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I was ready to unveil the next Cake Mix Doctor Bake for Charity Recipe Contest in this newsletter. But after a quick trip to New York meeting with my Web site gurus I learned that summer really isn't the best time for us to stage a recipe contest. Most people are at the beach or in the mountains and not mixing cake batter. Our Web site traffic is lighter than in the fall, when everyone returns from vacation refreshed and ready to bake.

So, can you wait until September?

Instead of our regular August newsletter, this year we'll have a September issue announcing the theme of the contest, followed quickly by an October issue in which the winning recipes will be printed. There will still be a $1,000 prize for your favorite charity should you be the grand prize winner. And although I cannot disclose the theme, I can say that should you be staying at home this summer, feel free to bake up a delicious cake, bar, or cookie recipe in preparation for this contest.

At our house, we've been baking lemon cakes. It's the cake of choice come summertime. And I've added a new touch, thanks to a reader recommendation, of adding fresh blueberries to the batter, creating a blueberry crown on this Bundt cake. The lemon flavor comes brilliantly through, and those blueberries were memorable, the crowning touch, so to speak.

Since I first printed my sister's lemon cake recipe in the first Cake Mix Doctor, I have improved on her glaze recipe. Now I use the juice of 2 lemons, roughly 4 tablespoons. I place this is a small saucepan and let it come to a boil and reduce down a bit, 2 to 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Then, I pour this over the cup of sifted confectioners' sugar and the lemon zest (from one lemon) in a mixing bowl. Not only is this glaze more lemony, with a powerful fresh lemon juice concentration, but the hot juice seems to briefly cook the sugar, taking that raw confectioners' sugar away. Try it for yourself!

You'll want to put down the electric mixer long enough to read the fun profiles of our Community Board Moderators in this issue, too. You've seen their comments online, but would you like to know a little more about them? Thanks to Amy Lewis—aka info@workman.com—for compiling these interviews.

So, on to summer, on to lemon cake, on to a continued exchange of baking ideas.
Enjoy!
Anne

Over the last couple of years, I've had the pleasure of learning a lot about baking from the Community Board moderators. Now it's our turn to learn a little more about them. If you haven't joined us at the Community Board yet, these wonderful stories should convince you that no matter the baking problem, one of these ladies has faced it, conquered it, and kept on baking. The Community Board is open 24 hours a day, so come visit us!

Meet the Moderators

My name is Jessica Brown, and I am (gasp) 30 years old. I live in Arizona, and am orginally from Kentucky. I have a bachelor's and master's in electrical engineering. Baking is my creative outlet. I have a Kelpie Mix, Scout, who is a budding agility dog.

My name is Barbara McCarthy. I am a native Californian living in Upland, CA about 40 miles east of L.A. I have three grown children who turned out to be contributing members of society, and now four grandchildren. I started out as a real estate appraiser at PFF Bank & Trust, eventually becoming VP and Chief Appraiser, and now have transitioned to telecommuting. I belong to the assistance league and love working "retail" in the thrift shop!

Hello, my name is Mary K. Bush. I was born and raised in Nebraska where I lived except for a few years in Colorado, until I married an Oklahoman and subsequently came down here to make our home and raise 4 wonderful sons. To add to that mix I have 2 grand, grandsons and 1 very sweet granddaughter. In addition to my love for baking, I love anything from symphony and opera to country music, and I have also always loved gardening.

I'm Carolyn Baner, from Pennsville, NJ, married to a sweetheart of a man who does the
majority of our grocery shopping—and often brings home more cake mixes (on sale) than I can bake. After 35 years working in the hectic business world (which I loved), I retired in 1996 and am so grateful to have this opportunity to experience life in the slower lane. We have ten grandchildren who sometimes in the same day can help us feel younger (early in the day) and make us feel our age (as the day or weekend wears on)! The girls nearly always bake with me when they visit. I love to bake but particularly favor easy, quick alternatives so [The Cake Mix Doctor] books have been wonderful for me. Another passion for me is simple crafting projects and I love when I can combine baking and crafting together for bazaars.

What's the first cake you remember baking? How old were you?

Jessica: I've been baking since I was nine. That's when my mom turned over all the Christmas duties to me.

BarbaraMc: The first cake I remember baking was the Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake in 1965, a recipe from the Quaker Oats box that my mother sent me.

MaryK: The first cake that I ever made when I was probably 10 or so years old. My mother was gone, and I decided it would be nice to surprise her with of all things, a beautiful Daffodil Cake. You are supposed to beat the egg yolk mixture separate from the whites and this is where I got into trouble because when it came time to fold in the egg whites, wanting to be thorough, I really folded them in. I don't remember anyone complaining about the results, and so I continued to bake from time to time, but mostly at that age it was back to cookies. After all cookies are suppose to be flatter than an angel food type cake.

CarolynB: I grew up in a rural area and was a 4-H member from the age I could join (9-10 years old?) and have been baking ever since, thanks to my mother's influence. I truly don't remember the first thing I baked, but I know I got a ribbon for it—not sure what color it was but as a kid it didn't matter! My memory of the first really good thing I baked (probably as a teen) was a chocolate cake called a Wacky Cake, a recipe from Mom. It is a small scratch cake where you sift your dry ingredients right in an 8" square pan. You make 3 wells to add vinegar (wacky!), oil, and extract. You pour water over all, stir it and bake it. It's a very good, moist cake and I occasionally still make it.

What's your current favorite Cake Mix Doctor cake? What adaptations do you make to this cake?

Jessica: I prefer sour cream based cakes because they tend to be the most moist.

