Mile High Chocolate Boxed Mix Cake

3 boxes chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz size)
Additional ingredients to prepare cake mix according to package directions
1 tub chocolate frosting with sprinkles (I used Funfetti)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware 18 cup tube pan with chocolate pan coat. If using 2-piece pan, add parchment paper square between the two pieces. Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Add to prepared pan and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out nearly clean. Let cool until the pan is comfortable enough to handle. Transfer the cake to a wire rack in two steps: first, turn the cake up on its side, then invert fully. (If using two-piece pan, invert the entire cake without separating the pieces). Let cool completely. Remove all traces of foil from frosting and microwave in 10 second increments, stirring in between, until runny. Pour over cake. Top with sprinkles.

Mile High Cream Cheese Powdered Sugar Pound Cake

The texture of this pound cake is incredible: it's soft and pillowy but still rich and dense. The crackly donut glaze takes it to the next level!

1 pound (4 sticks) butter, room temperature
7 cups powdered sugar, sifted after measuring if lumpy
1 1/2 packages (12 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour

Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by brushing with pan coat (if using two piece pan, fit with a parchment paper square between the two pieces first). Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy (about 6 minutes at medium speed). Add cream cheese, extracts, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup flour, beat until combined. With the mixer running on low, add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Beat in the remaining flour in two additions, mixing until the flour just disappears. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 10 seconds. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 1/4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool until the pan is comfortable enough to handle. (If using two-piece pan, place it over a metal can and press down to remove the outer piece first). Transfer the cake to a wire rack in two steps: first, turn the cake up on its side, then invert fully. Let cool completely.

Crackly Donut Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
3-5 tablespoons milk, water, or lemon juice

Beat together powdered sugar and liquid until smooth and runny. Drizzle over cake and use a pastry brush to evenly distribute over the sides. Wait for glaze to harden before serving (about 20 minutes).

Mile High Strawberry Crunch Pound Cake

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 packages (12 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups sugar
8 large eggs, room temperature
4 ½ cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
1 box (3 oz) strawberry gelatin
1 tablespoon strawberry extract or emulsion (optional, if you can find it)

Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by fitting a parchment paper square between the two pieces and brushing with pan coat or baking spray. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy (about 6 minutes at medium speed). Add ½ cup flour, cream cheese, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl. With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg and beat until fully incorporated. Repeat with each egg, beating well after each addition. Add the rest of the flour in 2 additions, beating on low until it just disappears. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 15 seconds. Separate about 1/3 of the batter into a bowl and mix in strawberry gelatin and strawberry extract. Add about half the vanilla batter into prepared tube pan, then layer in strawberry batter. Top with remaining vanilla batter and gently shake to settle. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 ½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool until the pan is cool enough to handle. To unmold, place it over a metal can and push down to remove the outer piece. Once the tube is cool enough to touch for 4 seconds, lift or turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Strawberry Crunch

30 Golden OREO Cookies
1 box (3 oz) strawberry gelatin
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Add cookies to a zip top bag and crush with a rolling pin. Remove about 1/3 from the bag and set aside. Add gelatin and melted butter and massage to combine. Add strawberry cookies to parchment lined sheet and add the crushed golden cookies. Bake for 10 minutes at 350F.

Strawberry Icing

4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup plus more milk
1 tablespoon strawberry extract or 1 teaspoon strawberry emulsion
Fresh strawberries

Beat powdered sugar, 1/4 cup milk, and extract together in a bowl with an electric mixer. Continue adding milk in small amounts until it becomes thick and slowly drizzles off the beaters. Cover cake with icing, and if needed, wait 20-30 minutes for the icing to settle and harden a little, then cover with Strawberry Crunch. Decorate with fresh strawberries.

Mile High Buttermilk Pound Cake

This pound cake has an incredible dense, tight texture with delicious flavor. It's one of our favorites here at Old Country Kitchenware!

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by brushing with pan coat (if using two piece pan, fit with a parchment paper square between the two pieces first). Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy (about 6 minutes at medium speed). Add extract, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup flour, beat until combined. With the mixer running on low, add one egg at a time, beating each until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour. Mix each addition of flour just until it disappears before adding more wet ingredients. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 10 seconds. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 1 hour 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool until the pan is comfortable enough to handle. Transfer the cake to a wire rack in two steps: first, turn the cake up on its side, then invert fully. Let cool completely.

Mile High Raspberry Jell-O Pound Cake

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
27 oz raspberry Jell-O (4 family size boxes plus one regular box), not sugar-free
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by brushing with pan coat (if using two piece pan, fit with a parchment paper square between the two pieces first). Beat butter and Jell-O in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and sticks to the bowl (about 6 minutes at medium speed). Add baking powder and 1/2 cup flour, beat until combined. Add one egg at a time, beating after each addition until fully incorporated. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour. Mix each addition of flour just until it disappears before adding more liquid. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 10 seconds. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 hours 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool until the pan is comfortable enough to handle. (If using two-piece pan, place it over a metal can and press down to remove the outer piece first). Transfer the cake to a wire rack in two steps: first, turn the cake up on its side, then invert fully. Let cool completely.

Buttermilk Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
3-5 tablespoons buttermilk
With an electric mixer, beat together powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons buttermilk. Add more buttermilk a tiny splash at a time until desired consistency. If a thicker icing is desired, add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. If a thinner icing is desired, add more liquid, one teaspoon at a time. Slowly drizzle over cake.