Funfetti Cake Batter Blondies

The other day I was at Smart n Final and boxed cake mix was on uber sale. I do not make box-mix anything. However, I recently figured out you can add box cake mix to regular recipes to get that “cake batter” flavor that Cold Stone Creamery introduced to us so many years ago. I am a bit obsessed now that I know I can make the “flavor” easily at home.

Last week I made a funfetti layer cake with cake batter frosting and brought it to work to celebrate my coworker’s wedding. I know I should probably lay off the cake batter for a while but that’s what happens to me when I get obsessed with something food related. I go overboard.

You’d be surprised at how many “cake batter” recipes call for using box cake mix. I don’t want to use the entire box. I just want the flavor. So I finally found a recipe that looked to be what I was aiming for at Shugary Sweets. My recipe, below, is modeled after the Shugary Sweets recipe; I doubled it and decided to brown the butter instead of using regular melted butter.

For the frosting, I went with a recipe I found at Cookies and Cups because it looked intriguing. It didn’t work out the best for me though, and would recommend another frosting recipe. The one at Shugary Sweets would work nicely, I’m sure!

blondie ingredients.

1 c. butter, browned
2 c. packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 ½ c. all purpose flour
1 ½ c. yellow cake mix
½ c. sprinkles

frosting ingredients.

1 c. white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
1 c. milk
pinch of salt
2 T. cake mix
4 T. sprinkles

directions.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a half-sheet cookie pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar with browned butter. Add in eggs and vanilla. Mix until blended. Add in flour, salt cake mix, stirring until combined. Fold in sprinkles.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
While blondies are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a medium saucepan combine butter and white chocolate chips.
Melt together over low heat, stirring. The butter and white chocolate will separate.
When everything is melted remove from heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes or so. Place saucepan in fridge and refrigerate until the mixture becomes solid, approx 3 hours.
When you’re ready to prepare the frosting, remove from fridge and let it sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes or so, to take the chill off.
Place contents into bowl of stand mixer and add salt and cake mix. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes until frosting becomes light and fluffy. Stir in sprinkles. Frost the bars; cut and serve.

A note about this frosting: I’m pretty sure the recipe works and that it was just user error. I had big chunks of white chocolate in my frosting after I whipped it. (In re-reading the recipe I noticed I failed to let the mixture sit for 15 minutes before sticking it in the fridge. That may be the user error.) Love the idea of it. Love the consistency. It would be great for a cake or cupcakes. And I’ll try it again some day. On a cake. Or cupcakes. But you need something more stiff for a bar so I would recommend a regular ‘ole buttercream frosting and not the one I used in this recipe.