BarbaraMc: My very favorite cake is the Fresh Orange Cake which I make with my own orange curd filling. It is to die for!

MaryK: If I really have to choose it would be between the Darn Good Chocolate, and the Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake. I always use either a Chocolate Fudge cake mix or a Triple Chocolate one, and to that add a box (4 serving size) of chocolate fudge pudding and pie filling. I use 1 1/2 to 2 cups of chocolate chips, milk instead of water, and many times I replace all or part of the oil with softened butter. I also add some kind of extract to any cake that I make, vanilla being an old standby but not the always the choice. These make very nice, moist and tasty cakes.

CarolynB: My favorite CMD cake is often the latest one I've baked, but the Darn Good
Chocolate Cake is baked by granddaughters and me consistently. I've altered it slightly finding that Duncan Hines Dark Fudge Cake mix produces a lighter texture. I also increase the sour cream to 1 1/3 cups and water to 1 cup. I decrease chocolate chips to between 1 and 1 1/2 cups.

What's the most helpful tip you've learned from the Community Board?

MaryK: One of the most valuable things is not to be afraid to experiment, starting first with ingredients you and your family enjoy. Cake mixes are really very forgiving, and I never bake without trying a new idea.

BarbaraMc: The most helpful tip I've learned is that when a cake flops, you get tons of help from the CMD board members.

CarolynB: I've learned so many tips from the Community Board members but my current
favorites in no particular order are:

• (This one is ongoing.) Never be afraid to experiment a little!


• Putting miniature marshmallows on toothpicks to keep plastic wrap from ruining your frosting.


• Using a 10" springform pan for some of the smaller cakes.


• Filling baked cupcakes using a pastry bag.


• Using Pam for Baking with Flour on the smaller, intricately designed bundt pans (so easy on arthritic hands).

What's your baking motto, the thought that keeps you going?

Jessica: It's not a mistake! It's a learning experience.

BarbaraMc: What keeps me coming back to board is the neighborhood feeling. When the board first started up, Anne would occasionally pop in with some advice, just like a neighbor! And the feeling has continued. I am honored to be a part of this group of women and men who are so helpful, funny, creative, and caring.

MaryK: Since the first cake that I ever made until now, I always take the attitude that we all have those that didn't quite make the cut, but that is the way that we learn. So pick up that mixing bowl and try it again, and see if you can make it just a little bit better or a bit different.

CarolynB: I guess I don't really have a baking motto but this surely applies: "Love is a homemade cake, warm from the oven and served with a smile." What keeps me going, through successes and failures, is the support from our Community Board family.

Lemon Bundt Cake with a Blueberry Crown
Makes 12 to 16 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 40-45 minutes

Bake this cake in a standard or not-too-elaborate Bundt pan because the blueberries are moist and might make unmolding difficult in those fancy tiered pans. Let the baked cake rest 20 minutes before inverting. Drizzle with the lemon glaze or just sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Vegetable oil spray or solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
1 package (3 ounces) lemon gelatin
2/3 cup hot water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs

Glaze:
Juice of 2 lemons (4 tablespoons)
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
Grated rind of 1 lemon (1 teaspoon)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable shortening or mist with vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour, and shake to remove the excess flour. Set the pan aside.

2. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the cake mix and place in a small mixing bowl with the blueberries. Toss to coat the berries, and set the berries aside.

3. Place the remaining cake mix, gelatin, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated, 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and blend 2 minutes more. Fold half of the blueberries into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Pat the remaining blueberries on top of the batter. Place the pan in the oven.

4. Bake the cake until it is deeply golden and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and let the cake rest in the pan 20 minutes. Unmold, invert, and let rest 15 minutes to completely cool, then glaze or dust with confectioners' sugar.

Q. Can I bake Susan's Lemon Cake in a 13-by 9-inch pan, or would I have to double the ingredients?
—Gina Heese, Ohio

A. Yes, you can turn any Bundt cake recipe into a sheet cake by adjusting the baking time. No need to double the recipe. That cake takes around 40 to 45 minutes to bake in a Bundt pan, but it will be done in 35 to 40 minutes in the rectangular pan.

Q. I use what I think are aluminum cake pans from Wilton, and I am wondering if they react with acidic fruit such as raspberries and strawberries. I want to make your strawberry cake, but I am not sure how it will turn out using these pans.
—Cynthia, Germantown, MD

A.For that layer cake recipe where the cake layers are turned out of the pans after cooling, those pans will work fine. You just don't want to let a fruit dessert such as a cobbler or upside-down cake rest overnight in an aluminum pan. It is best to bake these acidic desserts in ceramic or glass.

Q. Is there a formula for adding pudding mix to cake mix? I like to doctor up cake mixes but I am not sure when to add the pudding mix.
—Ali Ryan, The Villages, FL

A. Use the smaller box (3.4 to 3.9 ounces) instant pudding mix and add it to the bowl when you add the dry cake mix. Make sure you are using a plain mix (Duncan Hines) and not a cake mix that already contains pudding (Betty Crocker).

Jacque Britton of East Highland, CA, is searching for a long-lost cookie recipe. It is a pineapple cookie her mother used to make. "It was a drop cookie. She used to put nuts and crushed pineapple in them, but I haven't a clue what else. She died without ever writing down the recipe. That was 30 years ago," says Jacque, who admits to still missing those cookies. Sound familiar? Send your pineapple cookie recipe ideas to: anne@cakemixdoctor.com

We'll announce the third annual Cake Mix Doctor's Bake for Charity Contest. The kids will be back in school, and you will be back in the kitchen! Winning recipes will appear in the October newsletter.