Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownies

These sweet and spooky Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownies will definitely "put a spell on you" this Hallowen!

Hocus Pocus is one of my favorite Halloween movies, so of course I'm looking forward to sharing some Hocus Pocus-themed treats this Halloween season! These Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownies are made using a brownie mix, and then decorated to look like Winnie's iconic spellbook. This spooky treat couldn't be easier to make, and are a fun dessert to share at Halloween parties and to make for movie night.

Ghost Cheesecake Brownies

These Ghost Cheesecake Brownies are half fudgy brownie, half creamy cheesecake, and topped with a marshmallow ghost for a decadent Halloween treat!

Halloween is my favorite holiday, so of course I love all of the spooky-themed party treats! If you love brownies and cheesecake, this is definitely the dessert for you. These Ghost Cheesecake Brownies are a simple recipe made with a boxed brownie mix with a cheesecake layer swirled in, and then topped with a marshmallow ghost to create a spooky Halloween treat. Without the ghost on top, you can enjoy these brownies year-round, and they are sure to become a family favorite.

Pool Party Cupcakes

Make a splash at summer pool parties with these adorable Pool Party Cupcakes!

If you're looking for a treat to take to your next summer pool party or birthday party, these Pool Party Cupcakes are easy to make and look so cute! The vibrant colors paired with the adorable Teddy Graham crackers makes these cupcakes a whole lot of fun. To help make things easier than ever, you can use your favorite boxed cake mix or even store-bought cupcakes. As an extra bonus, the kids LOVE helping to assemble the Teddy Grahams with the candy and decorating the pool party cupcakes.

Campfire Cupcakes

These Campfire Cupcakes combine chocolate cupcakes, buttercream frosting, wafer sticks, and mini marshmallows for an adorable camping-themed treat!

Camping season is upon us, and these Campfire Cupcakes are such a fun treat that can be enjoyed around the actual campfire. It's such a delicious recipe and the decorating is easy enough for the kids to help. These decadent chocolate cupcakes are frosted with a rich and colorful fire-like buttercream frosting, then topped with chocolate wafer stick "logs" and mini marshmallows for "roasting"! So, no matter whether you're hitting the trails or having a camping-themed party, these cupcakes are just what you need to celebrate the occasion.

Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies

You'll love these chewy Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies that are made using a cake mix and topped with a strawberry cookie crumble!

If you are a fan of strawberry flavor, you are going to love this recipe! These Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies are made with a cake mix, and topped with a cream cheese frosting. Next, they are topped with a strawberry cookie crumble to add some crunch to contrast the other textures. These brownies are so easy to make, taste amazingly good, and are a cute dessert idea for Valentine's Day or spring events.

Macadamia Coconut Paw Print Cookies

These adorably sweet Macadamia Coconut Paw Print Cookies are an easy treat made with cake mix!

Perfect for a baking night with the kids or an animal-themed party, these Macadamia Coconut Paw Print Cookies are adorable and SO easy to make! They are built on a cake mix base combined with macadamia nuts, and then topped with coconut frosting. The kids will love helping to decorate the paw print cookies using shredded coconut and chocolate pieces. Not only are these cookies a cute party treat, but they are chewy and packed with a coconutty flavor.

Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes

Everyone will have their eye on these eerie Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes!

There are so many creative Halloween party treats, like these Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes! It's such a simple recipe, and the kids will love helping with the decorating. The spooky-sweet chocolate cupcake is frosted with layers of colorful buttercream frosting, and topped with a gummy candy eyeball. These cupcakes are always a hit for kids of all ages at Halloween parties at home and in the classroom.

3-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is a quick dessert that's packed with fall flavors!

Where are my pumpkin spice fans at?! It's one of my favorite fall flavors, especially in desserts. For example, this pumpkin cake topped with a thick and sweet cinnamon cream cheese frosting is one of those recipes that you won't be able to get enough of. With only 3 ingredients and a 5 minute prep time, this is likely one of the easiest desserts you'll make all season long. It's literally "a piece of cake"!!

3 Ingredient Lemon Cake Balls

3 Ingredient Lemon Cake Balls are a sweet and tart no-bake summer treat that's packed with lemon flavor!!

I believe summertime calls for everything lemon, don't you? These Lemon Cake Balls are the perfect no-bake summer treat that only needs 3 ingredients! Made with boxed cake mix, cream cheese, and surrounded by a crispy white chocolate coating topped with bright yellow sprinkles, these sweet and tart cake balls are going to be a hit with the whole family. This is such an easy recipe to make, and the kids will love to help put them together!

Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies

These chewy Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies are easy to make and only need 4 ingredients!

Have you ever made cookies using a cake mix? I think it's such a great hack that has saved me so much time and effort when I want to whip up a batch of cookies. If you like red velvet cake, you are going to LOVE these Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies! With only 4 ingredients, these are some of the easiest cookies to make, and are the perfect treat for everyday sweet tooth cravings or too share on special occasions, like Valentine's Day!

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

These chewy Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies are bursting with strawberry flavor!

Using a cake mix is one of my favorite ways to save time in the kitchen. The main ingredients are included in one simple package, which makes it quick to throw a batch of cookies together. These Strawberry Cake Mix cookies have a nice, chewy texture and are bursting with strawberry flavor! We enjoy these cookies any time of year, but the vibrant color makes them the perfect treat for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays, and gender reveal parties!

Cupcake Puppy Chow

Thanks to Hasbro for the toys shared in this post. All opinions are my own.

Make some of Pinkie Pie's Party Chow or Littlest Pet Shop Cupcake Puppy Chow for road trips, parties, and playdates!

4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

These peanut butter cookies are delicious and only require 4 ingredients!

Making cookies from a cake mix is one of my favorite things to do because it's such a quick and easy way to make a treat in almost no time at all! With only 4 ingredients, these cookies are the easiest peanut butter cookies I have ever made! They are even easy enough for the kids to help with!!

Double Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

These double chocolate chip cake mix cookies are perfectly fudgy, chewy, and chocolatey!

Using a cake mix is one of my favorite ways to save time in the kitchen. These double chocolate chip cookies are perfectly fudgy, chewy, and chocolatey, and are so quick to throw together thanks to a Devil's Food Cake mix. I make these for family parties, or when we need to take a treat to someone at the last minute, or just when we need a quick chocolate fix here at home.

Easy Chocolate Banana Bread

Are you a banana bread lover? I sure am, especially when the recipe is simple and practically fool-proof. Not only is this banana bread the easiest you'll ever make, but it's full of chocolate! We love making it just for snacking, or it makes a great dessert. Plus, you most likely already have your ingredients in your pantry.

Ingredients:

Chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

3-4 medium overripe bananas

1/2-1 cup chocolate chips, nuts, etc. (optional)

Directions:

1. Smash bananas in a large bowl. I threw the whole (peeled) bananas into the KitchenAid and they were smashed in seconds.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Batter will fill two small loaf pans, or one large loaf pan. Make sure to spray pans well with nonstick cooking spray and add a little bit of flour.
3. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes. The larger loaf pans may need to cook for 45-50 minutes. Test with a toothpick to check that the banana bread is cooked through.

Tips:

• Freeze overripe bananas. Put them in a Ziploc bag (peel and all) and thaw when you're ready to use! They stay good for up to 3 months.
• Don't have a loaf pan? No problem! You can also make this recipe in a muffin tin, cake pan, or a bundt pan. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Not a chocolate fan? Try my regular Easy Banana Bread!

How to Make a Box Cake Even Better

Cake is delicious, whether it's made from scratch or from a mix. Personally, I'm a fan of boxed cake mix mainly for convenience and there's so many things you can do with it. I think they taste perfectly fine, but I'm not really a fan of how crumbly they can be sometimes. It's really annoying - especially when a 3 year old wants cake and HAS to hold it. Hello, crumbs everywhere.

With a little research, I found some great tips to take your boxed cake mix to the next level. These simple tips & tricks will work for pretty much any flavor cake mix, any brand (though some brands are better than others), and should work fine for a gluten-free mix as well. You can also make these into cupcakes. (Cupcakes are just cake in a cuter, mini form!)

Follow the directions on the cake mix, but make these substitutions for better cake:

• Replace the oil with melted butter (salted or unsalted, just not margarine).
• Use apple sauce, fat-free yogurt, or fat-free sour cream instead of oil to make your cake low fat!
• Add an extra egg. Use the amount of eggs in the box recipe, but then add in one more.
• Replace the water in the recipe for milk or buttermilk.
  *To make your own buttermilk (makes 1 cup): mix 1 cup milk and 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Perfect Chocolate Cake (from cake mix)
*Every box cake recipe is similar, but check your mix for specific measurements!

1 Devil's Food cake mix (Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, and Pillsbury are my favorites)
4 eggs (use the amount of eggs in the box recipe, but then add in one more)
1/2 cup melted butter (substitute oil in the box recipe)
1 1/3 cup milk (substitute water in the box recipe)

Mix and bake according to box directions. Baking time and temperatures should be listed for cakes, cupcakes & bundt cakes.

Here's a few tips to help your cake come out beautifully (I'm not a cake professional, but these tricks work for me):

1. Don't overmix. This will get too much air in the batter and can cause the cake to collapse.
2. Test your cake for doneness by inserting a tooth pick in the center. If it does not come out clean, then bake the cake for a little longer.
3. Get an oven thermometer (they are under $10) to check the accuracy of your oven temperature. If the temperature of the oven is too high, your cake could rise too rapidly, then sink in the middle. Too low and you'll have an undercooked cake. Yuck.
4. I know it's fun to watch a cake bake, but resist opening the door. Checking on the cake before the batter is set can cause the cake to sink.

Cake Mix Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love recipes that I can throw together at the last minute and not have to worry if about it being too much work. These cookies have been a lifesaver for a last-minute party treat, a thank you gift for a neighbor, and to make my husband's coworkers day a little bit brighter.

What's even better about these cookies is that they are made with only 5 ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your house. You can vary the flavors if you want, but I love this one just the way it is. You {or your guests} can't even tell they were made with a cake mix! I love that in less than 10 minutes, you can have a batch of cookies in the oven!

Ingredients:

1 {18.25 or 18.5 oz} yellow cake mix

*just the mix, not any of the other ingredients on the packaging!

1 cup quick cook oats, uncooked

2/3 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine cake mix, oats, butter and eggs in a large bowl or mixer and mix well.
2. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop by rounded spoonfuls {or I use an ice cream scoop} onto ungreased cookie sheet
4. Bake 350º for 10-12 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

3rd Birthday Cake

I'm working on being a better party planner. I have good intentions a few months before the big day, but then things come up and suddenly I'm at the last minute. This cake worked great as a last minute plan and it was easy to convince the party guests that it took me all day. In reality, it only took 1 1/2 hours to make, including the baking time! Not too bad for my first try at making a "fancy" cake!

Easiest Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my favorite fall treats are pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. This is my shortcut recipe and they taste just as good as if you'd spent all day in the kitchen baking from scratch! Gotta love that, right?

Chocolate Pumpkin Hot Chocolate Cake

{I'll give you a minute just let you drool over that photo...}

This cake was way too simple, and not to mention delicious!

Plus it has pumpkin in it, so that should help you feel a little less guilty about

eating more than you should... because you will!!