When I was a little girl my favorite toy was a kitchen (hold back the shocked look from your face). It was shaped like different animals (the fridge was in the shape of a penguin and so on). It was outside near my sandbox and I played with it for hours until the sun faded it away to nothing.
So it should come as no surprise that my second favorite toy of all time was the Easy-Bake Oven. Oh the fun of mixing up the little packet (that cost an arm and a leg and I would have to beg my mother to get me more). Then putting it in the little pan. Pushing it into the oven with the funny little tool(pan pusher) it came with. And then watching it rise as it baked. I stood so close to that thing, I probably fried a few brain cells (I will go with that, clearly all the beer I drink wasn’t the cause…it’s that darn Easy-Bake Oven from my childhood).
I bring this up because the inventor (Ronald Howes) of the Easy Bake died last week. Given the fact that my love of baking started with his little machine, I felt it best to pay tribute. Little hard to figure out how to do that. I don’t bake a lot of my food by light bulb these days. So my other option was to use a cake mix. Now I don’t do it often, bake with a mix that is, but every now and then I save a recipe I see that calls for cake mix. Usually when that happens, I just make my own cake and incorporate it. But I figured since every Easy-Bake item I made as a kid came from a mix, my tribute item should too.
I have to say for a cake mix cake, this cake was pretty darn tasty. I didn’t exactly follow directions. I wasn’t paying attention, I was watching curling, and didn’t realize that I had to have the cinnamon layer in the middle. Oops. Oh well. I sprinkled it on top and swirled it together and that worked just fine. Maybe even better because it was through out the cake more that way. I also chose to bake it in mini spring form pans. I mean, my Easy-Bake days are probably why I like to bake with mini pans. 🙂 For nostalgia reasons. And since this was baked in an oven and not by a lone light bulb, the whole cake actually bakes…not just one side of it. 🙂
Honey Bun Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease with shortening and lightly flour 13×9-inch pan, or spray with baking spray with flour.
In large bowl, beat dry cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
Spread half of the batter in pan.
In small bowl, stir together brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter in pan. Carefully spread remaining batter evenly over pecan mixture. * I just put the batter in and sprinkled the mixture on top, then swirled it together. I was being weird.
Bake 44 to 48 minutes or until deep golden brown (for mini spring form it took 35 minutes). I
n another small bowl, stir powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until thin enough to spread.
Prick surface of warm cake several times with fork. Spread powdered sugar mixture over cake.
Cool completely, about 1 hour. Store covered at room temperature.
From Betty Crocker.com
Meeta says
watching curling? is that even a sport to watch? seriously i would not be paying that much attention to it either especially with such an awesome cake in front of me! like it!
Manggy says
I always wanted an easy-bake oven but it was way too expensive for my parents when I was little 🙂 I guess I didn’t really lose anything by not having one (huh, am I baking so much now because I was deprived?!).
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
I loved my Easy-Bake oven, too. You can still buy them, and I’ve been meaning to get a new one. Not that I think they’ll work any better than the old ones, but because I’ll feel better having one around.
bellini valli says
Way to take a cake mix over the top. I can honestly say I have never had a failed cake mix. The same is not true for cake I bake from scratch.
Cara says
I adored my Easy Bake Oven too! What a cute way to pay homage 🙂
kristan roland says
I have made HoneyBun cake many times, it is my husband’s favorite!! There is no shame in using a mix from time to time!!
Lynn says
As I was reading, I thought, “Ah, Easy Bake Oven. That explains why she makes everything so small.”
I never got to play with an Easy Bake Oven. I use my big girl oven as therapy to get over that childhood trauma.
Krystle says
Oh how funny! I loved the easy bake oven! This cake looks great and reminds of the cinnamon roll cake I have made in the past! Delicious!
karen says
I loved my easy bake oven, too! When my girls got older the each received the easy bake oven. It was used about three times each and put away.
Now they want to learn to cook.
Your treats always look so delicious.
