4 cups hot water.  Mix.  Add 3 c flour and knead until well mixed (it took about 4-5 minutes in my KitchenAid, but by-hand is fine for a similar amount of time), adding more flour as needed to avoid a sticky dough (mine took almost 4 1/2 cups).

Let rise until doubled (somewhere between 1-1.5 hrs).

Push down and roll onto flour surface into giant rectangle.

Soften butter and brush over rectangle.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Roll up and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices.

Let rise until doubled on cookie sheet.  Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Frost while still warm with frosting of your choice.

Makes about 18 rolls.

Comments from the cook:  The original recipe called for 3 cups of flour in the 2nd set of ingredients, but I found that it needed closer to 4 1/2 cups.  Other than that, this recipe is just as easy as it sounds, and the result is awesome.

My favorite made-from-scratch frosting consists of whipping together about a TBSP of Crisco, a splash of milk, a dash of salt, a bit of vanilla, and as much powdered sugar as it takes to get the consistency you're going for.  (Vague enough for ya?!)  

Originally found in the "Worldwide Ward Cookbook" by Deanna Buxton.  Recipe attributed to Noryne Moss, and adjusted slightly by yours truly.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

My mom told me about these muffins quite some time ago... They're SO EASY - only 3 ingredients! And the taste? Fabulous. I even stockpiled on pumpkin this Fall (heaven forbid there be a shortage again), just so I could make these muffins anytime I wanted...

1 spice cake mix
1 (15 oz) can solid pack pumpkin
1/2 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
water (optional)

Combine cake mix (powder only - no need to add the oil or eggs) and pumpkin with mixer until well blended.

Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon into greased muffin tins.

Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes, or until they pass the "clean toothpick" test.

Comments from the cook: I add about 1/2 cup water to the batter to make it a bit thinner. I suppose if you were going to make these into cookies instead of muffins, you'd probably want the batter to be the original consistency (no water added). But, while we're on the subject, I'll just go ahead and admit that I'll probably always make these into muffins rather than cookies. Muffins sound less guilt-inducing than cookies, no? :)

Also, spice cake mixes can be a little harder to find, but rumor has it that a yellow cake mix will also work and taste fantastic. My mom even used a carrot cake mix once in a pinch.These are a great treat with a cup of hot chocolate in the dead of winter...

Makes about 24 muffins.

Originally passed on from my mom, Alane. (As you can see, she did hers in mini-bundt pans, left out the choc chips, then added caramel frosting and a pastry-dough cinnamon-sugar leaf to hers. MAN, she's always taking things to the next level... I love it!)

Pumpkin Muffins

Dry ingredients:

3 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Wet ingredients:

1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 c water
2 cups solid pack pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or line with cupcake papers.

Combine dry ingredients. Then add wet ingredients. Stir until no longer lumpy.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick doneness test!

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
few shakes of salt from the salt-shaker
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Melt butter in medium bowl. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved.

Sprinkle salt in. Add powdered sugar. Mixture will be chunky (and resemble oatmeal!).

Add milk and stir until dissolved.

Dip mostly-cooled muffins upside-down in glaze, or wait a few moments and spread on with a knife.

Makes 36-40 muffins.

Comments from the cook: Pumpkin muffins = Fall. And, I fought everything in me to hoard the solid-pack pumpkin I found the other day...but these muffins? I'm no match for them, I tell you.

This is a huge recipe, and makes a LOT of muffins. My mom usually makes loaves, and just bakes them for longer. From what I remember, she usually made some loaves with walnuts. Just smother your bread/muffins with butter before eating, and you can't go wrong. Mmmmm-hmmmm.

This glaze was my first attempt at a non-cream-cheese frosting, and it is quite sweet. A brown sugar flavor without the thickness of frosting...

Originally a recipe from my mom. I managed to misplace it (or never wrote it down in a safe place), and then found a close facsimile online, here. (Mom, if yours is different, please email me IMMEDIATELY!)

Banana Streusel Muffins

Muffins:

1 cup flour
1/2 c granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBSP (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plain yogurt)
1 lg egg, lightly beaten
1 lg banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:

1 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
1 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TBSP flour
salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a loaf pan or muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Stir in the melted butter and plain yogurt. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute. Add the banana and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan or into muffin tin (makes about 12 muffins).

Make topping by mashing together the tablespoon of cold butter with the tablespoon of flour, the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Distribute the topping evening over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes for loaf or 20-25 minutes for muffins, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan or muffin tin.

Comments from the cook: A.Maz.Ing. These muffins represent one of my few cooking ventures since I've been so sick and pregnant. They are fantastic, and the streusel topping is to DIE FOR.

I doubled this recipe, and it made about 20 muffins. I've always been a fan of streusel, so I actually did a little more than the recipe called for. That can't hurt anything, right??

Best served with Mylanta...or your juice of choice! :)

Originally found on this website, taken from this book. (Most text taken from website).

Super-Thick French Toast

French toast:

3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 loaf french bread, sliced into 1" slices
cinnamon sugar mixture

Heat griddle to 400°.

Combine eggs and milk. Whisk together with fork until combined. (I used a pie plate to prep this in...)

Dip french bread into mixture one side at a time, saturating.

Sprinkle hot griddle with cinnamon and sugar mixture (just covering area that one bread slice will take up).

Place saturated bread directly over cinnamon sugar mixture.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of saturated bread.

Flip and brown both sides until thoroughly cooked.

Comments from the cook: I like cinnamon in french toast, but have never liked how the cinnamon sits on top of the egg mixture and doesn't coat evenly. Using a sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar (we have a small shaker of it) and applying it directly to the soaked bread was the perfect solution!

Top with syrup or real whipped cream and strawberries. Makes 10-12 slices.

--

Butter syrup:

3/4 cup evaporated milk (fat free ok)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1 TBSP butter
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Heat at a rolling boil 2-4 minutes, until desired consistency is reached, stirring constantly.

Comments from the cook: Sometimes maple is a little strong for my tastes, so I wanted to try my hand at a butter syrup. I cooked my syrup on and off for about 4 minutes in hopes of getting the right texture. I boiled it, stirred it, took it off the heat to cool slightly, then would put it back on the heat when the texture seemed too thin. After several rounds of doing so, I overcooked it just slightly and my syrup was a little bit thicker than I was going for. But the taste was fantastic!

Our attempt to knock off the only-in-UT Kneaders french toast...and thus a CookieSheets&CakePans original!