21 Easy Cake Recipes That Start with a Box of Pudding (2024)

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Pudding mix is a busy baker's best friend. Rely on this convenient pantry staple to bake up a dreamy cake that will taste like it was made from scratch.

1/21

Chocolate Comfort Cake

This moist and delicious chocolate cake is usually the first dessert to go. People even eat the crumbs. It’s always my top choice for holiday dinners. —Ellen Riley, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

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2/21

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

This luscious, lemony poppy seed cake recipe is one of many collected for a reunion cookbook. —Betty Bjarnason, Egbert, Ontario

3/21

Banana Flip Cake

Here’s a recipe that will bring back memories of your childhood. Banana flip snack cakes taste just like the banana flips we used to eat when we were kids. —Berta Hagen, International Falls, Minnesota

4/21

Red Velvet Jar Cake

I love to make these red velvet jar cakes for friends, family and teachers. Red velvet is my favorite during the holidays, but you can use any cake and frosting flavors you like. Then dress up the jars with homemade labels and ribbons for gifting. Don't forget to tie a spoon to the jar; everyone likes to dig right in! —Lillie Collier, Mobile, Alabama

5/21

Yummy Chocolate Cake

My husband and I are trying to eat lighter but still crave sweets. This moist, healthy chocolate cake really helps with that. With the rich frosting, it makes a decadent treat! —LaDonna Reed, Ponca City, Oklahoma

6/21

Strawberry-Banana Pudding Cake

This luscious pink pudding cake is so easy to put together. Top it with ice cream and fresh fruit, and you have one very happy family. —Nadine Mesch, Mount Healthy, Ohio

If you’re looking for more banana pudding cake recipes, try making this banana pudding dump cake at home.

7/21

Margarita Cake

This margarita cake is perfect for a picnic on a warm day. You’ll be surprised at how closely it tastes like the real thing. These other margarita dessert recipes are delicious, too. ?—Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

8/21

Chocolate-Strawberry Celebration Cake

Although I have some wonderful from-scratch recipes, this one uses a boxed mix with plenty of doctoring. It has become a popular groom’s cake that gets more attention than the wedding cake. —Nora Fitzgerald, Sevierville, Tennessee

9/21

Warm Rocky Road Cake

When it's warm, this reminds me of super moist lava cake. And until I made this, I didn't think a slow-cooker cake could be so attractive. It's a real winner. —Scarlett Elrod, Newnan, Georgia

10/21

Down South Sweet Tea Cake

I think this recipe combines two of the best and most famous ingredients from the South: sweet tea and pecans! Using a cake mix simplifies prep and helps ease the holiday time crunch. —Melissa Millwood, Lyman, South Carolina

11/21

Slow-Cooker Tropical Orange Cake

Inspired by the fruity tropical flavors of my all-time favorite yogurt, this makes for a fresh, fun and comforting treat. Try it for a beautiful dessert that is ridiculously easy to prepare! —Lisa Renshaw, Kansas City, Missouri

12/21

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Dump Cake

I am a huge fan of the chocolate-peanut butter combination. I'm also a fan of easy recipes, including dump cakes. On occasion, I've omitted the peanut butter chips and used 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips with very tasty results. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas

13/21

Double Butterscotch Coconut Cake

I got this recipe for coconut cake from a co-worker years ago, then I changed it up a bit by adding a family favorite: butterscotch. It’s super easy to throw together and it makes a perfect accompaniment to coffee or tea. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California

14/21

Mint Swirl Fudge Cake

Mint pairs with a silky, mild chocolate flavor for this colorful, beautiful cake that will be the talk of the holiday buffet. —Heidi Kelly, Norwood, Missouri

15/21

Slow-Cooker Spumoni Cake

I created this cake for a holiday potluck one year. It has become one of my most requested desserts. If you prefer, you can use all semisweet chips instead of a mix. —Lisa Renshaw, Kansas City, Missouri

16/21

Spiced Sherry Cake

My mother received this recipe from a friend years ago when fluted tube pans first became popular. The cake lasts a few days in the refrigerator, if you don't eat it all right away. I personally love to serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. —Debbie Pelletier, Jupiter, Florida

17/21

Come-Home-to-Mama Chocolate Cake

You'll spend less than a half hour whipping up this cure-all cake that starts with a mix. Sour cream and chocolate pudding make it rich and moist, and chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate make it decadent comfort food at its finest. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

18/21

Easy Pistachio Tube Cake

Mixes make this light cake easy, and a fluted tube pan gets it holiday party-ready. Go for the pistachios on top—the extra crunch is worth it. —Dina Crowell, Fredericksburg, Virginia

19/21

Pumpkin Spice Cake

We sometimes call this pumpkin spice cake "Thanksgiving Cake" because it's a tasty alternative to pie, but we don't relegate it to just that holiday. I think you'll agree it's delicious any time of the year. —Kathy Rhoads, Circleville, Ohio

20/21

Choco-Scotch Marble Cake

This recipe was given to me many years ago by a friend. Teaming chocolate with butterscotch for a marble cake makes it more flavorful and colorful than the usual chocolate-vanilla combination. This rich family favorite is very moist and keeps well.-Pam Giammattei, Valatie, New York

21/21

Almond Chocolate Cake

When our son and daughter were teenagers, our house was the hang-out for their whole group of friends. This rich chocolate almond cake was a regular on the menu. —Char Safley, Raleigh, North Carolina

Amy is a book editor at Taste of Home where she gets to pour her passions for food and storytelling into trade and series cookbooks. When she’s not writing or editing, you’ll find her antiquing, cooking and baking from her favorite vintage cookbooks and exploring Milwaukee’s urban beauty with her digital SLR in hand.