Easy Cake Recipes for Baking Newbies

If you fall into the novice rank of baking, you are probably on the lookout for less complex but tasty recipes. Sometimes a nice home baked cake is just the thing to brighten a dull afternoon, but you don't have to be a trained baker to pull off a simple, yet delicious cake. In this article, I've included a few of my favorite cake recipes that should be quite do-able for people with all kinds of baking experience (or lack thereof!). I hope you enjoy them!

Cherry Cheese Cake

Ingredients:
20 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
5 (8-oz) packages of cream cheese (softened)
1 (21-oz) can cherry pie filling
3 tbsp melted butter or margarine
1 cup sour cream
3 tbsp flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
4 eggs

Directions:
Line a 13 x 9-in baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure that he foil extends up over the sides of the baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the butter and the Oreo crumbs together. Press this mixture into th e bottom of the pan (this will be your chocolate graham-like crust). In a large bowl, use a fork to soften the cream cheese a bit, then add the flour, sugar, and vanilla. Use a mixer set to a low speed and blend the ingredients together. Pour this over the Oreo crust. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 40 minutes, or until the center of the cheese cake is nearly set. Allow the cake to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Top with the cherry pie filling. Use the foil to lift the cake from the pan for easy cutting and serving.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 can sliced pineapple rings, drained
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp butter

Directions:
Coat a large cake pan with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of brown sugar onto the butter. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of coconut over the brown sugar. Arrange the pine apple rings (no overlapping) on top of the coconut, then place a cherry in the center of each ring and in between rings, if you like. Prepare the cake mix as directed on the box, then pour the batter over the pineapple rings. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 - 50 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Cool for about 20 minutes. To transfer to a serving plate, place the plate on top of the baking dish, then carefully turn over. The cake should slide out of the baking dish and onto the serving plate.

Banana Cake

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 tsp baking soda
2 very ripe bananas, mashed

Directions:
Mix the yellow cake batter according to the directions on the box. Mash the bananas together with the baking soda. Stir this into the cake batter and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13-in baking dish. Place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for one hour. DO NOT preheat the oven before placi ng the cake in. Let the cake cool thoroughly before serving. Can be topped with cream cheese frosting after it has cooled.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 package instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
4 eggs
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Grease a 10-in Bundt cake pan (or a 9 x 13-in baking pan). Stir together the cake mix, butterscotch pudding mix, and vanilla pudding mix. Add the oil, water, and eggs and blend together well. In another bowl, mix together the cinnamon, brown sugar, and nuts. Pour half of the cake batter into the pan, then sprinkle half of the nut mixture on top. Pour the remaining batter into the pan, then top with the remaining nut mixture. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, then turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees F and bake f or another 40 minutes.