Idea other than basic cake or brownies?

Question

I have a chocolate cake and fudge brownie mix in my pantry. I need to make something for my boyfriend to take to work for a Christmas Party. I don't want to do just a standard cake or brownie mix. Any ideas (with recipes) that I can do with either mix so they are not so basic. I love to bake, but I get bored with doing the basic mixes, especially basic cakes. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I saw a recipe (kraft.com I think) -- It was a cheesecake using a brownie mix as the crust. Bake the brownie mix in a 13x9 pan and then pour the cheesecake recipe on top. Sorry I don't have the exact recipe at hand, I will look for it and send it on if I find it (I am at work at the moment).

Filling & Topping Ingredients
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
1. Bake Brownie mix according to directions in a 13x9 pan till set, but not completely done (it will cook longer later). Let cool before proceeding.
2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until smooth. Add eggs; beat well. Beat in sweetened condensed milk, granulated sugar, and the 2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour filling over baked crust. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes until set. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
3. For topping, in a medium saucepan combine brown sugar and whipping cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the 1 cup chopped pecans and the 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Pour topping over cheesecake. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours before serving. Cut into squares. Makes 48 servings.
To Serve: Place ONE square in a paper cupcake holder. Maybe you can get some gold & silver ones for the holidays.
OR
Bake the cake as usual. Let it cool and then cut into small pieces. Place some of the pieces in a clear bowl. Next layer is your choice of pudding. Next layer is fresh berries. Continue layering until the fruit is arranged pretty on the top.
OR
Make brownies in a 13x9 pan and bake. When cool, spread some softened Peppermint Ice Cream over the brownies. Freeze till set. Decorate with whipped cream and pepperment mini canes.

Answer 2

Make a Chocolate Triffle...

Chocolate Trifle
http://recipes.tasteofhome.com/eRMS/recp.aspx?recid=1099

Chocolate Kahlua Trifle
1 package devils food cake mix
2 small boxes instant chocolate pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 small tub Cool Whip
6 frozen Heath candy bars
Prepare cake as box directs. Bake cake in 9 x 13 pan. Cool. Cut into squares, about 1". Make pudding using milk and Kahlua. Crush frozen Heath Bars with a hammer. In a deep bowl or trifle dish, put a layer of cake, pudding, Cool Whip then Heath Bars. Repeat layers. Refrigerate for a couple hours.

Brownie Toffee Trifle
http://recipes.tasteofhome.com/eRMS/recp.aspx?recid=16122
Brownie Mocha Trifle
http://recipes.tasteofhome.com/eRMS/recp.aspx?recid=11804
Mocha Mousse Brownie Trifle
http://recipes.tasteofhome.com/eRMS/recp.aspx?recid=20217

Answer 3

Christmas, eh? Make the brownies and crush up and couple of peppermint candy canes into the mix before baking. When they come out, pour a bag of chocolate chips on it while still hot and let the chips melt and act as a frosting.

Answer 4

Its Christmas time make a double layered strawberry shortcake
Using extra large strawberries with some whipped cream and top with vanilla whipped cream strawberry glaze. Since u like to bake make your on pound and go wild with your imagination.Or u could a banana pudding.Quick and easy.
2 boxes of nilla wafers cookies
8 ripe bananas
11/2 can of eagle brand milk
banana cream or banana pudding

crumble cookies in bottom of pan 13*9 in pan
pour milk ova cookies
layer of bananas
layer of cream
layer of cookies not crumble
repeat steps
final layer should be crumble.

Answer 5

1 pkg. (21.5 oz.) Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. water
2 eggs

I mix these ingredients together then form cookies and put a rolo in the top and then bake at 350

Answer 6

you are gonna need lots of choco chips, better if they are in different colors.
bake the brownie or the cake mix and the layer should be 1cm high in the pan , bake it and then pile the chips whenit is nearly done.

Answer 7

Okay,... you got to get some of those generic ice cream cones,.. (there cheap,. like a box of 50 for .99c) then you make the cake mix and fill the ice cream cones 3/4 way full with it and bake,.. take out,.. cool,. frost and put sprinkles on top,...

