Jun 21, 2012
Go check your pantry or your cupboards! If you've got a white cake mix and a can of pie filling you've got a beautiful cake hiding in there! I felt like baking today but it was late in the day and I didn't have much time. I didn't expect much from this other than the speediness factor. After all, it was "just" a cake mix and a can of pie filling, but that was ok, since Hubs' staff isn't fussy! I REALLY became skeptical when I realized what it took (nothing, really) to get it in the pan and into the oven. But it was almost as if the cake played a trick on me, because once it came out of the oven and got all prettied up with the sliced almonds and glaze, it was almost like the Ugly Duckling becoming a beautiful swan. I was impressed. It is gorgeous. But I wasn't convinced it would taste half as good as it looked. I was surprised again - it's just delicious - soft and moist, creamy and gooey - everything you could ask for. The recipe is a true winner on its own, but I think it helped to add a teaspoon of vanilla to the batter and a quarter teaspoon of almond extract to the glaze. Where it called for a "dash" of vegetable oil, I gave it a "dribble" of corn syrup. It kept the glaze soft and gave it a nice sheen, while the extracts pretty effectively disguised "that cake mix taste." This is a stunning coffee cake, no matter how shamefully easy it is to make. I'd love to try other flavors - apple, lemon, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry are all tempting possibilities.
—naples34102
