(Family Features) Do you think that beautiful and delicious desserts must all be made from scratch? Think again. With a cake mix and a new cookbook, you can be on your way to making spectacular sweets in no time.

The "Betty Crocker Fix-With-a-Mix Desserts" cookbook, (Wiley Publishing, 2010), features 100 mix masterpieces from bite-size delights to full-size show-stoppers. The book includes:

* Delectable desserts from cakes and cupcakes to cookies and bars, fruit cobblers, tarts, cheesecake and more.
* Luscious full-color photos of every recipe.
* Flavors that take mixes beyond the basics, like Chocolate-Marshmallow Pillows, Citrus Mini Cheesecakes and Banana Turtle Torte.
* A handy index by mix so you can pick recipes based on the mixes you already have in your pantry.

All recipes start with Betty Crocker's trusted mixes, including SuperMoist® Cake Mix, angel food cake mix, brownie mix, cookie mix, Bisquick®, and all-new gluten-free mixes for cookies, brownies, and cakes.

See how easy it is to turn a mix into a mouthwatering dessert with this Ooey-Gooey Caramel Cake recipe featured in the cookbook.

Ooey-Gooey Caramel Cake

Prep time: 20 minutes
Start to finish: 2 hours 5 minutes
15 servings

• 1 box (1 lb 2.25 ounces) Betty Crocker SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 bag (8 ounces) milk chocolate-coated toffee bits
• 1 can (13.4 ounces) dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)
• Sweetened whipped cream, if desired
• Caramel topping, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and sides of 13 x 9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, flour, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup of the toffee bits. Pour into pan.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup dulce de leche. Spoon remaining dulce de leche by teaspoonfuls onto batter.
4. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Drop reserved dulce de leche by spoonfuls over top of cake and spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Cool about 1 hour before serving. Top each serving with whipped cream and caramel topping.

Sweet Note: Crushed, chocolate-covered English toffee candy bars can be used instead of the toffee bits.

Source: Wiley Publishing

(Family Features) These, though, are happy showers filled with good wishes, gifts and a celebration of events to come, like weddings or babies.

Such special occasions deserve special food, says Nancy Siler, vice president of consumer affairs and public relations at Wilton. She suggests cupcakes for dessert, but not just any cupcake. These are unique - shower-ready, decorated theme-appropriately with umbrellas.

They can be prepared from a mix or from scratch and baked and served in color-coordinated silicone baking cups. Siler suggests incorporating a grouping of cupcakes as part of the shower décor. Use them as the table centerpiece, arranged on a tray, or a tiered cupcake stand. Or if it's a sit-down meal, place a cupcake at each setting.

Construct the umbrella decorations from ready-to-use fondant that is tinted in the colors selected for the occasion. Step-by-step instructions ensure foolproof results, plus they can be made several days in advance, so on party day there's no last-minute mad rush. Cupcakes can be baked, iced and sprinkled a day in advance. Place the umbrellas on the mini cakes the day of the party.

Umbrellas in place, let the showers begin!

For additional shower and party ideas, baking and decorating tips or to order supplies, visit www.wilton.com.

Ready for Showers

Each serves 1

• 1 package (24 ounces) White Ready-To-Use Rolled Fondant
  Rose, Royal Blue, Lemon Yellow Icing Color
  Round Fondant Cut-Outs
  Lollipop Sticks
  Fondant Adhesive*
• 1 package (about 18 ounces) cake mix, any flavor
  Water, vegetable oil and eggs to prepare cake mix
• 1 can (16 ounces) White Decorator Icing
  Heart Drops Sprinkles

1. Several days in advance, tint fondant rose, blue and yellow; roll out 1/8-inch thick. Cut circles using largest Round Cut-Out; cut across circle, slightly more than halfway. Using smallest Round Cut-Out, cut scalloped edge; with spatula, score umbrella rib lines. Let dry on waxed paper covered cake boards. Reserve remaining tinted fondant. Attach dried fondant pieces to lollipop sticks with Fondant Adhesive. Roll a 1/4-inch ball of matching fondant; attach to umbrella top with adhesive. Let dry.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cake mix following package instructions; place batter in Pastel Silicone Baking Cups supported by cookie sheet. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool completely. Ice cupcakes smooth with icing; sprinkle with Heart Drops. Insert fondant umbrella. If desired, tie ribbon around stick.

