A Cake Recipe for People Who Hate to Bake

Mamaw Skaggs's Orange Juice Cake


So, not to blow your minds or anything, but I actually had TWO Mamaws growing up: Mamaw Miles, my mom's mom and Mamaw Skaggs, my dad's mom.

Both were amazing cooks. Mamaw Miles even worked in a restaurant for many years as the head chef, and Mamaw Skaggs had her own vegetable garden and fruit grove from which she made delectable seasonal dishes.

Yeah, I was a lucky kid, food-wise.

However, even though they were awesome cooks, neither of my mamaws was afraid to cut corners here and there. And why not? They lived in a time when women not only did all the cooking and cleaning, but also sewed many of the clothes and did all the child-rearing and might even have to hold down an outside-of-the-home job as well.

I'm lucky that, for me, baking is a choice. A passion. I do it not just because it yields delicious treats, but also because the process of measuring and mixing, pouring and folding relaxes me. I don't do it because it's the only way to get food on the table.

My friend's birthday was coming up, and being the incredibly creative person she is, she made it an Iron Chef Brunch. Meaning all the guests had to contribute an item -- either savory, sweet, or alcoholic beverage -- and it had to contain either oranges or artichokes.

Well, the minute I heard oranges I thought of Mamaw Skaggs's Orange Juice Cake. Tangy and sweet, so moist it doesn't want to come off your plate, it was one of my childhood favorites.

But imagine my horror when my mom started to give me the recipe and the first words out of her mouth were, "one package of yellow cake mix."

I don't do doctored cake mixes. I make everything from scratch. I would have to find a way to do the same for this cake.

But, try though I might, I couldn't find a from-scratch recipe for this, and I'm still too skiddish to try to come up with my own. And by this point, I was craving it like a pregnant woman craves salt and vinegar potato chips.

So, I got over my snobbery and made a doctored cake mix cake. And, of course, it was scrumptious. I wouldn't feel right making this and charging money for it. But for anyone who hates to bake, this is the recipe for you. It's totally easy and comes out gorgeous, every time.

And Mamaw Skaggs, I salute you!

*****
Mamaw Skaggs's Orange Juice Cake


Ingredients

* 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
* 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
* 4 eggs
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 cup cold water
* 1/2 cup butter
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 3/4 cup orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large bundt pan.
2. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, and eggs together. Mix with an
electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into bundt pan.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in cake comes out clean.
4. Combine the butter, sugar, and orange juice in a saucepan. Boil this mixture for
about 2 minutes. While still warm, poke holes in the top of the cake with a fork.
Pour orange juice mixture over cake. When the cake is saturated place it on a plate,
and dust top with confectioners' sugar.