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Note from the Doctor: Cooking and the Web
Notes from Workman: Oh the Web You Wove
Reader Q&A
Bits & Bytes: Food Web Sites
Funny Quotes
Recipe Swap: 7 Up Cake, Spice Doughnuts
Hot Tips: Cupcake Topper, Easy Birthday Cake
Try these Springtime and Easter Cakes
Doctor the Doctor: You Doctor My Recipes
Do Tell! Your Favorite Baking Gadgets
Do Share! Thumbprint Cookies, Wedding Cake, Sand Art Cake Mix
Next Issue: Kids Baking Ideas, Blondies, Neapolitan Cake

At our house the nightly wait for computer time often resembles the deli counter: Take a number and wait to be "served" and log on. The Internet has changed the way we study, shop, work, play, and yes . . . cook. We might not all have a computer in the kitchen, but we definitely rely on one to get us in the mood to cook. And we know that many bakers head to cakemixdoctor.com before they crack their first egg. In fact, our highest traffic times are right before lunch and right before dinner! Our online traffic has doubled since November and tripled in a year.

But I was curious where else you go when you're in the mood for food. So in February I posed that question and with your usual speed and generosity you offered favorite recipe sites. Check out Bits & Bytes for these hot cyber-cooking recommendations. And don't miss this month's reader questions and my answers, quotes that make me smile, excellent tips, ways to doctor up my recipes, and Recipe Swap for a much-requested doughnut recipe and 7 Up Cake. With a circulation of 6,500, this newsletter operates like a mighty, hungry search engine locating that difficult-to-find cake recipe.

No doubt, you have seen some changes in the Cake Mix Doctor web site over the past few months. Amy Hayworth, our web gal, and I strive to make the site more useful to newcomers and freshly informative to regulars. The message board (or Community Board as we call it) is hopping. I like to think of it as a lively and crowded kitchen where Heidi, CarolynB, T. Martin, Jim, JoAnn, Thankfulgirl, and other regulars discuss what's in the oven and answer questions from anyone, especially those in baking distress. I pipe in from time to time, but with these pros, who needs the Cake Mix Doctor?

We'll soon be unveiling some personal testimonials (see Testify!) about great cakes, a return to baking, or a fond baking memory. And help is on the way for scratch bakers, too. Believe it or not, this site is attracting a lot of cooks who bake from scratch (or who used to before they tried these easy recipes!). I insist the fundamentals are the same—the correct oven temperature, the right pans, the signs for doneness, and great homemade frostings. So whether it begins with a box or from scratch, get prepared to bake!

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In this space we at Workman have often talked about the astounding sales figures we have witnessed and warm responses we have felt from all of you across the country. But if we expected the book to be a hit, we were unsure about cakemixdoctor.com: Would people come and how could we make it entertaining enough so you would all come back? If the Internet had a scratch and sniff, we'd have no problem but that's years (or more) away. How many of you were there for the first newsletter--that wild colorful jumble of tips and quotes? How many remember the old home pages? We keep tinkering and growing, every month trying new ideas, acting on your suggestions, and adding new features to make the site better.

This month we officially relaunch cakemixdoctor.com with its new home page and features that Anne described above. Because of you, we also nominated the site to be included on the top 100 culinary sites on Chef2chef.com—feel free to second the nomination! And we want to hear from you as we move forward! After all this is the place you will hear FIRST about Anne's new Cake Mix Doctor book this fall, including contests and preview recipes and tour dates and store appearances and TV and newspaper appearances and much, much more. You've woven quite a web so far, now if we could only have our site and eat it, too!

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Q. A long time ago I saw a recipe to make a jellyroll from a cake mix. Have you done this? —Youvona Cunningham, Smethport, PA

A. Yes, I have tested jellyroll cakes for the next Cake Mix Doctor book. Here is a basic method: Combine a box of cake mix with 4 large eggs, 1/2 cup water and 1/3 cup of oil. Beat as usual and pour into a 16 1/2- by 11 1/2- by 1-inch jellyroll pan that has been buttered and lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 18 to 20 minutes, then immediately turn it out onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off the parchment paper carefully. Roll up the cake, beginning with a long side, using the towel as a helper. Let the cake rest and cool 30 minutes, then unroll it slightly and fill it with your choice of filling. Re-roll, wrap in plastic wrap, let cool completely, then slice and serve.

