Basic Poke Cake

1 box cake mix of yellow or white cake, baked according to package directions in a 9x13 pan

2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (6 oz.) or 2 pkg. (3 oz. each) Flavored gelatin of your choice

Pierce baked cake with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.
Add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Carefully pour over cake layers. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Frost with frosting of your choice or with simple whipped cream.

**Note-this is a very versatile cake and can be made in nearly any combination.

First Birthday Banana Sour Cream Cake

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup oil

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese , softened (full fat or reduced fat)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped walnuts**

Oven at 350°F. Beat first 5 ingredients with mixer on low speed just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape bottom and side of bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 min. Pour into greased and floured 13x9-inch pan. (Or you may choose to use 2 9-inch circle pans) Bake 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (If using circle pans, follow cooking time on box.) Cool completely.

Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.

Remove cake from pan. Carefully cut cake crosswise in half using serrated knife. Place 1 cake half, top-side down, on plate; spread with some of the cream cheese frosting. Top with remaining cake half, top-side up. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting. Press nuts into sides. Keep refrigerated. (If using circle pans, frost traditionally, using nuts if wanted).

**Note-Since this was a first birthday cake for my son, we omitted the nuts.
**Note-I made this for two separate birthday parties and both time got rave reviews!

Carmel Brownies

14 oz. package of caramels (unwrapped)
2/3 cup of evaporated milk (divided)
3/4 cup of melted butter
1 package of Chocolate Cake Mix (any chocolate cake mix will do, devil's food, chocolate, German chocolate, etc.)
1 cup chocolate chips

Oven at 350. Put caramels and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk in a sauce pan and heat over low heat. Stir frequently/constantly until caramels are completely melted. Set aside caramel mixture.

Mix together melted butter, chocolate cake mix, and the other 1/3 cup of evaporated milk until all blended. Spread half of mixture into bottom of greased 13 x 9 pan. The mixture should cover the entire bottom of the pan in a thin layer. (You may have to use a little more than half the mixture.) Place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Pull out and let cool for about 1 minute. Then sprinkle the chocolate chips over it. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Take remaining cake mixture and drop in spoonfuls over caramel. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes. . The spoonfuls will expand while baking and will cover most of the caramel mixture but not all of it. Let cool for a few minutes and serve. These keep very well in a covered container for several days.

Pumpkin Pie Cake Squares

1 (18.5 oz) box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs, divided
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened

Oven at 350. Measure out one cup of the cake mix and set aside for later use. Lightly beat one egg, remaining cake mix, and the melted butter together. Press mixture into the bottom of a greased (and floured) 9x13" baking pan.
Lightly beat other 3 eggs, mix in pumpkin, both sugars, milk and cinnamon. Pour mixture over cake mix in the pan (this pumpkin mixture might be very liquidy. It will firm up upon cooking.)
Take reserved 1 cup cake mix and the softened butter and beat together until it forms soft crumbles. Sprinkle crumbles evenly over the pumpkin mixture in the pan. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Once cooled, cut into squares.