* To make Fondant Adhesive for attaching dried fondant decorations to lollipop sticks, knead 1/4 teaspoon water into 1 ounce (1-1/2-inch ball) rolled fondant until it becomes soft and sticky. Apply to fondant decoration with brush or place in decorating bag and pipe it onto decoration.

Source: Wilton Products

Beehive Cupcakes

• 1 (13-ounce) bag Snickers Miniatures for Easter, chopped
• 24 cupcake paper liners
• 1 (18-ounce) box favorite cake mix
• 2 (16-ounce) cans classic vanilla frosting
• Yellow food coloring
• 1 (14-ounce) bag Starburst Jellybeans Original Fruits
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 tube chocolate decorating frosting, with plain tip
• 2 resealable plastic bags

1. Unwrap and chop all miniatures, set aside.
2. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Prepare cake mix, fold in chopped miniatures and bake according to package directions.
3. Let cupcakes come to room temperature.
4. In the meantime, tint frosting with yellow food coloring to desired shade. Frost top of each cupcake to cover.
5. Spoon remaining frosting into resealable plastic bag. Cut off 1/4-inch from tip. To create a “hive” on each cupcake, pipe on frosting in spiral fashion, starting with bottom of hive and working up to top.
6. Separate orange jellybeans from package. Arrange 3 to 4 jellybeans on each frosting hive. Gently squeeze chocolate frosting through tip in zigzag pattern over jellybeans.
7. Angle an almond slice on each side of jellybeans as bee wings.

Makes 24 servings

Source: M&M’S®

A Bunny for Your Honey

(Family Features) Every year, friends and family emerge from hibernation to say farewell to winter and welcome spring with open arms. Whether you’re celebrating Easter, Earth Day or any other cheery spring occasion, this darling Bunny Cake is a great way to enjoy the happiness and rebirth that comes along with the season.

Children will love helping with this simple Bunny Cake recipe because they can customize it to make it their own. For example, surround your bunny cake with some grass made out of shredded coconut that has been colored with green food color, or really make the cake stand out by making it a polka-dotted or striped bunny. The Easy Bunny Cake recipe, which makes a pair of bunny cakes, is also a great centerpiece until it is time to indulge and enjoy.

Bunny Games
If you have more than a few guests, bake multiple bunny cakes, split up into teams, offer several different types of candies and decorations and challenge each team to come up a creative bunny cake.

After the cakes are judged and the dessert is enjoyed, send the kids outside for bunny hop races. In this relay race, the participants, who are split into two teams, will take turns hopping through the pre-determined course and pass to the next person by transferring bunny ears or a carrot stick.

For the Easy Bunny Cake and many other fun and delicious recipes, perfect for spring, visit www.BettyCrocker.com.

Easy Bunny Cake

Prep Time: 30 min
Total Time: 2 hours 10 min
Makes: 2 bunny cakes, 16 servings

• 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix
• Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
• 2 containers (1 pound each) Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
• Neon purple and/or pink food color
• Construction paper (inedible)
• 2 small marshmallows, cut in half, flattened
• 2 small jelly beans, cut in half
• 2 5-inch strips rainbow-colored sour candy, separated into strips
• 2 large jelly beans or candy-coated chocolate-covered peanut candies
• 2 rectangular-shaped white chewing gum pieces, cut in half
• 2 large marshmallows

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake pans, using water, oil and eggs.

2. In medium bowl, tint 1 container frosting with neon purple food color. Using 1 cake round, cut in half to form 2 semicircles. Arrange halves on serving plate with cut side down and flat sides together with 1/4 cup frosting to form body.

3. Frost cake with frosting. Cut teardrop-shaped ears from construction paper; insert into cake. Using toothpicks to attach, use 2 small marshmallow halves and 2 small jelly bean halves for eyes. Use large jelly bean for nose and sour candy strips for whiskers. Place gum halves just below nose for teeth. Use large marshmallow for tail.

4. Repeat with remaining cake to make second bunny, using pink neon food color. Frost and decorate as above.

Betty Crocker® and SuperMoist® are Reg. T.M.s of General Mills Inc.

Source: Betty Crocker