Q. Every time I bake a layer cake the layers don't turn out flat. They rise more in the middle and when I stack the two layers I end up with a lopsided and uneven cake. What can I do to remedy this? —Christine Mollenauer, Kensington, MD

A. I personally like layer cake with a domed look. It looks homey and comforting to me. But no one wants layers to slide or a cake that looks lopsided. One trick to keep the top layer from sliding when I frost it is to place the cake in and out of the refrigerator or freezer as I frost to keep the layers cold and let the frosting set. If you must have a flat cake, flatten the top of the cake gently with a kitchen towel covering your hand when the cake is removed from the oven, or, wrap wet cake strips around the edges of the pan before baking to ensure level cakes. You will find these where cake decorating supplies are sold. Lastly, you can assemble the cake with the top sides of the layers together so that the bottom and top of the cake are completely flat. I hope these suggestions help you.

Q. I renovated my kitchen with all new appliances, one being a convection oven. What will be the difference in baking a cake if I use a convection oven? —Dolores DiLuzio, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

A. Convection ovens bake more quickly than conventional ovens thanks to hot circulating air from the fans, so the cake will bake in about 25 percent less time. But I prefer a regular oven for baking cakes, and like to save the convection oven for baking bread or roasting chicken—where you want good all around browning. I have baked cakes in some restaurant kitchens with convection ovens and found the fans blow the batter ever so slightly and can cause the cake to turn out lopsided.

Q. I often have buttermilk left over from cooking. Can buttermilk be substituted in cake recipes?—Jane Frank, Mesa, AZ

A. Yes, buttermilk can be substituted for water or milk in cake recipes.

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Here it is, in no particular order, the list of the 10 most recommended cooking sites from our newsletter and web site readers. Since there were so many responses, and many were for the same site, I cannot credit you individually here, but I do appreciate your feedback!

*Wilton.com (where to find great cake decorating supplies and ideas)
*FoodTv.com (show listings, good basic cooking questions answered)
*bhg.com/food (Better Homes and Gardens magazine)
*Mygrocerychecklist.com (My Grocery Checklist, helpful, you fill in the blanks)
*Allrecipes.com (incredibly complete, you can even ask for just cake recipes)
*Topsecretrecipes.com (sophisticated site for a super-fun topic)
*Sugarcraft.com (cake decorating forum)
*Epicurious.com (great recipes and cookbook reviews)
*Family.com (birthday party and cake ideas)
*Nordicware.com (Bundt cake recipes)

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Taneka Martin of Baltimore, MD, may just have come up with a conversation opener not yet mentioned in a singles column: "A local supermarket had Duncan Hines mixes on sale and I bought about 15 boxes last night. The guy behind me in line looked at me and all the boxes strangely for about two minutes and then said, 'I think I need to come to your house!'"

Olivia Ann Hoffmann of Hockessin, DE, couldn't find a butter recipe fudge cake mix to make the Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake I share on the site. She wondered if she could use the yellow version of the mix (butter recipe golden) and just add 1 cup of miniature chocolate chips. Needing immediate advice, she dialed the Betty Crocker help line. "The lady who answered said she was not sure what the chips might do to the cake. I replied that I didn't think chocolate chips ever hurt anything!"

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7 UP CAKE

Serves: 20
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 35 to 40 minutes

Carol Lomogda of Norfolk, VA, has been patiently waiting since August for a recipe for 7 Up Cake, and let me tell you that this incredible cake is worth the wait! It, along with dozens of other versions (thank you!), was submitted by Ken King of Birmingham, AL. The recipe comes from Ken's mom. "She made me a recipe box—'so you won't starve to death, honey'—when I moved out of the house." One lucky guy. Baked in a 13- by 9-inch pan, this is the consummate potluck cake, moist and sweet with a memorable icing. You could add the liquid that is drained from the crushed pineapple to the cake batter instead of so much 7 Up, but I guess you'd have to call this a Pineapple 7 Up Cake!

CAKE:
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
10 ounces 7 Up

PINEAPPLE COCONUT ICING:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or margarine
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained and liquid reserved for another use
1 1/2 cups frozen unsweetened coconut or sweetened flaked coconut

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 13- by 9-inch pan with vegetable oil spray. Set the pan aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the bowl. Add about 2 ounces of 7 Up at a time, mixing on low after each addition for about 15 to 20 seconds. When all the liquid is added, mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the Pineapple Coconut Icing. Melt the butter or margarine in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the eggs. Combine the flour and sugar and whisk this into the egg mixture until well blended. Return the pan to medium heat, and cook for 10 minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a slight boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add the drained pineapple. Return the pan to the heat for another 2 minutes, stirring. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coconut until well blended. Slowly pour the icing over the cooled cake, and spread it evenly.

