Sometimes, when you are experimenting in your kitchen you don’t really know if what you are trying is actually going to work out and produce a result that people would enjoy eating. It is especially true when you are, essentially, trying to make “something” out of “nothing.” This happens quite often at my house toward the end of every month when the cupboards are getting bare, the freezer is depleted and I have to use all of my creativity to figure out how to make something tasty using ketchup, a handful of olives, some frozen peas and leftover chicken wings.

This cake has all of the hallmarks of a great kitchen experiment. It is quirky, relies on basic ingredients to play starring roles and has an air of uncertainty and mystery about it. Will it be a success or a miserable failure? As April said about this kitchen experiment of hers, “….it came out screaming good!”

 

INGREDIENTS

1 box vanilla cake mix, batter prepared

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 

Optional Glaze Ingredients:

2 tablespoons whole milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

¼ teaspoon real vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Dump cranberry sauce into a bowl and give it a good mash (this is a great step for little helpers).  You just want to break it up a bit so it’s not so can-shaped.

Pour mashed cranberry sauce into baking pan and spread it about evenly.  Do the same for the cake batter, right over top of the cranberry sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 50 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean).  Place on a cooling rack.

While the cake is taking a breather, make the glaze by combining milk, butter, and vanilla in a bowl or small cup. Pour slowly into the sugar, stirring constantly until desired consistency is reached.  I like mine thick, but maybe you like a more drizzly drizzle? Now find your gaudiest of cake platters and ready it for a grand job. (i.e. rinse off the dust).

Now, after loosening the edges of your cake with a knife, place the cake platter (or plate!) on top of the cake and do a little flippity floppity bippity boppity.

Once things are all set right (I’ll give you a minute…) get all artsy dartsy and drizzle your shizzle.  Er, I mean.  Drizzle the vanilla sugar icing neatly (hah!) over top of the cake.

And… ENJOY!

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Quick Tip:  Although it is not mentioned in the recipe, this cake is baked in an angel food cake pan or a Bundt pan. To ensure your cake comes out of the pan easily and intact, spray it with cooking spray and dust it with sugar. Let it sit for just a few minutes after it has baked, then remove it from the pan. If it sits too long it will stick to the pan.

Recipe courtesy of April at Mama Loves Food, image courtesy of DIYS.com