Food and Recipes Desserts 36 Box Cake Mix Recipes that Taste Homemade By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 19, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Southern bakers have always been crafty with the ingredients they have on hand and the time they have to use them. Even if Mama is a diehard from-scratch baker, there are times when everyone has to turn to a box of cake mix. These dreamy cakes are anything but basic, but the prep is just that. With these incredible box cake mix recipes, not a soul at the party will know you had a little help from Betty Crocker. Whether you're short on time, are a novice baker, or need an easy baking project to do with the kids this weekend, these box cake recipes are so much fun. With festive recipes using boxed cake mix like Candy Cane Cake Bars, Halloween Cake Pops, Heart Cookies, Pumpkin Dump Cake, and more, you'll have simple cake recipes for every holiday this year. You'll be amazed at how homemade these cake recipes taste from simply adding a few ingredients and a dreamy frosting. So go ahead and hit the baking aisle—we promise it'll be worth it. 01 of 36 Chocolate Bundt Cake Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Chocolate Bundt Cake The key to this super simple, super delicious chocolate Bundt cake? Boxed cake mix and boxed brownie mix. 02 of 36 Praline Mini Cakes Southern Living Recipe: Praline Mini Cakes If you're not into sharing dessert (we understand), these personal cakes are just the right size. 03 of 36 Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Micah A. Leal Recipe: Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Want the chewiest cookies? Use cake mix! Plus, the higher oil content helps them keep better than regular cookies. 04 of 36 Mini Confetti Cakes Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Mini Confetti Cakes These mini two-layer cakes are perfect for a bridal or baby shower. Top them with color-coordinated edible flowers. 05 of 36 Peach Cobbler Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford Recipe: Peach Cobbler This might be the easiest peach cobbler recipe you ever make: Simply put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do its thing! 06 of 36 Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake Photo: J. Savage Gibson Recipe: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake If you're not in the mood to cut a layer cake for every guest at the party, this recipe includes an option to make personal parfaits instead. 07 of 36 Pumpkin Dump Cake Micah A. Leal Recipe: Pumpkin Dump Cake Pumpkin pie is a fall favorite, but it can't feed a huge crowd. This easy dump cake has the same flavor you love, and every guest will get a slice. Homemade whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg are a delicious seasonal topping to make it feel holiday-worthy. 08 of 36 SweeTARTS and Smarties Tie-Dye Cake Alison Miksch Sheet cakes are ideal for birthdays because they're festive and feed even the biggest party. This colorful cake is a callback to the '70s, but today's kids will eat it right up. 09 of 36 Red Velvet Cake Balls Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Red Velvet Cake Balls Whether for Christmas, Valentine's Day, or any celebration, these cake bites are a cute and easy way to serve dessert. 10 of 36 Snickers Cake Alison Miksch Recipe: Snickers Cake This decadent chocolate-caramel cake is uses Snickers in the cake mix and as a garnish. 11 of 36 Cranberry Upside-Down Cake Recipe: Cranberry Upside-Down Cake Would you believe this gorgeous cake came from the slow cooker? You should! 12 of 36 Sweet Potato Sheet Cake Southern Living Recipe: Sweet Potato Sheet Cake This sweet and salty cake is the ultimate fall dessert for your at-home football watch party or Thanksgiving feast. 13 of 36 Heart Cookies Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Heart Cookies These chewy cookies are the sweetest way to a party spread that's Instagram-worthy. 14 of 36 Gingerbread Cake With Stout Buttercream Southern Living Recipe: Gingerbread Cake With Stout Buttercream It seems too good to be true that this holiday stunner only takes five ingredients to make. 15 of 36 Apricot-Almond Coffee Cake Southern Living Recipe: Apricot-Almond Coffee Cake Brunch with the girls? This easy breakfast treat pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee. 16 of 36 Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting Southerners know: Everything tastes better with a little Cheerwine in the mix! 17 of 36 Reese's Cake Alison Miksch Recipe: Reese's Cake This Reese's-garnished cake looks beautiful, but when you cut into it, the peanut butter-cream cheese filling is the best surprise. 18 of 36 Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes Greg DuPree; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey Recipe: Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes With presentation this cute, no one will notice these birthday cupcakes were made with boxed cake mix. 19 of 36 Red Velvet Peppermint Cake Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Red Velvet Peppermint Cake This recipe adds a bit of peppermint extract to classic cream cheese icing for a festive holiday finish. 20 of 36 Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake Micah A. Leal Recipe: Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake This super-simple dump cake is best when finished off with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 21 of 36 Halloween Cake Pops Micah A. Leal Recipe: Halloween Cake Pops How cute are these? Give the kids a batch to decorate for themselves for a fun Halloween activity. 22 of 36 Sugar-and-Spice Cake Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett Recipe: Sugar-and-Spice Cake Serve a showstopping Christmas cake with classic vanilla buttercream that guests will never realize wasn't from scratch. 23 of 36 Nehi Orange Poke Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Nehi Orange Poke Cake This old-school soda cake is inspired by one of Mama Dip's famous cakes. 24 of 36 Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford Recipe: Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake Chocolate lovers will adore this dreamy cake that's made with the hands-off help from your slow cooker. 25 of 36 Peach Dump Cake Micah A. Leal Recipe: Peach Dump Cake You don't have to wait for peach season to make this five-ingredient cake. 26 of 36 Better Boxed Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting Brian Hagiwara/Getty Images Recipe: Better Boxed Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting The name says it all with this recipe. Make your boxed cake mix taste homemade with this recipe that tastes like a birthday party. 27 of 36 Honey Bun Cake Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist Heather Chadduck Recipe: Honey Bun Cake Sour cream makes this classic cake extra moist and adds a hint of tang to every sweet bite. 28 of 36 German Chocolate Cupcakes Photographer: Alison Miksch Food Stylist: Erin Merhar Prop Stylist: Prissy Lee Recipe: German Chocolate Cupcakes We packed all the flavor of classic German chocolate cake into these portable cupcakes your neighbors would love to see on their doorsteps. 29 of 36 Key Lime Sheet Cake Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Margaret Dickey, Prop Styling: Kay E Clarke Recipe: Key Lime Sheet Cake We love an elegant layer cake on our table, but when we're short on time and have a family that needs something sweet, we'll always turn to the bellowed sheet cake. 30 of 36 Birthday Cake in a Jar Southern Living Recipe: Birthday Cake in a Jar This easy recipe is the most adorable way to surprise your friends on their birthdays. 31 of 36 Apple Pie Cake Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Apple Pie Cake When you're not in the mood to fuss with pie dough, this one-dish dessert is a fall miracle. 32 of 36 Easter Egg Cake Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Heather Chadduck Recipe: Easter Egg Cake Because this spring cake is a masterpiece in decorating, we used a box of cake mix to quicken up prep time. 33 of 36 Sunflower Cupcakes Photographer: Alison Miksch Food Stylist: Erin Merhar Prop Stylist: Prissy Lee Recipe: Sunflower Cupcakes Add a little sunshine to any random day with these sweet cupcakes that the kids will love to help decorate. 34 of 36 S'mores Cake Photography and Styling: Sarah Epperson Recipe: S'mores Cake With buttery graham cracker layers, decadent chocolate cake, and a fluffy meringue topping, this dreamy cake tastes like you're sitting around the campfire. 35 of 36 Cherry Dump Cake Micah A. Leal Recipe: Cherry Dump Cake Your family won't believe this treat came together with just four ingredients. 36 of 36 Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake Recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake This refreshing ice-cream cake is a summertime dream come true. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit