This Ugly Cake is called an "ugly" cake because it doesn't look as "pretty" as other cakes do! But don't let the appearance of this cake fool you. It's similar to a butter cake and it tastes AMAZING! Just because some of us don't have time OR the skill to make a beautiful cake doesn't mean we can't bring the flavor.
This cake is moist, sweet, buttery and SO easy I promise no one will care what it looks like! 🙂
Plus, ugly cakes can actually be a conversation starter at the table. Everyone will be intrigued by how ugly it is and what flavor it is before they even take a bite! So go ahead, unleash your ugly cake and delight your friends' taste buds. It'll be an ugly surprise worth having!
If you're throwing a party, this is definitely an easy on-the-go party dessert that everyone will love. It's simple but the flavors are on point.
Plus, it travels well and can feed up to 12 adults or kids making it ideal for any birthday party or celebration!
How To Make An Ugly Cake
The cream cheese layer is what makes this case "UGLY" looking.
As the cream cheese layer bakes, it turns an unpleasant brown color similar to over-baked cheese cake. The top also baked uneven and bumpy which attributes to it's name.
The best part of this cake is that it's EASY and hard to mess up because it really doesn't matter how it looks. It's all about the TASTE!
All you need to do is follow the directions on the back of a box of YELLOW cake mix, top with the delicious cream cheese pudding layer and BAKE!
I made a few alterations to this recipe based off of other ugly cakes I've tested and I think it's one of the BEST!
Ingredient Tips
- Boxed YELLOW Cake Mix: I love using Duncan Hines yellow cake mix because it's the best. Period.
- Milk: I replaced the water for milk in the recipe and used ¾ the amount.
- Butter: I swapped the oil for butter too for more of a buttery cake flavor!
- Cream Cheese: This is for the pudding topping. Full fat cream cheese is best. Room temperature is recommended for easy mixing.
- Pudding Mix: We will just be using the powder packet not making pudding. This adds both flavor AND sweetness to the cream cheese layer.
The Important Of The Top Layer
The top layer is what makes this cake UGLY. So don't skip on it.
It also adds a delicious moistness to the cake that is out of this world.
When you cut the cake, you'll be able to SEE the gooey layer which is what makes this cake so different from the others.
Most ugly cake recipes will use powdered sugar in the cream cheese layer but I decided to change it up and use pudding mix instead. It's a genius swap!
Ugly Cake Tips
- Use an offset spatula to spread the layers evenly.
- Wet your hands before spreading the cake to keep it from sticking to your hands.
- Place the cake in the middle or top of the oven. Not the bottom.
- Whip your cream cheese layer well so it's fluffy not dense.
- Grease your baking pan well so the cake doesn't stick.
Pudding Layer
I am a bit obsessed with adding pudding to my recipes. Other desserts I swapped pudding mix for:
Gooey Chocolate Chip Vanilla Pudding Cookies
Variations
- If you want to swap out the pudding for powdered sugar, you can.
- Use a different flavored pudding like chocolate, banana or butterscotch.
- Use a different flavor of boxed cake mix! Try devils food, dark chocolate, funfetti or red velvet!
- Incorporate sprinkles, walnuts, shredded coconut or chocolate chips into the cake batter before baking.
- Add icing to the top, but then again, it wouldn't be an ugly cake.
Other dessert recipes:
Ugly Cake
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 stick butter melted
- 1 cup milk
Pudding Layer
- 12 oz. cream cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 3.4 oz vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Add cake mix ingredients to a large bowl and whisk well until smooth.
- To another bowl, add ingredients for the pudding layer and mix well on high for 1-2 minutes.
- Grease a 9x11" baking pan and pour the cake batter spreading evenly with an offset spatula.
- Pour cream cheese pudding layer over top and spread.
- Using a knife, stick it in the cake and swirl the top layer into the bottom by running it down through the cake. (The knife should touch the bottom of the pan while doing so.)The idea is to partially mix the top layer with the bottom. I like to swirl from top to bottom (like a snake), then left to right.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center don't not jiggle. Give the cake a few taps to see if it jiggles. Be careful not to overbake!
- Optional* While warm, sift confectioners sugar over top and serve!
Recipe Notes
- Use an offset spatula to spread the layers evenly.
- Wet your hands before spreading the cake to keep it from sticking to your hands.
- Place the cake in the middle or top of the oven. Not the bottom.
- Whip your cream cheese layer well so it's fluffy not dense.
- Grease your baking pan well so the cake doesn't stick.
Pjb
Hands down best cake I've ever made!
Aleka Shunk
So glad you liked it!! 🙂