Cake Batter Pretzels

It's a cake flavored soft pretzel...complete with sprinkles on top!

Today was supposed to be my day to get back into the daily grind after taking a break for the holidays, however...

It is bitterly cold outside today!  Wind chills are expected to reach 30 below 0!  Snow drifts are so high I can't tell where my driveway is.  Every school in the area is closed, and a lot of businesses are too.  I received a text last night saying that my office was closed today and as I watch the television more business closings are being posted.  We have some friends who plow snow and they are posting on Facebook how bad the roads and visibility are.  Sounds to me like a good day to stay inside and bake!

These Cake Batter Pretzels would be the perfect treat for a snow day!  They may look like your basic pretzel with the addition of sprinkles, but one bite will tell you that these pretzels are something special!  A generous portion of cake mix is added to the flour when making these pretzels.  These cake batter pretzels taste like you're eating cake, but the texture and look is that of a pretzel.  It's like two of my favorite snacks in one!

I used a yellow cake mix for my pretzels, but you could use any flavor you'd like.  Devil's food, red velvet, carrot cake...can you imagine the possibilities?

Cake Batter Pretzels

Makes 12 pretzels

Ingredients:

1 package yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)

1-1/4 warm water

1-3/4 cup yellow cake mix

1/2 teaspoon salt

2-3/4 cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking soda

water

1 egg

sprinkles

1.  Add the yeast to the warm water and stir gently.  Let it sit for about 5 minutes.

2.  In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the cake mix and salt.

3.  Add the yeast mixture to the cake mix and stir with the dough hook attachment.

4.  Add in the flour and mix on low speed until the dough comes together in a ball. 

5.  Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.

6.  Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently to deflate the dough and form a ball. 

7.  Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.

8.  Roll each piece of dough into a long rope, about 15" long.  Form a pretzel shape by bringing the 2 ends up, crossing them, and bringing them back down to the bottom.

9.  Boil a large pot of water and add the baking soda once the water boils.  (The water can be started while you're forming the pretzels.)

10.  Working in small batches, 2-4 pretzels at a time, boil the pretzels in the baking soda water until they float.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

11.  Once all the pretzels are boiled, whisk the egg in a small bowl.  Brush a small amount of the egg on top of each pretzel and top with the sprinkles.

12.  Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes, until golden brown.  Cool before removing from the pans.

These pretzels are best eaten the day they are baked, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Source: Crazy for Crust