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40th out of 696 books
—
663 voters
The Cake Mix Doctor...
"The Cake Mix Doctor" is in! And the prescription is simple: By doctoring up packaged cake mix with just the right extras--a touch of sweet butter here, cocoa powder there, or poppy seeds, vanilla yogurt, sherry, eggs, and grated lemon zest for the Charleston Poppy Seed Cake--even the least experienced baker can turn out luscious signature desserts, time after time. The pr...more
Paperback, 454 pages
Published
January 11th 1999
by Workman Publishing
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A cake recipe I do over and over that is sooooo good comes from this book (Darn Good Chocolate Cake). But after trying a couple of other recipes that's the only one I make. I find the Chocolate recipe has a sort of "template" that I can use to improve any cake that comes from a box (add to the mix 1 cup sour cream, one 3.9 oz box of pudding that "matches the particular box flavor, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup oil, and one cup water... walla... great cake from a box). The idea is great, and I'm very happy I g...more
My awesome friend Jana recently made a caramel cake from this book that she said was amazing. I thought I had better give it a shot. I've read the intro and I can't wait to try the Lethal Peppermint Chocolate cake on page thirty. I'll keep you posted. (Or you can just come on over and have a slice!)
I read through the cook book and absolutely love it! I made the peppermint cake on Sunday to rave reviews. While I shouldn't give it a rating until I've tried out more of the recipes, I couldn't help...more
I read through the cook book and absolutely love it! I made the peppermint cake on Sunday to rave reviews. While I shouldn't give it a rating until I've tried out more of the recipes, I couldn't help...more
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Feb 24, 2011
Carrie Kindred
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
beginning bakers, busy bakers
Shelves:
nonfiction
While nothing can replace the feeling of accomplishment that comes with serving up truly homemade-from-scratch things, Anne Byrn gives us a close second by teaching us to fool our guests into thinking we're serving up our homemade-from-scratchy best. Her cake mix add-ins give whole new life to boxed desserts. These crowd pleasers would make any baker rejoice and are so simple to make! Sandra Lee's "semi-homemade" desserts have met their competition.
More than 175 recipes that start with a cake mix and after adding embellishments, turn out beautiful and delicious cakes! I've had this book for years and have made several of the cakes. Sometimes I am too lazy to make a cake, I just look at the luscious pictures. Not as satisfying, but low cal!
I just made a delicious and beautiful coffee cake for Ryan to take to the church--his turn to bring the treats.
My advice is to start with a Duncan Hines cake mix.
I just made a delicious and beautiful coffee cake for Ryan to take to the church--his turn to bring the treats.
My advice is to start with a Duncan Hines cake mix.
If the success of a good cookbook is measured by the frequency with which it is pulled off the shelves than this is my most treasured cookbook. I never really learned how to bake scratch cakes and I usually don't have the time. However with the Cake Doctor a cake mix effortlessly becomes a Pound Cake, bar cookie or coffee cake. There are a couple hundred possibilities that take just a couple of extra ingredients added to a regular cake mix.
I saw a local demo & bought her book. I alsl bought the dinner book.
OMG! This is the cheater way to make a cake! Years ago, when the first cake mix came out, people complained because they only had to add water. They weren't doing enough, so now we add eggs water & oil.
This book makes baking a cake from scratch, EASY! There are so many great things she adds, it can easily add to your clothes size if get really into it! LOL!
OMG! This is the cheater way to make a cake! Years ago, when the first cake mix came out, people complained because they only had to add water. They weren't doing enough, so now we add eggs water & oil.
This book makes baking a cake from scratch, EASY! There are so many great things she adds, it can easily add to your clothes size if get really into it! LOL!
I discovered this book while flipping through a People magazine in 2000 (don't judge). I bought a copy and it has since become my go-to dessert book. I've tried most of the recipes in the book, and they have always turned out spectacularly. When I take these cakes to an occasion, no one believes they started out as a simple cake mix. A very fun, approachable cookbook.
