I don't know where I got this crazy idea, but I am going to attempt to make every cake in the CMD book, start to finish. I am only able to avg 1-2 cakes a week, and most of them are fed to my night shift quinea pigs at the hospital, who will eat anything. When I follow a recipie TO THE LETTER, I get awesome results, if I deviate even a little bit or try to do something from memory, forget it. just one of those types of people I guess. Here is what I have done so far (I have a long way to go) and my thoughts on them. If you like, as I make them I will post my thoughts if it helps anyone. If anyone has made any of these please share your thoughts, there is ALWAYS room for improvement

DEEPLY CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING -Wow-VERY VERY rich. The deep chocolate with the cream cheese is sugar heaven overload. The color is very deep and dark also.
VERY pronounced almond flavor. A small slice (espec with coffee) is the way to go. The frosing is nice and sweet and crusts excellent. For true chocolate lovers only.

BUTTERMILK DEVILS FOOD CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
This is the basic chocolate recipie used for most of the CMD choc cakes, it has a medium flavor, not spactacular but when paired with the fantastic frostings, they complement each other perfectly, I would not normally use this with regular ol frostings, not enough contrast unless that is what you are going for . Slightly crumbly. The white choc frosting is not really workable when put on the cake, just kind of spreads around but does firm up nice in the fridge and stay that way, slightly cream in color. I would prefer to use this as a filling.

LETHAL PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE CAKE
This uses the buttermilk choc basic cake recipie, but the peppermint filling is TO DIE FOR, uses crushed peppermint candies, tastes like a girl scout thin mint. This would be so good on cupcakes. Could be used as a frosting also, is a buttercream base. The frosting is a choc ganache, do NOT chill it, hardens up and is hard to work with, just let it set and is should spread great. I used peppermint extract as opposed to schnapps.

SUSANS LEMON CAKE
Yummers, makes up great for mini cakes/tart also. Alone the cake is good (yellow cake base) however the glaze puts this over the top, prefer the glaze to a BC frosting. This one dries out really fast so I wrap or decorate it before it has completely cooled.

APPLESAUCE SPICE CAKE
I found this one to be really mediocre, I have other recipies that just taste better than this, don't really plan to make it again. The caramel glaze is AWESOME though, I make it up to use as a topping for ice cream or to dip apple wedges in for the kids.

Thats it for now. The CHOCOLATE PRALINE is in the oven as we speak. I'll keep ya posted. Thanx for listening to my ramblings. Heather

Hi gilnph, I just recently purchased this cookbook and have only tried the chocolate chip cake. Myself and my family just loved it. Tastes just like a fluffy chocolate chip cookie and who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies! The only problem I had with this cake was my sides were a little tough. When I was leveling the cake, I had to start off by cutting into it with a serrated knife, then use my leveler. The inside was moist, so I'm not sure what I did wrong with the sides. I just used a little Crisco and then floured them a little bit. For the frosting I made a dream whip frosting that I found on a website that was so creamy and fluffy! That's all I have made so far from this book, but am looking forward to trying others soon. I just can't do enough Jazzercise to work off all the calories in all those delicious recipes. lol Thanks for posting your results and goodluck with those forthcoming.

Janice

Heather...this is great! I'm going to take faithful notes. Keep up the baking and thanks!

That's a great idea! I don't think it's a crazy idea at all. It's the best way to learn! Thanks for the notes!

Hey if my kiddos didnt think they were gaining summer weight I would do the same. I love to try new things. All those mentioned sound wonderful. I have a cookbook I won on Ladycakes.com. Maybe once the kiddos get back in school I will try the same. This is very inspiring.

Heather, what an undertaking!!! Of course, we will all benefits from your findings so keep up the good work! I made the Snickerdoodle cake last weekend.....it was good but I was a bit dissapointed....it tasted more like a mild spice cake instead of a snickerdoodle cookie.....which was what I was expecting. The icing was WONDERFUL!!! The cake was not as moist as I like, but it wasn't dry either.

Gosh, what a neat idea. My family loves when I try new recipes. I might have to check, and re-check the book out from the library. Thanks for the reviews.

Thanks for the encouragement. Man I love this site. And my co workers love me. Chocolate fiends.

I made this one last night. Here is a pix, a duh moment for me to take one.
I forgot and cake floured the pans on this one, you are not supposed to but I dont think it made a huge amount of difference.
You mix the cream, brown sugar and butter, melt all and pour in bottom of pans and sprinkle pralines on top. Then pour the cake batter over this. This uses the basic buttermilk chocolate recipie, it takes a little longer to bake than the book says.
When it came out of the oven I expected the above glaze/pralines to sit nicely on top, but since it was warm it kind of gooed down the sides, I actually like the look with the nuts on the side.
The frosting and filling is simply heavy whipping cream and confec sugar wit semisweet (I only had chips) grated on top. Kinda funny to watch me grating itty bitty choc chips.

I think the presentation on this cake is pretty and interesting with the nuts, white frosting and choc shaving giving it great visual contrast. The cake itself is a somewhat mild cake but the addition of the glaze makes it very rich. This along with the pralines, pairs perfectly with the light cream for great contrast. Went over very well with the guinea pigs at work. The pralines really make this cake.

Do not make this a two layer cake if you are going to travel or take it somewhere. The layers will slide apart. This could be done great in a sheet for outings. Must be regridgerated due to the cream frosting.

Wow! We will definitely all benefit.
I love feedback before I try a new recipe! I am ready to make notes on the sidebars of all the recipes in the book!

Keep us posted!!!

OMG That looks sooooooooo yummy!
By any chance you don't deliver to texas do you? hehe
That just looks great!

Greetings Frosting Friends,

Needed a fast recipie for a sweet dessert last night for dessert, the CMD book has a small section for cookies made from a cake mix. As a general rule I find cake mix cookies,well..........to "cakey".

I had the ingredients for the White Chocolate Chewies on hand. A Devils Food mix with white chocolate chips added. Decent. Just a little cakey, VERY moist. The dough is very thick and STICKY! This one pulls together fast but is for true chocolate lovers only.
A solid 3 Guinea Pigs (rated by the Allen Family Guineas) for regular cookie people, a 4 for true chocolate lovers.

OK-official name of the book and location of purchase please!! I don't eat cake but they look wonderful and I know alot of guinea pigs I can try them on!!! Aren't co-workers and friends wonderful for trying out new recipes on??? They all look very yummy! Thanks for the insight also-good to know of others who have tried them and offer tips.

This is a great idea! I got this book a month or so ago and LOVE it! I haven't done a ton of the recipes yet but the ones I have done I really like. My absolute favorite so far is the Chocolate Marble Gooey Butter Cake. It is incredible! Very creamy and smooth in texture and so easy to make.

Has anyone made the melted ice cream cake (I'm not sure if that's the official title)? That one sounds great!

Keep the reviews coming so I can decide what to make next!

Nanni, the book we're referencing is The Cake Mix Doctor. There is also a chocolate cake version and a cupcake version - oh and a dinner version but who wants to make dinner when we can have CAKE?! You can get it at just about any bookstore.

What is "CMD"?

The Cake Mix Doctor - - a great book for easy and tasty cakes!

OK, I have the CAKE MIX MAGIC book, will have to get the CMD book-thanks.

Hi Heather! I have not bought the book yet...but thanks to you...I will be getting it very soon Keep baking those cakes and keep us posted here! Thanks!
traci

I saw this post yesterday and I just had to run out today and buy this book. I'm looking forward to hearing how they all turn out.

Now...which to make first....they all sound sooo yummy!!!

Anyone who doesn't have the CMD should get it! I have baked several of the cakes she Dr's up. Everyone is very easy & very yummy!!! Old Fashion Cola Cake is my favorite! I use RC Cola instead because I don't like Coke. HummingBird Cake is delicious!! It's a little too moist for wedding cakes & stacked cakes but it is worth making!! It has way less ingredients in it then the "homemade" recipe I used to use. Tastes the same!

Good luck on your quest! I'm getting there! My CMD book has choclate, batter, & icing fingerprints all over it! It is very much used!!

Heather, what is the name (in the CMD book) of the cake you posted the photo of on June 28th, the praline one? Janice

CMD is one of the best and most used books I own. I've made the New York Style cheesecake,Kathy's Breakfast cake,Sock it to me cake,Chocolate Kahlua cake,and the Birthday cake cones. They were all great and well eaten..lol

The praline cake is simply called Chocolate Praline, it is one of the first recipies in the book.

lucky lucky people!!!! Can't get cake books or magazines here!!!!!!! I sure can't wait till I am stateside!

Thanks, Heather, it looks delicious! I think it is great that you are trying these cakes, of course, as good as they all seem to be I guess it isn't too much of a hardship!

I appreciate your efforts, just wish I could help with the guinea pig rating! Janice

I made the incredible melted ice cream cake last weekend. I used Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream, as she recommended. Can't wait to try some other flavors. I think chunky monkey ice cream would be awesome. Talk about an easy and delicious cake! And, the chocolate marshmallow frosting tasted like fudge. Mmmmmm.....

TCturtleshell, I've been wanting to make that hummingbird cake. It sounds like a perfect cake for summer. Thanks for the review!

Is there a chocolate/peanut butter cake recipe in there? I have to make one next week. I was thinking I would just make a peanut butter filling, but if the recipe in CMD is easy, I'll just go for that. I'm going to look for it on my lunch break today. I wonder if Sam's Club has it?

our sams club does and its only 9 bucks. i know some store are different but i hope they have it so you can pick it up.

I can't remember if there's a peanut butter/chocolate cake but there's PB frosting that I used for a filling in a chocolate cake and it was great! There is also a chocolate CMD which may have it.

Hello Frosting Friends!!

My latest attempt was the Snickerdoodle Cake Pg 121 of the CMD. Not to shabby. This cake is based on a white cake mix with cinnamon/vanilla added.
This cake pulls together fast with minimal ingredients. The aroma from the cooking, OM MY GOSH The whole house smelled like Christmas.
The cake is moist and the color is a light speckled brown color, reminiescent of, but not as dark as, a spice cake.
The taste guinea pig results varied but were overwhelmingly positive.
My personal opinion and that of another poster here, is that is is more like an average spice cake than a true snickerdoodle. It was 'OK'.
The majority of my night shift guineas said that it truly did taste like a snickerdoodle and that they enjoyed that this cake was not as "sweet-sweet", the cinnamon gives it a more laid back, yet exotic taste.
One of my coworkers said that if she ever got married, THIS would be her wedding cake. She boxed up the last piece and took it home for her mother to try.
The frosting is a basic buttercream with cinnamon added that would work up nicely for decorating, I am going for taste with these trials so I do little to nothing with the decorating.
This cake takes a solid 4 to 4.5 Guinea Pigs. Enjoy! Thanx for support and your feedback also, I use these in my overall reviews.

mmmmmmmmmmmmm... Sams will have this book..hmm. just got a card..will keep eye for it.
thanks for sharing such a yummy cake!!!