Here are four great easy old-fashioned ways to customize them — making an ordinary cake into an extraordinary dessert.
4 retro ways to customize store-bought cakes from your grocer’s freezer (1969)
By Helen Feingold, food consultant, TV Guide – June 7, 1969
Don’t panic when unexpected company comes. These delicious cakes are as near as your freezer.
All recipes make use of frozen cakes, with a little imagination added to make them special.
Note: These tested recipes are based on level measurements in standard measuring cups and spoons.
1. Customize and create a double orange cake
1 package (14 ounces) frozen orange cake
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 can (6 ounces) frozen pink lemonade, undiluted and thawed
3 navel oranges, peeled and cut into sections
1-1/3 cups white wine
Loosen edges of frozen cake with sharp knife. Remove from pan and cut into 6 equal pieces. Place on plates and leave at room temperature to thaw. Top pieces with orange sections.
Combine cornstarch and lemonade. Stir until blended. Stir in wine. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until sauce bubbles and thickens. Cool slightly. Serve warm sauce spooned over orange-topped cake squares.
Serves 6
ALSO SEE: 30 vintage cake mixes you don’t see anymore
2. Quick Dobos torte: Make a frozen cake into a unique dessert
2 packages (12 ounces each) frozen pound-cake loaves
2 egg yolks
12 squares (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup soft sweet butter (2 sticks)
1 tsp. brandy flavoring
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Remove cakes from pans while frozen and cut each with a sharp knife into 7 lengthwise slices.
Mash butter until soft and creamy. Beat in melted chocolate, egg yolks, vanilla and brandy flavoring. Beat until smooth and well-blended. If frosting is too soft, chill until right consistency to spread.
Lay two cake slices end to end on a long platter or jellyroll board. Spread with frosting. Repeat, using all slices. Spread remaining frosting on the sides and top. This finished torte will be a long, narrow 7-layer cake.
Sprinkle top with almonds. Chill until ready to serve. Chilling makes this cake firm enough to be cut very thinly.
Serves 10 to 12
3. Customized chocolate banana cake
1 package (13-3/4 ounces) frozen chocolate cake
4 ripe bananas, peeled and brushed with orange juice
1 pint frozen whipped topping, thawed
Slivered orange peel
Loosen edges of frozen cake with a sharp knife. Remove from pan and slice horizontally into two layers.
Place bottom layer on a platter. Top with 3 bananas trimmed to fit the layer. Spread whipped topping thickly between bananas and all around the cake, making a thick layer of topping that completely covers the bananas.
Top with second cake layer. Cut remaining banana into slices, brush with orange juice and arrange overlapping slices on top of cake. Sprinkle with orange rind. Chill for 1 hour and then cut into slices to serve. (This cake is pictured below.)
Serves 6
4. Rum custard-filled coffee cake
1 package (12-1/2 ounces) frozen pecan coffee cake
1 package (3-5/8 ounces) vanilla pudding
1-1/2 cups milk
2 tsp. rum flavoring
1 cup thawed frozen whipped topping and pie filling
Remove cake from pan while still frozen and cut into 2 horizontal slices, making two layers. Let thaw at room temperature. Combine pudding mix and milk, and cook, stir-ring, until pudding bubbles and thickens. Cool, then stir in rum flavoring.
Fold in whipped topping. Spread a thick layer of the custard on bottom layer of cake. Top with second layer. Chill until ready to serve, Cut into wedges to serve.
Serves 6 to 8
Easy ways to deliciously decorate store-bought round cakes (1976)
How to customize and decorate store-bought round cakes and cheesecakes for Christmas
Before company comes, you can add your own seasonal touch to Sara Lee Original Cream Cheese Cake, Chocolate Bavarian, and Pecan Coffee Cake. The recipes are simple, so you’ll save time in your busy holiday schedule.
Peppermint Cream: Whip 1/2 cup whipping cream until stiff. Fold in 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candy; chill. Spoon on Sara Lee Chocolate Bavarian; sprinkle with additional crushed candy.
Double Butter Pecan: Slice frozen Sara Lee Pecan Coffee Cake in two layers. Cut 1 pint butter pecan ice cream in 5 slices; overlap on bottom layer. Replace top. Garnish with sliced red and green candied cherries.
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