This is a great book for people who like to bake but don't necessarily like to measure out a billion ingredients. There are great cake recipes which taste like homemade after adding just a few simple things to a boxed cake mix. The author also includes some spectacular frosting recipes. One of my recent favorites is the simple strawberry frosting on page 67. Yum!!
Dozens of cakes, cookies, bars, brownies and other desserts that all start with a basic cake mix. Nothing I've tried from this book has turned out badly, they are all delectable and easy to make. She also includes fun stories about the origins of different desserts- Devil's Food Cake is called that because it's slightly reddish!- and great baking tips!
I can't recommend this book until I try a recipe or two. But what Anne Bryn does is present several dessert recipes, mostly cakes, that she "doctors up." into fancier cakes, and sometimes cookies. It seems to me that it would be just as easy to make these creations from scratch. But I will check the book out again sometime, and try one or two.
I haven't read the whole book, but my mom has made cake out of this book. Specifically, my brother's wedding cake came out this book. Also, I think that I've made biscotti.
My sister listed this as #8 on her top 10 cookbooks ever. She said that aside from the family significance of the recipes, the recipes work.
My sister listed this as #8 on her top 10 cookbooks ever. She said that aside from the family significance of the recipes, the recipes work.
This is a well written interesting book about cakes. The properties of cakes, different kinds of cakes, and how to make them or alter recipes. I read this because Carrie, my baking buddy, lent me the book and recommended I read it. Now I'm thinking I need a copy of it to keep in my own cookbook collection.
This is one of the most useful cookbooks I have ever used. If I don’t have the time to cook from scratch, I reach for this cookbook. The recipes are good for family potlucks and church functions. I’ve never had a failure. My only complaint is the binding. I wish it would lie flat.
I am going to give this book away, as I've moved away from using cake mixes. I used to make a coffee cake, with yellow cake mix, that was pretty good. Overall, it's a great cookbook for someone who doesn't have the confidence to make cakes from scratch.
This book has helped me pull off a great cake in a flash with ingredients that I usually have in the house and a box of cake mix. My daughter bakes from this often as the recipes are deceptively simple but still delicious.
Mar 02, 2008
Ginny
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Cake Lovers and people that don't have a lot of time on their hands.
Shelves:
cooking-etc
When this book first came out ten years ago, I didn't give it a second glance. I honestly thought that although the concept of doctoring boxed cake mixes wasn't a good one, that it would still taste like boxed cake. Well, ten years ago I had the time to create great cake from scratch. Now, not so much! I saw it at the library and decided to bring it home for inspection. My husband and I made one cake that night, "Bananas Foster Inside-Out Cake." It was SO good!!! There's something for everyone i...more
This is a fun cookbook to make easy quick desserts, but I must be honest, since discovering my favorite cupcake shop in Seattle, I don't do very much baking these days. It's Yellow Leaf in Belltown if anyone's interested.
I bake to relieve stress, and to share at work. This book makes it simple to accomplish both goals and the recipes are easy, folks don't know that the baked goods are not always 100% "from scratch" and so everyone is happy!
There is really only one cake in this book worth making. That's the chocolate cake with cherries. Really, if you're going to the trouble of baking a cake ... it's best to just make it from scratch.
love love love! I never know whether to keep this book close to my chest or forcefully thrust it at someone else's, insisting that they try it - this is a must for every baker's kitchen shelves!
This is a fantastic book. You start with a cake mix and create many different kind of cakes. If you love baking, you will love this book.
I use this book when I bake cakes and I always get compliments. The receipes are easy and the cakes taste great.
Interesting ways to change ordinary boxed cake mixes into something unique and yummy. Nothing fancy though Cindy.
I attempted to cook a cake a week after a few months we were all full of cake but most were very good
I consistently choose recipes to make from this book. Easy to make and better than the bakery!
Her chocolate ganache recipe is heavenly. Making me hungry just thinking about it.
I have only made one recipe out of the book and it was REALLY RICH. If fack too rich.
A great way to get rave reviews for dessert when you live a time crunched life.
my daughter and i have used this for many family celebrations
I learned all my favorite frosting recipes from this cookbook:)
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