Note: We poked holes in the cake with a drinking straw (or chopstick) to let the icing seep into the cake. We enjoyed drinking the leftover pineapple juice, but as mentioned it could be used in the cake instead of so much 7 Up. This is a sweet icing. If you can find the frozen unsweetened coconut, use it. If not, you may want to reduce the amount of sugar in the icing to 1 1/4 cups.

SPICE DOUGHNUTS
Makes: 28 doughnuts and 28 holes
Preparation time: 2 hours
Frying time: 1 minute each batch

Christine Urban of Laguna Beach, CA, pleaded for a spice doughnut recipe like her grandmother used to make. It began with a cake mix. Well, we found it! Sue posted a recipe using a white cake mix on the message board not too long ago. I tried the recipe using a spice mix, and my three-year-old son absolutely loved these doughnuts, especially the little doughnut holes.

DOUGHNUTS:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (2 packages)
2 cups hot tap water
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain spice cake mix
4 cups all-purpose flour

GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Stir the yeast into the water in a large glass bowl so that it dissolves. Stir in the cake mix and the flour. Blend well. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place so the dough can rise for 1 hour.

2. Generously flour a clean work surface. Punch down the dough and spoon about a third of the dough onto the surface. Knead dough about 10 times, or until smooth. Roll out to 1/2-inch thick. Cut out doughnuts and holes, using a water glass and a biscuit cutter (two round cutters, one smaller than the other). Place the doughnuts and holes on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover with the kitchen towel, and place in a warm place to rise, 30 to 45 minutes.

3. Heat vegetable oil 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep to 325 to 350 degrees in a large deep frying pan. Drop the doughnuts gently into the hot oil. They will brown quickly, in 30 to 45 seconds. Turn them and fry 30 seconds more. Remove with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes, and proceed with the rest of the doughnuts.

4. For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, water, and vanilla in a large bowl. Dip warm doughnuts into the glaze, then serve at once.

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Theresa Hart of Lexington, KY, dreamed up an ingenious topping for cupcakes. "I wanted cupcakes I could send in my daughters' school lunches. I didn't want to use frosting because it always sticks to the plastic wrap. So I took Oreo cookie chunks and put them on top of the white cupcake batter before baking. The Oreos stayed crunchy and the cupcakes were great. Kind of like Cookies N Cream ice cream."

Barbara Barchat of Merrick, NY, offers this easy birthday cake idea: Bake up chocolate layers, fill them with whipped cream, top with whipped cream, sliced fresh strawberries and bananas.

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Grandma's Coconut Icebox Cake (page 118)
Finger Lickin' Good Cake (page 150)
Snickerdoodle Cake (page 121)
Lemon Chess Gooey Butter Bars (page 247)
Triple Decker Strawberry Cake (page 67)
Kathy's Cinnamon Breakfast Cake (page 257)

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Julia Hobbs of Anchorage, AK, made her own version of the Almond Gooey Butter Cake, and "it received rave reviews." Replace the plain yellow cake mix with cherry chip cake mix. "Almost everyone had two servings!"

Joy Carr of Chelmsford, MA, couldn't find the German chocolate cake mix with pudding in her grocery store, so to make the Red Velvet Cake in the book, she substituted a plain red velvet cake mix. "I decided to add a small package of instant chocolate pudding mix and cut down on the red food coloring because the mix was already red. Other than that, I followed your recipe. And I frosted it with the cream cheese frosting. Well, I just have to tell you that this is one of the best cakes ever!"
P.S. Joy baked the cake in the shape of a heart as a Valentine's gift to her family.

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One of my favorite new baking finds is the Silpat baking mat, a flexible mat made of glass fibers and silicone that fits on the bottom of your baking sheet. No need for greasing the pan and cookies are removed effortlessly. This mat is found at Williams-Sonoma stores.

What gadgets make baking more fun for you? Send your thoughts to anne@cakemixdoctor.com. I'll share
these good ideas in the June newsletter.

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Ausma Groskaufmanis of Montreal, who teaches cooking classes, is looking for a Thumbprint Cookie recipe she has lost. It uses a German chocolate cake mix, coconut, pecans, as well as evaporated milk in the filling.

Elaine Warren of Oak Ridge, TN, is desperately looking for a white wedding cake recipe that was on the Duncan Hines cake mix box many years ago. "I need to make a wedding cake for my daughter and would like to use a cake mix. I think it had plain flour added to it, but I am not sure."

And Susan Jessico of Duluth, MN, is looking for cake mix recipes that could be placed in attractive jars for gifts like the sand art brownies. She says the list of liquids could be placed on an attached card.

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Tips for baking with the kids. Recipe Swap: Neapolitan Cake, Blondies. What cakes to serve at a summer barbecue.