Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
You won’t ever need a processed boxed cake mix again! This simple homemade yellow cake mix is buttery, moist and absolutely delicious!
In my efforts to eat a less processed diet, I’ve eliminated cake mixes from the lineup. It’s been painful, I can’t lie.
There’s something about the no-fail moistness of a boxed mix that is appealing, but I’ve promised myself not to give in although it’s been hard.
We’ve been through our fair share of dry homemade cakes as I’ve searched for the perfect replacements for the old boxed mixes.
You can imagine I was overjoyed when I saw this recipe for a make-ahead yellow cake mix! Not only is it a snap to prepare, but it keeps in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Along with that – it tastes fabulous. Buttery, moist and absolutely delicious.
I can’t wait to share with you tomorrow what I made with this delectable mix. So in the meantime, whip some up.
Talk about feeling like a complete Becky-Home-Ecky, this cake mix made me happy that I’ve stuck to my guns about giving up the old kind. It is a hundred times more delicious and that’s a fact.
P.S. I can’t wait to use this mix for the gazillion recipes I have that call for sprinkling a dry cake mix over this or that to create cobblers and crisps, etc.
In fact, I’ll share with you a secret for one of my most favorite peach cobblers of all time.
Here it is (and please ignore the fact that I’ve just gone off on a tangent about giving up processed cake mixes since this dessert is far from organic or healthy).
Lightly spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray.
Layer peaches (canned or fresh) on the bottom of the 9X13 pan close together in a single layer.
Sprinkle a yellow cake mix over the top of the peaches.
Dot the top of the cake mix with one stick of butter.
Open up a can of Fresca (I imagine Sprite or 7-Up would work equally well), drink half and pour the other half over the top of the cake mix and butter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until golden brown.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Relish in the fact that you are eating vitamin-laden fruit and zero-calorie soda, therefore constituting a healthy dessert. Peace out.
One Year Ago: Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars
Two Years Ago: Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars
Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups (424 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups (213 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (171 g) cake flour
- ½ cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Process sugar, flours (or flour and cornstarch if making the substitution for the cake flour), milk powder, baking powder, and salt in a food processor for 15 seconds to combine. Add butter and vanilla and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal (you want this much finer than, say, a pie crust). Freeze the dry mixture in a zipper-lock bag for up to 2 months or use immediately.
- To make the cake, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour your pan of choice (see the note below the recipe).
- With an electric mixer, beat the prepared cake mix, 1 1/4 cups warm water and 2 large room-temperature eggs until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan(s) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-27 minutes for two 9-inch layer cakes. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan(s) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-27 minutes for two 9-inch layer cakes.
- See the note for alternate cooking times with other baking pans. Cool the cake(s) in pan(s) for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Cook’s Country April/May 2010
The cake mix sounds wonderful and just what I have been looking for as I don’t want to use boxed mixes. Can I substitute oil for butter? I would decrease some of the liquid ( I need to look up the amount). I am also trying to get away from butter also.
Thank-you.
Wendy – Definitely have to experiment as I’ve never subbed in oil for butter. Good luck!
This is the best vanilla cake recipe ever! I use this for everything. I also add an extra 1/4 cup of water. It was by accident at first, but it seems to be a little more fluffy. The only thing I don’t like about this recipe is the use othe food processor… I hate washing all of the parts. I make this recipe in my 6 quart kitchen aid mixer. I add the dry ingredients to the bowl and Mix with the paddle until combined. Add the butter until it is a crumby consistency. While the mixer is running, I slowly add half of the water. Mix that until smooth. Then again with the mixer running, I add my eggs, vanilla, and remaining water. Then I mix it for 1 minute on med-high speed until it’s fluffy and light.
I hope that helps some of you that don’t have a food processer!
Mel, I want to use this instead of a boxed yellow cake mix but so many (Pillsbury) say they “already have pudding in the mix” so how would I adjust this recipe? I actually want to make a Kahlua Vodka cake but it calls for boxed mix with pudding already in it (plus additional pudding). Your thoughts?
Wendy – You could try adding boxed pudding to the mix but I haven’t tried it. It if it were me, I would just make it as-is and add the pudding called for in the Kahlua Vodka cake. Good luck!
Made this as is and loved it. Made more to freeze and left it in the freezer for a year!! Still tasted great. I also made a strawberry version by using puréed strawberries as the liquid instead of water. So yummy.
Jillian – I am LOVING your strawberry version. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi mel I to like to make as many things from scratch as I do not like processed foods nor high fructose corn syrup. I am throwing a friend a baby shower and need to make a cake for roughly 50 or more I want to use your recipe to do it. I’m using a sheet cake pan I believe the dimensions are 11× something .
How many cups of batter do you think I would need for the sheet pan. I’m going to layer the cake by maybe 3 layers
Hi Mel, I have been looking (with no success) for one of your cake recipes using the homemade yellow cake mix.
Please can you let me have the names of a few of your recipes.
Thanks
Bessie Fielding – This Coconut Tres Leches Cake uses the homemade yellow cake mix.
Thanks Mel, will definitely give this a go.
Mel,
Do you have a never fail chocolate cake recipe for me to try.
Many thanks.
Bessie – THIS chocolate cake is awesome.
Hi Mel,
I would like to make a chocolate cake with your cake mix, what ratio of cocoa powder and liquid would I use.
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes, your fluffy wholemeal rolls are to die for, I now make my bread 100% wholemeal.
Bessie – I haven’t converted this to a chocolate cake mix. It is probably more involved than just adding cocoa powder. I don’t want to steer you wrong so you might need to google to find a homemade chocolate cake mix recipe. Sorry I am not more help!
Hi, sorry again… quick question
if i want to make 6 cupcakes (which is less than half of the cake mix) do i use one egg or skip the egg?
Shannice – You will have to experiment. I’ve never converted the recipe to make just six cupcakes. I wouldn’t skip the egg altogether though. Another option is to make the full recipe and freeze the extra cupcakes for later. Good luck!
can I use this mix and still follow the directions on a standard yellow box mix?
Example: 3 eggs, 1/2 cup oil, 1 1/4 cup water?
please let me know, I’m so confuse…
Shannice – I’ve only ever made this with the prepared cake mix, 1 1/4 cups warm water and 2 large room-temperature eggs like the instructions call for. It will be different than the ingredients on a boxed mix. Good luck!
Mel:
I made a fresh apple dump cake using a yellow cake mix and it was so sweet we could not eat it. I used Stevia in the apples, cinnamon, apple cider & nutmeg that was in the bottom of pan, sprinkled dry boxed cake mix on top, and poured butter over it. I couldnt get pass the sweet sweet cake mix to even taste the bottom portion with the apples. I gave it to the boys next door. So I went looking for a box alternative and found your site. Can I reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe as I am afraid it will turn out like the box mix, just too sweet. We just dont like a sweet sweet cake, I know that is a little odd, but what can I say.
Vera – you can definitely play around with the sugar content. I’ve only made it as the recipe is written so I can’t tell you how it would work out but I’m sure it can be tweaked. For what it’s worth, I think this homemade version is a tad less sweet than boxed versions already.
Mel-My best friend has been trying to get me to make cakes from scratch for years. Finally I found your recipe and decided to give it a go. OMG…what a great recipe. It is just the right consistency and tastes OH SO GOOD!! I’ve now used this recipe at least five times in one month..making cakes for two kids birthdays along the way. Thank you so much for your advice and all of the reviews from others who have dared to leave the world of “boxed cakes”!! Your recipe has made me a Believer!! Thank you!!! 🙂
Hi Mel, I have just. Come across your homemade vanilla cake mix, please can you clarify if the cake mix is the same quantity as 1 box of shop bought?
Hi Bessie – I think it makes a slightly thicker cake but yes, it should be pretty much the equivalent of a boxed mix.
thank you for your response. i did find another query with similar question. should have carefully browse through it…i will let you know how it turns out. Simply can’t wait. Rose
Hi Mel: i have a question here..it’s just the two of us. Instead of using 9×13, I use 8×8 square glass pan. I have been using Trader Joe’s vanilla baking mix, which weighs 1 lb, which calls for 8×8. I want to use this recipe instead of store bought if i can figure out the pan size. Thanks for your response…
Hi Rose – you’d have to experiment a bit but if you used half of the cake mix with 3/4 cup water and 1 egg, that might fit into an 8X8-inch pan. Good luck!
Thank you for the recipe! I halfed the recipe and added vanilla pudding mix. I added more water to to account for the extra dry ingredient. It is currently in the oven, so I am hoping for good results. It smells great though!!! Thanks again.
Can anyone privide different flavor options you have had success with….maybe strawberry or a lemon? Great idea, definitely!
I made this with purred strawberries as the liquid instead of water. Just mixed the eggs into the strawberry purée and baked as usual. It was delicious!! Put strawberries and whip cream in the middle and frosted with whip cream. Fab.u.lous.
Mel, how much cake mix will render just one 9 inch round cake?
Hi Roxy – I’m not sure since I’ve always made it according to the directions but if I had to guess it would be half of the prepared cake mix, one egg and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water.
Just made this recipe….turned great and did not have any problems
What a material of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable experience
regarding unpredicted feelings.
Finally got around to making and posting this. Love the DIY approach for so many reasons. I made the cutest Easter basket cupcakes with it which I’ll post soon. Thanks once again for the inspiration!
Hi Mel!
Thanks for posting this..I made thix mix because I, too, don’t like using boxed cake mixes but there are so many yummy cake batter recipes out there I wanted to make! I re-posted this on my site, bostongirlbakes.blogspot.com and gave a shout out to you on this..thanks again!
Heather
Just a quick note… all purpose flour and granulated sugar are processed foods just like a box of cake mix.
Question…could you please add/factor in/substitute using powdered shortening so we’d have a completly shelf-stable cake mix?
I would use palm shortening. It does not require refrigeration. In the same amount, but add 1/4 cup liquid to the recipe because butter contains water but shortening does not.
I made this yesterday with my daughter and it was delicious. I’ve attempted making my own cakes before without a box, but have been disappointed each time. Hello, I guess it’s time for me to make a few extra mixes for the freezer. Thanks for this recipe.
Mel,
If I want to make this cake outright and don’t need to have a mix first, do I make it according to directions? Have you ever tried to do it the traditional cake way and cream the butter and sugar etc.? Today is Lincoln’s birthday and I have nothing but chocolate mixes in the food storage. He unfortunately didn’t inherit the chocolate genes.
Sunshine – the recipe is just for a dry make-ahead cake mix. If you read through the recipe, the last paragraph tells what to add for the cake.
How come there is no eggs added to this cake recipe? Maybe I missed something.
Hope – I’m sorry – I have no idea what the calorie count is on this. It’s worth a try on the Splenda but I’ve never tried it so I can’t guarantee the results. Good luck if you try it!
Any idea how many calories in this vs a bought mix ? And do you think I could substitute splenda or splenda blend for the sugar? I am diabetic.
Ariella – I haven’t tried that, sorry! You’ll have to experiment and see how it works out.
any way to sub oil for the butter if I”m going to be using the mix immediately?
thanks!
Dear Mel,
I found your website through the Brown Eyed Baker and tried your yellow cake mix. I’m a cakes from scratch kind of person but this blew me away! Its tender, tastes and smells wonderful. It also freezes firm and can be sliced beautifully to make thin and stable layers.
I make the cake up with yoghurt or buttermilk and eggs. I find it really useful to have 2-3 batches of this mix, stored in my freezer for whipping up into a cake quickly. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. You’ve made me a cake-mix convert!
You can see the lovely 5 and 6 layer cakes I’ve baked with your recipe in my brand new blog.
Great idea. I love it being made from scratch even if the ingredients are not unrefined or health food cake. I have my mind whirling. GF cake mixes are very expensive. Wonder if I can make a GF version using your non-cake flour version since cornstarch is GF. Also was thinking about your peach cobbler recipe and wondering how a healthier soda might bring it up a bit in flavor and bring up the quality a bit…say using a natural ginger ale soda? Thanks for some great ideas.
Hi! This recipe sounds great – I make a WASC cake that calls for 2 boxes of cake mix. Does anyone know if using this recipe in place of the 2 boxes would Be something that could work? I’d really love to be able to say that the cake was made from scratch when people ask about the recipe. Thanks!!
So, I made this recipe with the Magic Frosting listed under “Best Recipes”. I wanted to make a very special birthday cake so I thought this would be the best option for someone who loves white cake with white frosting. The frosting is delicious; very heavy, buttery with a hint of whip cream flavor. It is not the kind of frosting I would love everyday though.
The cake recipe above turned out to be very heavy, a little sweet and tasted like a biscuit. This cake is moist but not ideal. The biscuit taste and hint of saltiness did not make for a fantastic birthday cake. In fact, I would not recommend it for a birthday cake at all. It would probably taste best in a strawberry shortcake recipe or something.
The response I received from the 8 guests who tried my cake was “it’s good”. I was kind of embarrassed seeing as I really talked up my cake and the time I put into it.
I looked throughout this sight for a fantastic white/yellow cake recipe but did not find one so if anyone has a recommendation please comment.
Hope this helps. 🙂
Please note that the ingredients do not call for eggs until you read directions so don’t forget to buy them.
i just made this! as a regular cake with 1/2 cup of milk. i made a small 6 inch and it took like an hour to bake? nothing is wrong with my oven because i made cupcakes with the left over batter….and oh my! over perfection…as soft as a cloud. but for my taste not sweet enough, anyway what i did to the cupcakes was add 2 teaspoons of baking powder, worth a try for regular vanilla cupcakes, so great.
I’ve been making my yellow cake mix with vinegar. (It’s almost the same as my cocoa cake recipe, omitting eggs) and it comes out so moist!
Tracy – I’ve never made those substitutions and haven’t baked with succanat before so you’ll probably have to experiment to figure out how the substitutions would work. Good luck – I hope it works out so you can have an easier way around your family’s dietary restrictions!
Could you substitute whole wheat pastry flour for the flour and succanat for the sugar? I am asking, but I am going to try it if I don’t find a whole wheat cake mix recipe online. I can’t feed my family anything with white flour and regular sugar in it or two of the five go a little crazy (hypoglycemia and aspergers).
Cheryl – to make the full recipe, you’ll actually use the full amount of mix that the recipe produces. I’ve never made it in a bundt pan but it sounds like the 15-cup pan should be big enough.
I would like to make a bundt cake and just wanted to be sure that I don’t get confused with the correct amount of cake mix to be used. I believe you stated 3-1/2 cups of mix should be used. The bundt pan is a Nordic Anniversay pan that will hold 15 cups so I don’t believe I will have a problem of overflowing.
I LOVE this cake recipe! It is the only one I ever use now! I have been making it actually without a food processor- I’ve just been using a pastry blender to get the pieces as small as I could and then I just made sure to beat it long enough to blend all the butter into the mix. It’s been turning out just fine! I didn’t have a food processor when I first started making it, so I didn’t write that part down. Now that I have one, it sounds like it would make my life easier and this recipe way faster! Thank you! I am going to try a chocolate one sometime to experiment with- I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Thank you for this recipe. 🙂 I’m making a pumpkin crunch cake for Thanksgiving and the recipe calls for a box of yellow cake mix. It also calls for two sticks of butter (cut into pieces to sprinkle over the cake mix). