Do the same for liners for any size cake pans. Also run a knife around the edge of the cake before removing.

Making Mom a Cake for Mother’s Day

Surprise Mom with a cake for her special day....This month you’ll find 4 easy-to-make cakes that start with a cake mix…A cake from Mom’s past, the 1970’s Apricot Nectar Cake is very moist and improves with age.  The Mandarin Orange Cake was said to be a favorite of former Georgia Governor, George Busbee. The light & delicious 7-UP cake is sure to please Mom’s sweet tooth!  And last, but not least, an easy Strawberry Cake that you’ll want to make all summer long.

Apricot Nectar Cake

1 (18.25-oz.) package Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix

½ cup sugar

¾ cup vegetable oil

1  cup apricot nectar (found on the grocery beverage isle)

4  large eggs

1  cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 - 3  Tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325º. Grease & flour a 10-inch tube pan or 9-inch Bundt cake pan. Combine cake mix, sugar, oil and apricot nectar in a mixing bowl, then beat for about 2 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time beating after each addition. Pour in prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes. Test with a toothpick or cake tester, which will come out clean when it’s done. Cool in pan 10 minutes and turn out on serving dish. Mix the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice together, stirring with a spoon. Add a little more juice if necessary. You want the icing to be fairly thick so when you pour it over the top and let it run down the sides it is not transparent. Pour over warm cake.

Mandarin Orange Cake

When I served this cake to Governor Busbee at Horseshoe Plantation, he asked for seconds and when he returned home, First Lady Mary Beth Busbee called me and asked for the recipe!

1 (18.25-oz.) package Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix

½ cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

1  (11-oz.) can Mandarin oranges, with juice

1  (3.4-oz.) package instant vanilla pudding 

1  (20-oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

1  (12-oz.) container Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350º.  With electric mixer, beat cake mix, oil and eggs together for 3 minutes.  Add oranges, with juice and beat for 1 more minute.  Pour in greased & floured 9x13-inch baking dish and bake for about 25-30 minutes, till cake tests done and starts to pull away from sides. 

Frosting: When cake is cool (you can leave in pan to serve), combine pudding to pineapple and then fold in Cool Whip. Spread frosting evenly over top.

7-UP Cake

1 (18.25-oz.) package Duncan Hines Lemon Cake Mix

1  (3.4-oz.) package instant pineapple pudding

¾ cup Wesson Oil

4 large eggs

1  cup 7-UP

Preheat oven to 300º.  Beat oil and eggs together; blend in cake mix and instant pudding mix. Stir in 7-UP, mixing well. Divide evenly between 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans.  Bake for about 30 minutes. Turn out on wire cake cooling racks and cool completely.

Icing:

2  large eggs, lightly beaten

2  Tbsp. flour

1½  cups sugar

1 (8-oz) can crushed pineapple, with juice

½ cup butter, softened

1  cup flaked coconut

1  cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Combine beaten eggs, flour and sugar in a saucepan, mixing well. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened. Cool; frost between layers, sides and top of cake.