Pamela’s products are A-mazing! I definitely make good use of them. I love her pancake mix, bread mix, brownie mix, and especially the chocolate cake mix. As much as I like to make a cake from scratch, sometimes there just isn’t time. And let’s be honest, my daughters infamously wait until the day before they need something to order up a dozen of mama’s specialty cupcakes, “Oh, and make sure they are gluten free so I can eat them!” I love my sweet girl and I know how much it means to her to get to have one of the cupcakes, especially on the day she has to bring them. Mostly because she knows she can eat them without any worry. Mom always makes sure they are safe for her. So, after dinner, scrubbing four kids down in the bath, and battling them all to bed, I drag my tired self into the kitchen and whip up a little semi-homemade goodness.

The best thing about Pamela’s cake mix is that it is super simple, allergy friendly and delicious. I often doubt cake mix, especially allergy friendly brands. There are so many out there that don’t live up to the taste expectations of my daughters. But I assure you, THIS mix will satisfy. I have made many versions of this cake for friends and family members who are not eating gluten free and they rave about the flavor. Even better, they come back for seconds. So keep a bag of Pamela’s chocolate cake mix in your pantry and in a pinch, you have something easy and perfect for the job.

There are a few different ways to jazz up this cake mix. For the basic chocolate cake or cupcakes, I only change one small thing. Instead of water, I use coconut milk. This came about while I was nursing my first baby. She had an awful allergy to milk protein. It affected her so much that she was uncomfortable nursing even if I was the only one ingesting milk. And actually I ended up with the same issue with all four of my girls. (So not fun) What a relief to know how to manage my diet by the time I had the twins. I can’t imagine the challenge if the twins had been my first babies! Two new infants are enough, not to mention having to figure out how to suddenly make all of my food dairy free on top of my already necessary gluten free diet. Thankfully, I learned and tested and tried new recipes and even learned to like some of the changes so much that my new recipes have stuck. This is a small change that will result in denser and an even more moist and flavorful cake. For those of you who don’t care either way, by all means, use milk or water.

Pamela’s cake mix calls for the following ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 package of Pamela’s cake mix
1/2 cup oil (I use canola)
1 1/2 cup of water OR 1 cup water and 1/2 cup coconut milk

Following the instructions on the package, I preheat the oven to 350*. Blend wet ingredients together with a whisk. Add in the cake mix and stir to combine. Avoid over-mixing. Pour out the mix into the appropriate cake pan (or cupcake pan if that’s what you are making). Cooking times vary depending on ovens, pans and location, however you can get a guideline on the package. I usually put cupcakes in for about 18 minutes and then start checking them when the timer goes off. They are done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove and cool.

Add Homemade Buttercream Frosting:

I set out three sticks of butter to rest at room temperature while I’m making the cake. When the cake comes out to cool, I place the butter in my Kitchen Aid blender with the whisk attachment and let it do all of the hard work. This is where I beat it…and beat it….and beat it. It really makes a difference. Beating the butter until it’s whipped almost pale and fluffed. It takes a while. Be patient. This can take several minutes. To this you will add 4 1\2 cups of powdered sugar, 3-4 Tbsp heavy cream and 1 1/2 tsp gluten free vanilla extract. Start out mixing at a slow speed and gently increase the speed as the ingredients become incorporated. Continue beating until fluffed, about 5 minutes.

Once you have your frosting, you can decorate your cake or cupcake using any of your favorite decorating tips or just spread with a knife if you want to keep it really simple. I have a few icing tips I keep handy and I find it super simple to attach them to a ziploc bag, the same way I would use an icing bag. Let’s face it, I always have ziploc bags in my kitchen. Drop the icing in and frost away.

Ya’ll, these are easy, delicious, and impressive. Best of all…they are gluten free and loved by my kids!