Traci Nachtrab: Mini Pound Cakes

This is a great idea for dressing up treats of any sort - cakes, a box of cookies or muffins, a cupcake box, and even the dreaded fruitcake for the holidays. I've been doing this for a couple of years and they make terrific gifts - for birthdays, get well wishes, fundraisers, or just for the heck of it.

Michael's sell these miniature loaf dishes for $1. I know, right? $1! They usually carry them in seasonal colors, so at Christmas you'll find white, red, green and for fall you'll find purple, green, and orange. They also have fancier ones for $4-5. Very pretty. Grab some of their large cellophane bags while you're there so you can just slip the entire dish into the bag.

But for my purpose, the inexpensive ones were just fine. I was asked to make a cake for a fundraiser cake auction and immediately knew what to do. Now, don't you think these little cakes will bring more $$ than a pound cake wrapped in cellophane?

One cake mix will make 3 of these mini loaves. I used a pound cake mix & added a lemon topping (a mix from Williams & Sonoma) to them. I let them cool completely. If you don't, your cellophane bag will fog up and your cake will get wet on top. I also take a paper towel and wipe off the rims of the dishes to remove any residual Pam spray.