Ree Drummond's Go-To Christmas Dessert Stars A Boxed Cake Mix Shortcut

Food will forever be a favorite part of the holidays, but with other things taking up time, it's tricky for everyone to dedicate themselves to it as much as they'd like — especially when it comes to dessert. Still, that doesn't mean you have to relegate yourself to store-bought versions of beloved Christmas treats like rum cake. Instead, you can take a hint from Ree Drummond and make a quicker, though equally delicious, version with boxed yellow cake mix.

Like many baked goods, rum cake features a litany of ingredients that must be measured out with precision for the best results. Using store-bought cake mix takes away some guesswork, which is helpful if your holidays are packed with errands and activities. Plus, a plain yellow cake mix works well with any flavor you want to add to your rum cake or other dessert.

Drummond keeps her recipe simple by combining it with instant vanilla pudding mix and making a glaze of butter, sugar, and rum. However, the mix works well with other recipes like our ginger molasses rum cake. Forego the baking soda, sugar, and flour, and combine the mix with salt and cinnamon, followed by a combination of molasses, grated ginger, vegetable oil, and eggs. A boxed yellow cake mix can be used for Jamaican rum cake, too, blending seamlessly with the vanilla pudding mix and paste. The recipe does call for almond flour, but you can use a dash of almond extract for flavor, instead.

If you're looking for more creative ways to use boxed cake mix, try incorporating Ree Drummond's store-bought shortcut by experimenting with different flavors when making a rum cake. Sure, the vanilla-forward yellow version complements practically any type of rum you may add to the dessert, but playing around with different flavors can enhance the booze. With our Jamaican rum cake, for example, opting for an almond-flavored mix draws out the nutty sweetness of both the dark rum and vanilla extract or paste.

Chocolate cake mix fits right into the decadence of the rum-infused treat. You can keep things on the richer side by pairing with heady dark rum, which has a smoky caramel and vanilla flair. However, the sweet batter also pairs well with light rum, as the soft taste of vanilla, coconut, and cloves imbues the chocolate with a tropical undertone.

To give the holiday treat a warm, aromatic flair, pair spice cake mix with spiced rum. Both feature notes of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, though the booze often traverses into deeper territories, taking on the subtle tastes of ginger, clove, caramel, and at times, fruitier notes like orange, pineapple, and banana.