Yuuuuummmmmmmmy!

and then you send your bf to work with them,. nad send me some in the mail cuz now i'm hungry

Answer 8

Make peanut butter brownie's. I don't have a receipe handy but I'm sure you could find one one the web.

Make the kind that have peanut butter under the icing. Not ones that just taste like peanut butter.

Answer 9

There are lots of options like:
Dump Cake
INGREDIENTS
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
8 ounces chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter
DIRECTIONS
In a 9x13 inch pan mix cherries and pineapple. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pineapple, and cherry mixture stir until just combined. Then sprinkle walnuts over top. Drizzle top with melted butter or margarine.
Bake in a 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 35 or 40 minutes or until golden brown
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Jello Poke Cake
Batter: 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
18 1/4 ozs white cake mix Filling:
1/2 tsp baking powder 2 c boiling water
1 c water, cold 3 ozs strawberry gelatin powder
1/2 c egg whites, slightly beaten 3 ozs lime gelatin powder
1 tbsp olive oil 4 c Dream Whip whipped topping mix, prepared

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two 9" round cake pans with cooking spray and flour; set aside. To prepare batter, combine cake mix and baking powder in a mixing bowl. In another mixing bowl, combine water, egg whites, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients just until moistened. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Place cake layers, top sides up, in two clean cake pans. Pierce cake with large fork at half inch intervals. To prepare filling, stir one cup of the boiling water into each flavor of gelatin powder in separate bowls two minutes, or until dissolved. Carefully pour red gelatin over one cake layer and lime gelatin over second cake layer. Any remaining gelatin, pour into individual molds. Chill until firm. Meanwhile, refrigerate cakes for three hours. Dip one cake pan in warm water 10 seconds; unmold onto serving plate. Spread with one cup of the whipped topping. Unmold second cake layer; carefully place on first layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining topping. Refrigerate one hour or until ready to serve. Decorate as desired.
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For the Brownie Mix
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Turtle Bars
35 min 5 min prep

2 (6 ounce) packages ladyfingers
1 (14 ounce) package caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup milk
1 (19 7/8 ounce) package fudge brownie mix
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup pecan halves, i use chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
vegetable cooking spray

Thoroughly spray bottom and sides of 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray.
Line bottom of pan with ladyfingers, separated into halves, split side up: set aside.
In medium sized sauceppan melt caramels with milk over low heat stir until smooth and blended.
Drizzle half over ladyfingers.
Do not spread.
Prepare brownie mix with water, oil and egg.
Stir with spoon until well blended.
Spoon over ladyfingers.
Drizzle remaining caramel over brownie.
Using tip of knife swirl into brownie batter to marble.
Top with pecans, gently press into batter.
Bake for 30 minutes only.
Brownies will not test done.
Sprinkle with chocolate morsels immediately after removing from oven.
Cool completely.
Cut into bars.
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Exquisite Brownie Torte


Makes 12 to 16 servings


1 Duncan Hines Chocolate Lover's Walnut Brownie Mix

Filling:

3 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 package whipped topping mix

1/2 cup cold milk

Raspberry Sauce:

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

10 ounce package frozen raspberries in light syrup, thawed, see note

2 tablespoons seedless red raspberry jam

1 tablespoon Amaretto, optional

Topping:

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

Mint leaves, for garnish
Filling: Combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and almond extract in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until softened and blended. Add whipped topping mix and milk. Beat at high speed for 4 minutes or until mixture thickens and forms peaks. Cover. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
Raspberry Sauce: Dissolve cornstarch in water in medium saucepan. Add thawed raspberries and raspberry jam. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat, add amaretto, if desired. Push mixture through sieve into small bowl to remove seeds. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9-inch springform pan with aluminum foil. Grease bottom of foil.

Prepare brownies according to package directions for original recipe. Spread in pan. Bake for 35 to 37 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Remove from pan, peel off foil.

Place brownie on serving plate. Spread filling over brownie. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the raspberry sauce over filling. Arrange fresh raspberries and blueberries in center. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve with remaining sauce.

Note: For the raspberry sauce, we substituted 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar for the frozen raspberries.

Source: Duncan Hines

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Hope this helps!