If you think a yellow cake mix is nothing special, crack cake will change your mind.
When flavored with pudding, cinnamon, and white wine, this cake tastes like a million dollars. Vegetable oil makes it incredibly moist, too.
It’s baked in a bundt pan, to boot, making it look even more spectacular.
Also, did I mention that this cake is drizzled with an outrageously decadent butter-wine glaze? Now that’s what I call a top-notch topping!
Because it uses a bunch of ready-made ingredients, this cake is such a snap to make. Even novice bakers can make this cake with ease.
Crack cake is called such for a reason. It’s so addictive, it’s just like crack! Don’t worry, though, it’s the kind of crack that’s 100% safe and legal.
Let’s get baking!
Crack Cake
Crack cake is a moist and tender cake baked in a bundt pan and drizzled with a butter-wine sauce.
The cake itself is also infused with wine, giving it such a wonderful flavor and texture. It’s the perfect way to elevate the humble cake mix.
It only takes one bite to understand why it’s called crack cake. This confection is highly addictive! With this cake, it’s impossible to limit yourself to just one slice.
Because it’s so decadent, it’s a hit during Christmas and other holidays. It’s also easy enough that you can whip it up any day of the year.
Ingredients
Cake
- Yellow Cake Mix – Vanilla, chocolate, and other-flavored cake mixes work, too.
- Sugar – A combination of granulated and brown sugars give this cake maximum flavor and moisture.
- Instant Pudding Mix – The recipe calls for vanilla, but you can try other flavors, too.
- Cinnamon – For a touch of spice.
- Eggs – To give the cake structure.
- Oil – For a ridiculously moist cake.
- White Wine – The trademark of crack cake that gives it its unique flavor. Try Kahlua, rum, and other liquors, too!
Butter Sauce
- A mixture of melted butter, sugar, and white wine make up this ridiculously rich glaze.
Tips for the Best Cake
- Crack cake tastes better the next day, so make it at least a day ahead.
- The primary ingredients that flavor this cake are yellow cake mix, instant vanilla pudding mix, and white wine. But what’s great about crack cake is that there are various ways to switch things up! So feel free to experiment with other flavors of cake and pudding, as well as other alcohol and liquor.
- Do not over-mix the batter, otherwise, your cake will be tough and dense. Just beat the ingredients on low speed just until they are well-combined.
- Use room temperature ingredients so that they blend easily.
- Use a light-colored bundt pan to avoid over-browning.
- Store crack cake in a sealable container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
- For a longer shelf-life, store leftovers in the freezer. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place it in an air-tight container. Frozen crack cake keeps well for up to 2 months.
- To defrost, transfer the cake (with the plastic wrap still on) into the fridge and thaw overnight.
How Do I Get a Bundt Cake Out of the Pan?
Usually, as long as you have parchment paper, you need not worry about a cake sticking at the bottom of the pan.
But what if you’re using an irregularly shaped pan, such as a bundt pan? Don’t worry, I have just the tips for you.
- If you’re willing to buy a new bundt pan, be sure it’s non-stick.
- Grease the pan heavily with oil or butter. Make sure every spot is coated generously!
- You can also coat it with flour for good measure.
- Instead of oil or butter, baking spray works too.
- Brush the pan generously with cake release. It’s a paste consisting of equal parts flour, shortening, and oil. Just mix those ingredients together until they form a paste.
- Do not let the cake cool completely before taking it out. Otherwise, the sugar will stick to the pan, making it more difficult to remove.
- Use a knife or offset spatula to loosen the sides of the cake.
- After 5 to 10 minutes of cooling, flip the cake over onto the serving dish. Gently wiggle the pan until the cake comes out.
Can I Substitute the White Wine?
What makes crack cake extra special is the white wine. If you’re serving it to kids, don’t worry.
The alcohol evaporates during baking, so the cake is alcohol-free and kid-friendly.
But if you’re still iffy about it, you can also substitute the white wine with white grape juice. It will taste a little different, but also just as good.
Crack Cake (Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
- Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 box of vanilla instant pudding mix
2 teaspoons 2 cinnamon
4 eggs
¾ cups water
¾ cups oil
½ cup white wine
- Butter Sauce
½ cup butter
1 cup 1 sugar
¼ cup white wine
Instructions
- To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a bundt pan heavily with oil or butter, making sure all spots are coated.
- Place cake mix, sugars, pudding mix, cinnamon, eggs, water, oil, and white wine in a large bowl. Beat at low speed until well-combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased bundt pan. Bake for an hour. To test for doneness, stick a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done baking.
- While the cake is in the oven, prepare the butter sauce. In a saucepan over low heat, combine butter, sugar, and white wine. Stir constantly until the mixture is hot, and the sugar is dissolved.
- Using a knife or a skewer, poke the cake with holes. Pour the butter sauce over the cake.
- Let the cake cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan. Flip the cake onto a serving plate, slice, and enjoy.
