Santana
Yep--A great place to start. It always amazes me that people will pay for mixes, or worse, Bisquick. C'mon, people, this isn't rocket science. Start with this basic recipe, and customize it, you'd be amazed at the results. I enjoy bacon with my cakes, so I start with that--but now that you've rendered some perfectly good bacon grease, drop the salt and use the drippings for oil! I'm a big believer in vanilla for adding a creamy richness--add a tablespoon. A nice touch, as well, is to add a tablespoon of cider vinegar(I'm not kidding) to the milk. It will curdle and thicken the milk slightly and add a mild tang, not unlike buttermilk, and the vinegar will make the baking powder a bit more active for a fluffy result. Wanna drive the kids nuts? Thinly, very thinly, slice fruit(bananas, peaches, apricots, or whole berries) and drop them onto the freshly poured batter--wait 'til the cake browns( I like mine well done) nicely before flipping---MAGIC!! MOST IMPORTANTLY---Skimp somewhere else(toilet paper, make-up, toothpaste) and invest in BUTTER and PURE MAPLE SYRUP---Why put ketchup on a perfectly grilled filet mignon????