CAKE MIX CINNAMON ROLLS

 Hard to believe it is April 20th and we woke up to snow everywhere. See pictures below the recipe. At least Monday is forecasted to be 75.

Cinnamon Rolls are one of my favorites. Our DIL Sara makes good cinnamon rolls. The main reason I don't make them very often is the amount of time it takes to make them. Sara does make hers the night before and then ices them the next morning for the family to eat for breakfast. When I was reading comments about this recipe, a person said he/she was impressed with them when she ate them, but she ate one a couple of days later and she loved it. So I decided this would be a good recipe to try since I almost always make whatever I am taking to Hillcrest Thrift Shop the day before I take it. 

Yesterday morning I got up and put the covered pans of baked cinnamon rolls in the oven and turned it on to preheat to 350 degrees F. Once the oven reached the temperature, I removed them and spooned/poured the powdered sugar glaze that I had mixed together while they were warming up a little in the oven. The Community Room at the thrift shop was a busy little place after I arrived with the rolls. When I left 2 hours later there was one cinnamon roll left. Seems like no one wanted to eat the last one. I left it anyway. I think Volunteer Jean got it as I told her about it on my way out. I hope so anyway.

Quite a few people who had made the recipe had used a spice cake mix and one person suggested using a chocolate cake mix. The original recipe called for a white cake mix, but I used a yellow one. The volunteers loved the orange taste the orange oil added to the powdered sugar glaze that I topped the cinnamon rolls with.

I forgot to take another picture of the cinnamon rolls after the glaze soaked in...

Click HERE for a printable copy of just the recipe.

CAKE MIX CINNAMON ROLLS

3          (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast (I used rapid rise)

2-1/2     cups warm water

1            package yellow cake mix (You can use any flavor)

4-1/2 - 5 cups flour (I used bread flour)

     *     *     *     *

1/2          cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1/2          cup brown sugar

2             teaspoons ground cinnamon

chopped pecans (I used a little less than 1/2 cup)

     *     *     *     *

2             cups powdered sugar

enough milk to make a glaze

about 1/4 teaspoon orange oil, or your favorite flavoring

If you are not using rapid rise dry yeast, measure 2-1/2 cups warm water in a 4 - cup glass measuring cup and add the 3 packages of active dry yeast. Stir and let stand about 10 minutes until creamy.

If you are using rapid rise dry yeast, add cake mix, yeast, and about 3 cups of the flour to a large mixing bowl and combine with batter attachment.

Add water and stir til combined.

Change to the dough hook and

beat for 8 minutes gradually adding the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time.

About half way through, I cleaned off the dough hook to make sure all of the dough was being worked.

(If you do not have a dough hook attachment with your electric beater, you will have to stir the mixture well after each additional 1/2 cup of flour until the dough pulls together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic about 8 minutes.)

Turn dough out on a floured surface

and knead a few times to work into a smooth ball.

Grease a large bowl,

place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat.

Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume about 30 minutes. (I placed the covered bowl in my oven for 30 minutes with the bread proof setting.)

Check if dough is ready by inserting a floured finger in the center,

If the hole stays, it is ready.

Punch down with floured fist.

knead a few times onto a floured surface.

Roll the dough into a rectangle about 10" X 16".

Spread surface with melted butter.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon with a fork.

Sprinkle mixture over the buttered dough.

Sprinkle nuts on top.

Starting with one of the long sides, slowly start rolling up the into a roll. Instead of rolling completely across,

stop before you get all the way across and

bring the other side over the top of the roll stretching as you do so.

Using a pizza cutter, cut into slices about an inch wide. 

Carefully pick up cut slice and place in greased 9 x 13 inch pan. (I used two pans.) Reshape into a pretty roll. Don't crowd rolls, but have them touching slightly. 

Cover again with damp cloth and let rise about 30 minutes. (Again I did this in my oven on bread proof.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake for 20 minutes or until rolls are golden brown.

Cool in pan on wire rack. Cover with foil overnight. The next morning warm cinnamon rolls covered in oven.

Prepare a powdered sugar glaze using about 2 cups powdered sugar and enough milk to make a glaze. I added a about 1/4 teapspoon of orange oil instead of vanilla.

Spoon over cinnamon rolls.

These are views from different windows in our house. At least the dogwood is protected by a huge pine tree so maybe the blooms will survive. Not sure about the red buds. Hope the forecast is correct and by noon most will be melted. It actually looks like it is snowing with the snow falling from the trees. At least the road are clear. Playing canasta this afternoon for the first time in a year with friends.