Melissa says
What a cute cake and lovely tribute. My husband has been setting curling to the DVR, so while he watches I bake!!!
Rose says
This cake just looks so crumbly and perfect! Honey buns 😀 Nicely done!
Julie says
I just read that he passed away. I’ve been trying to come up with a fittin tribute. I loved that oven and the fuss my parents made over those little cakes or the brownies. Were the even any good?
We’ve been watching some curling, too. My husbands from Minnesota, so he’s into the sport.
Di says
Wonderful post. =) One of my sisters got my older daughter Brianna an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas this year. And then sent her more mixes for her birthday in January. I’ve been looking online to find recipes to make in it once those are gone.
grace says
be still, my heart. this is 87 kinds of awesome. wait. no. 88 kinds. 🙂
Mrs. L says
Glad to see I’m not the only one who is paying more attention to certain Olympic sports that my cooking!
Kelly says
Lol, for me it was a dark blue Holly Hobbie Bake Oven shaped like an old fashioned standing stove. And I used to beg for more mixes every time the Christmas toy catalog came… Good thing those cakes are small, otherwise I’d do serious damage. I love cinnamon streusel.
Joanne says
I didn’t have an easy bake oven but I absolutely always wanted one! I should have known I was going to love baking so much. This cake sounds delicious, and not just for a cake mix cake.
Jenn says
I had an easy bake oven too so I bought one for my daughter when the time came. I’m not sure if it’s the digital age but my daughter didn’t seem as taken with hers as I was with mine at her age! Now that she’s a little older, she prefers cooking on the real stove so maybe it had more impact than I realized.
BTW-Your cakes looks soooo yummy!
ingrid says
This is regularly requested by my children’s teachers. So tasty and oh, so easy, right?! Your “oops” is exactly how I make mine. Thanks for the mini pan idea! I’m going to try it.
~ingrid
Cakelaw says
A lovely tribute to the oven and its inventor. I don’t think we had anything like that here.
TheDutchBakersDaughter says
I loved my Easy Bake Oven! Until the day I put a candy bar in it to see what would happen. Your tiny cakes are adorable!
LilSis says
I always wanted an Easy Bake Oven and never managed to find one under the tree on Christmas morning. The cake looks amazing!
joey says
Oh I remember this (easy bake oven)! My cousin had one and we loved to use it! We were just reminiscing about it the other day…I’d love to get one of the new ones for my daughter 🙂
HoneyB says
I too grew up with the easy bake and I remember my mom wouldn’t buy the pre-made packets too often…so that is where she got me to mix my own! The easy bake was my very favorite toy too. Thanks for the memories!
Barbara says
Years ago a young friend gave me this recipe…she made it in a bundt pan. I named it after her and call it Martha’s coffeecake. (She never told me it was from Betty Crocker, but I’ve since learned that’s where it came from.)
I’ve never put any frosting on it ’cause I thought it was pretty sweet to start with, but it sure looks prettier with the frosting dribbling down the sides. And I like it in the springform pan as it tends to stick in a bundt pan. Especially when you remember to put the filling in the center. 😉
I hate to age myself, but my daughter LOVED her Easy Bake Oven! I’ll have to send her a link to your post!
I always love coming here..you have a super sense of humor and your recipes are wonderful.
aforkfulofspaghetti says
Heh.
I just have to make this for one reason alone – I love the name of it! 😉
Yolanda says
P –
Good afternoon. It is so fuuny that you made this cake because I am making it tonight. The husband is having some friends over tomorrow night and I am making this cake and enchiladas.
Julie says
Oh, I’ve made this (sans the pecans). Pretty darn good stuff.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Oh how I loved my Easy Baked Oven! I am so sad he passed away. What a great invention for all of us little girls who love to bake! I too like to bake in little pans. Maybe that is why…your cake looks delicious. My boys would love it. I wonder if a gluten free cake mix could be doctored with this recipe…I will be trying it out very soon!