Costco Connection

creative cooking

Baking up memories

Cakes and more for Mother’s Day

baked from scratch and the busy people who relied

THE CAKE MIX DOCTOR is in—and just in time for Mother’s Day. Anne Byrn, whose The Cake Mix Doctor cookbook sold 1. 6 million copies, is back with The Cake Mix Doctor Returns ( available at Costco.com), a guide on turning mixes into masterpieces. Here, Byrn shares some thoughts on baking, as well as three favorite recipes from her new book.

Q: Given the recent economic times, do you really think that people are getting back to simpler things, like baking at home?

A: No doubt about it. Not only is it less expensive to bake and cook at home, but the act of preparing food in your kitchen helps more than just your bank account. It creates community, tradition and family memories, all silver linings of a poor economic time.

Plus, when times are hard and families cut back on discretionary activities to save money, they have more time to spend in the kitchen preparing healthy, delicious food.

Q: How has baking changed in the 10 years since the first Cake Mix Doctor?

SCOTT KEELER

A: When my first Cake Mix Doctor was published, some asked why I would want to begin a cake with a mix. There were two camps: the purists who

Anne Byrn

on a mix. Today those lines are blurred and there is less discussion—purists are busier nowadays.

And interestingly, beginning a cake with a mix can be less expensive, especially when you buy the mixes on sale and stock up on baking supplies at Costco like I do. In addition, cakes have gotten smaller—cupcakes—and a bit healthier, baked in Bundt pans with no frosting or using unsweetened applesauce and other fruit purées for some of the oil.

Q: We’ll put you on the spot: Give us your top three Mother’s Day desserts.

A: Let me just say this from experience (I have three children): Moms appreciate anything you bake. They would rather have a leaning, wonderfully sloppy home-baked cake any day than one from the bakery.

So, I’ll recommend three cakes I’d love someone (hint, hint) to bake for me on Mother’s Day: Whoopie Pies, A Lighter Stacy’s Chocolate Chip Cake and Nancy’s Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake (recipes included here). C

The Costco Connection Costco sells a variety of mixes for baked goods, along with other fine ingredients, from eggs to vanilla, for all of your baking projects.

Whoopie Pies

1 package ( 18. 25 ounces) plain chocolate cake mix

8 tablespoons ( 1 stick) butter, melted 1 large egg

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 large pasteurized egg white (see notes)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Set aside 2 ungreased baking sheets.

Place the cake mix, butter and egg in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients come together in a stiff mass, 1 to 2 minutes. Form the dough into 1-inch balls with your hands or scoop the dough into balls. Place the balls of dough on baking sheets 2 inches apart.

Bake the cakes until they are still a little soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the cakes to wire racks to cool completely, 30 minutes longer.

Place the confectioners’ sugar, shortening, egg white and vanilla in a medium- size mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined, 1 minute. Spoon about 1 teaspoon onto the flat side of one cake. Top the filling with a second cake to make a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cakes and serve. Makes about 18 whoopie pies.

Notes: The filling in this recipe is uncooked and uses a raw egg, so make sure it is pasteurized. Or, sandwich soft ice cream between the cakes and store them in the freezer. Coffee, mint chocolate chip and vanilla are all delicious.