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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Crack Cake Recipe..... a rosé wine cake

    April 14, 2020 By Sara McCleary Updated November 29, 2020 - This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe

    Crack cake is decadent, addictive and ever so delicious. This is the ultimate box cake mix hack with pudding. In addition wine is added to create sheer edible bliss.

    A fluffy rich cake with ribbons of fudginess. Who would have thought that using a vanilla box cake mix, instant pudding, and rosé wine would end up so gloriously?

    This recipe is something a little different for me. I tend to make cakes from scratch, especially for the blog.

    Yes I am human and have the odd box cake mix in the cupboard for those days I am feeling lazy and craving cake. Hacking box cake mixes is something I don't do, it is rather American.

    crack cake dusted with sugar snow on a cake stand

    Please, my beautiful American readers, don't take offence. It's simply not a thing we tend to do down under. I read with interest cookie and cake hacks using cake mixes.

    Part of me wonders why? The other part praises these recipes for their creativity and experimentation.

    I always felt why go to all the trouble of hacking a packet of cake mix with all those other ingredients? You may as well have created something from scratch.

    That was pre pandemic pantry Sara.

    While there has been an incredible shortage of flour on Australian supermarket shelves, the odd cake mix can still be found. And instant pudding mix obviously isn't highly coveted at all.

    cake on a cake stand in front of a window with serving plates

    What is Crack Cake?

    Crack cake is a white cake mix hack where you add pudding to the cake mix. The original recipe used a yellow cake mix, I don't.

    In addition to the cake and pudding mix, wine is added. All sounds pretty horrendous, doesn't it?

    The result will leave you gobsmacked. You will end up with a cake that is rather light in texture, with a crunchy caramelised exterior. It also has fudgy pockets of flavour from the buttery wine syrup poured over the top..

    Origins of Crack Cake

    I have no idea who the original creator of crack cake was. I have delved down that rabbit hole and the earliest recipe I can find on Google is from The Sarcastic Blonde back in 2012.

    There are a few recipes floating around the internet. They all use Duncan Hines yellow cake mix, instant vanilla pudding, wine, and other key ingredients.

    There is also another version of the cake called wine cake.

    slices of cake on plates with main cake in the back ground

    Hacking the ingredients

    As Duncan Hines isn't readily available in Australia, and the pudding mix description was simply one packet of pudding mix, I decided to hack the hack.

    I pulled a few of the crack cake recipes circling the internet, had a play, tweak, and made it my own. Also creating a recipe that Australian readers would be able to easily make.

    I've also reduced the amount of sugar added. The original recipes added a ridiculous amount of sugar. Considering you were adding this to premade products already high sugar.

    Rose Wine Crack Cake

    The original recipes all used white wine. Instead I use a crisp dry rosé. This also adds to the final colour of the cake, deepening the hue. Creating a delicious rose wine cake.

    sprinkling sugar snow over crack cake sitting on a cake stand

    Another little tweak

    I also do something that others don't, I decorate it. A simple sprinkle of snow sugar makes all the difference.

    Snow sugar does not melt, like confectioner's or icing sugar does. This is important as the cake is moist due to the syrup. If you don't have snow sugar leave the cake plain, or maybe add some edible flowers or a sprinkle of coconut?

    Making Crack Cake

    I found the recipes gracing the internet lacking the finer details of the cake making process. The success, I believe, of this cake is in the finer details.

    Use either hand beaters or a stand mixer, do not beat by hand. Hand beating will result in a denser cake. The idea is to incorporate as much air into the batter as we can. Beat until the batter thickens and ribbons are left by the beaters.

    When making the wine syrup, it isn't just a case of melting the butter and sugar with the wine, then bingo there you go.

    Slowly melt the butter and let the sugar dissolve into the wine. Bring the mixture to a slow boil. The butter will froth and bubble to start, it will eventually calm down. The mixture needs to reduce and thicken to create a golden syrup.

    bowl of cake mixture with the beaters trailing ribbons over the batter surface
    butter, sugar and wine bubbling away in a saucepan
    spoon showing sugar syrup mixture from saucepan

    Once the cake is out of the oven poke it really well with a skewer. Channel your inner psycho. The cake forms a beautiful crunchy crust, but we need to make a way for the syrup to penetrate and get into the cake.

    If you find that the wine syrup is pooling around the centre of your bundt tin you will need to redistribute the syrup. Pick the tin up (careful it will be hot) and tilt the tin to move the syrup to absorb into the top of the cake.

    poking crack cake with a skewer
    pouring wine sugar syrup over crack cake still in bundt tin
    showing the top of the cake still in the bundt tin

    Come on, does this cake really work?

    Surprisingly it does. You would think with all the ingredients, especially the pudding, and the added sugar syrup, that you would end up with a stodgy dense cake.

    The result could not be further from that description.

    Why the name crack cake? After one slice it will be very obvious, you will be going back for slice, after slice, after slice.

    Sara xxx

    If you end up making this recipe please share it with me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

    More Delicious Cake Recipes

    Easy Sultana Cake - my mum's tried and true recipe
    Blood Orange Almond Cake - gluten free and delicious
    2 Ingredient Nutella Cake - just Nutella and 1 other ingredient
    Basque Burnt Cheesecake - it will be your go to cheesecake

    Printable Recipe

    crack cake decorated with sugar snow on a cake stand

    Crack Cake Recipe

    Recipe Author: Sara McCleary
    A fluffy rich cake with ribbons of fudginess. Who would have thought that using a vanilla box cake mix, instant pudding,and rose wine would end up so gloriously?
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 12 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins
    Course Cake
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 slices
    Calories 293 kcal

    Special Equipment

    • 21 cm (8.27 inches) bundt tin
    • hand mixer or stand mixer
    • large bowl (or stand mixer bowl)
    • small sauce pan

    Ingredients

    Cake Ingredients

    • 1 550g box vanilla cake mix I used Betty Crocker
    • 1 100g packet vanilla pudding mix
    • 60 grams (¼ cup) brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
    • 4 eggs
    • 190 mls (¾ cup) water
    • 170 mls (⅔ cup) oil use an oil light in flavour like canola
    • 125 mls (½ cup) rosé wine dry not sweet

    Wine Syrup Ingrdients

    • 100 grams butter
    • 160 grams (¾ cup) golden caster sugar superfine sugar
    • 65 mls (¼ cup) rosé wine
    • 1 teaspooon vanilla extract

    Instructions
     

    Cake Instructions

    • Pre-heat oven 170°C/340°F
    • Grease and flour a 21 cm (8.27 inches) bundt tin. I use spray oil and a light dusting of plain flour. Shake out any excess flour.
    • Place all cake ingredients in a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl). Using stand mixer or hand beaters beat ingredients the batter thickens, and the beaters leave ripples. This will take around 10 minutes with hand beaters, slightly less time with a stand mixer.
    • Pour the cake batter into your prepared bundt tin.
    • Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 1 hour.
    • Test the cake with a skewer in the middle of the cake. If the skewer comes out clean the cake is ready.
    • While the cake is still in tin stab it multiple times with the skewer all over. This is to allow the glaze to penetrate. Feel free to have an Alfred Hitchcock Psycho moment, but don't over do it, we do want the cake to hold together.
    • Once stabbed (and still in tin) pour the hot wine syrup all over the cake. If you find the syrup pooling around the whole in the centre of the bundt tin, pick the tin up with a teatowel and tilt so the glaze is distributed to other areas.
    • Leave the cake sit in the bundt tin for 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the tin and allow to cool on a cake rack. Do not leave the cake in the tin any longer than 10 minutes or you run the risk of it sticking.
    • The cake can be decorated with snow sugar. If you use normal icing sugar/powdered sugar it may "melt" due to the moisture from the wine syrup.

    Wine Syrup Instructions

    • Prepare the glaze during the final 15 minutes of the cake baking.
    • In a medium saucepan place butter, sugar and wine.
    • Over a low heat stir mixture until butter has melted and sugar disolved.
    • Bring mixture up to a slow boil stirring continuously. The mixture will bubble and foam up and if not watched may spill over the saucepan lip.
    • Increase heat and continue to stir for another 2 minutes. The mixture will be golden and thicken slightly. It is now ready to pour over the cake.

    Measurement Notes

    All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.

    Recipe Notes

    Beating the Batter
    Use either hand beaters or a stand mixer, do not beat by hand. Hand beating will result in a denser cake. The idea is to incorporate as much air into the batter as we can. Beat until the batter thickens and ribbons are left by the beaters.
    Soaking the Cake in Syrup
    Once the cake is out of the oven poke it really really well with a skewer. The cake forms a beautiful crunchy crust, but we need to make way for the syrup to penetrate it and get into the cake.
    If you find that the wine syrup is pooling around the centre of your bund tin you will need to redistribute the syrup. Pick the tin up (careful it will be hot) and tilt the tin to move the syrup to absorb into the top of the cake.

    NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

    The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.

    Calories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 85mgPotassium: 38mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 287IUCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword box cake mix hack with pudding, cake mix with pudding recpie, white cake mix hacks
    Did You Make This Recipe?I do a happy dance when people share how they went. Tag me on Instagram or Twitter @bellyrumbles & #bellyrumbles
    pinterest pin for crack cake recipe
    crack cake on cake stand
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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lois

      August 31, 2020 at 3:27 pm

      5 stars
      I made this and loved it. I used a strawberry cake mix, wow it turned out well. You weren't wrong about it being addictive.

      Reply
      • Sara McCleary

        September 01, 2020 at 10:24 am

        Hi Lois, the use of a strawberry cake mix sounds like it was a winner. I'll have to try it!

      • Brenda

        December 05, 2020 at 9:28 am

        I made this cake we loved it

      • Sara McCleary

        December 07, 2020 at 12:20 pm

        Fantastic to hear Brenda

    2. Jannie

      April 19, 2020 at 12:48 pm

      5 stars
      This cake was gone in 60 seconds! I used white wine instead of rose, and it was really great. Family loved it.

      Reply
      • Sara McCleary

        April 20, 2020 at 4:35 pm

        Hey Jannie, that is so great to hear, glad it was a hit with the family.

    3. Tee

      April 19, 2020 at 12:47 pm

      I can't find flour at the moment, this is such a great recipe. I could only find chocolate cake mix, do you think that will work?

      Reply
      • Sara McCleary

        April 20, 2020 at 4:36 pm

        Hi Tee, it will work well with chocolate cake mix too. You could even add red wine instead of the rose.

      • Freda sultana

        July 21, 2020 at 10:17 am

        What is snow sugar

      • Sara McCleary

        July 22, 2020 at 10:15 am

        Hi Freda

        Snow sugar looks exactly the same as icing sugar/confectioner's sugar. The difference is that it does not "melt" when sifted over the top of a cake with has a high moisture content or is still slightly warm. It can be purchased online or at cake ingredient suppliers.

    4. Kate M

      April 19, 2020 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      I made this this weekend, I totally understand now why it's called crack cake. OMG!!!!!!

      Reply
      • Sara McCleary

        April 20, 2020 at 4:36 pm

        Hi Kate, I know! Way too addictive. Glad you enjoyed.

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