Confoundingly Cunning Cake

The little hint of tarragon is great! Not sure? Try it both ways. Which one did you choose?

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix* (not pudding-in-the-mix, not butter-recipe mix)
• 1 (3.4 ounce) box coconut cream instant pudding mix
• 1 1/3 cups (most of a 12 ounce can) Mountain Dew
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crumbled finely
• Your favorite frosting (chocolate is nice)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour** two 8-inch round cake pans.
2. Combine the dry cake mix and the instant pudding mix in the large bowl of an electric mixer.
3. Add the Mountain Dew, eggs and oil and beat as directed on the cake mix package.
4. Crumble the tarragon with your fingers (do it over a piece of paper instead of directly into the bowl, so you can catch and re-crumble any large pieces that escape). Add the tarragon and beat just to mix thoroughly.
5. Pour into prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool in pans on a rack, then remove from pans, fill and frost.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

** For best results, use our Pan Release!

Attribution

Posted by LladyRusty at Recipe Goldmine 9/5/02 2:06:07 pm.

Source: Al Sicherman - Minneapolis Star Tribune