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  4. 36 Box Cake Mix Recipes that Taste Homemade

36 Box Cake Mix Recipes that Taste Homemade

Southern Living May 2021 Cover
By Southern Living Editors Updated July 19, 2022
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Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake

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.  

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Chocolate Bundt Cake

Chocolate Bundt Cake
Credit: 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.

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Praline Mini Cakes

Praline Mini Cakes
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Praline Mini Cakes

If you're not into sharing dessert (we understand), these personal cakes are just the right size.

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Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies

Red-Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
Credit: 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.

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Mini Confetti Cakes

Mini Confetti Cakes
Credit: 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.

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Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler
Credit: 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!

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Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
Credit: 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.

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Pumpkin Dump Cake

Pumpkin Dump Cake
Credit: 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.

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SweeTARTS and Smarties Tie-Dye Cake

SweeTARTS and Smarties Tie-Dye Cake
Credit: 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.

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Red Velvet Cake Balls

Red Velvet Cake Balls
Credit: 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.

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Snickers Cake

Snickers Cake
Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Snickers Cake

This decadent chocolate-caramel cake is uses Snickers in the cake mix and as a garnish.

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Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Recipe: Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Would you believe this gorgeous cake came from the slow cooker? You should!

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Sweet Potato Sheet Cake

Sweet Potato Sheet Cake
Credit: 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.

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Heart Cookies

Heart Cookies
Credit: 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.

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Gingerbread Cake With Stout Buttercream

Gingerbread Cake with Stout Buttercream
Credit: 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.

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Apricot-Almond Coffee Cake

Apricot-Almond Coffee Cake
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Apricot-Almond Coffee Cake

Brunch with the girls? This easy breakfast treat pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee.

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Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting

Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting
Credit: 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!

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Reese's Cake

Reese’s Cake
Credit: 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.

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Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Credit: 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.

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Red Velvet Peppermint Cake

Red Velvet Peppermint Cake
Credit: 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.

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Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake

Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake
Credit: 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.

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Halloween Cake Pops

Halloween Cake Pops
Credit: 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.

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Sugar-and-Spice Cake

Sugar-and-Spice Cake
Credit: 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.

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Nehi Orange Poke Cake

Nehi Orange Poke Cake
Credit: 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.

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Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake

Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake
Credit: 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.

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Peach Dump Cake

Peach Dump Cake
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Peach Dump Cake

You don't have to wait for peach season to make this five-ingredient cake.

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Better Boxed Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Better Box Mix Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Credit: 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.

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Honey Bun Cake

Honey Bun Cake
Credit: 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.

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German Chocolate Cupcakes

German Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
Credit: 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.

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Key Lime Sheet Cake

Key Lime Sheet Cake
Credit: 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.

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Birthday Cake in a Jar

Birthday Cake In A Jar
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Birthday Cake in a Jar

This easy recipe is the most adorable way to surprise your friends on their birthdays.

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Apple Pie Cake

Apple Pie Cake
Credit: 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.

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Easter Egg Cake

Easter Egg Cake
Credit: 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.

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Sunflower Cupcakes

Sunflower Cupcakes
Credit: 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.

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S'mores Cake

S'mores Cake
Credit: 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.

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Cherry Dump Cake

Cherry Dump Cake
Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Cherry Dump Cake

Your family won't believe this treat came together with just four ingredients.

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36 of 36

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Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake

Recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake

This refreshing ice-cream cake is a summertime dream come true.

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    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

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    View All

    1 of 36 Chocolate Bundt Cake
    2 of 36 Praline Mini Cakes
    3 of 36 Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
    4 of 36 Mini Confetti Cakes
    5 of 36 Peach Cobbler
    6 of 36 Chocolate-Peanut Butter Mousse Cake
    7 of 36 Pumpkin Dump Cake
    8 of 36 SweeTARTS and Smarties Tie-Dye Cake
    9 of 36 Red Velvet Cake Balls
    10 of 36 Snickers Cake
    11 of 36 Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
    12 of 36 Sweet Potato Sheet Cake
    13 of 36 Heart Cookies
    14 of 36 Gingerbread Cake With Stout Buttercream
    15 of 36 Apricot-Almond Coffee Cake
    16 of 36 Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting
    17 of 36 Reese's Cake
    18 of 36 Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
    19 of 36 Red Velvet Peppermint Cake
    20 of 36 Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake
    21 of 36 Halloween Cake Pops
    22 of 36 Sugar-and-Spice Cake
    23 of 36 Nehi Orange Poke Cake
    24 of 36 Chocolate-Cinnamon Latte Cake
    25 of 36 Peach Dump Cake
    26 of 36 Better Boxed Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
    27 of 36 Honey Bun Cake
    28 of 36 German Chocolate Cupcakes
    29 of 36 Key Lime Sheet Cake
    30 of 36 Birthday Cake in a Jar
    31 of 36 Apple Pie Cake
    32 of 36 Easter Egg Cake
    33 of 36 Sunflower Cupcakes
    34 of 36 S'mores Cake
    35 of 36 Cherry Dump Cake
    36 of 36 Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake

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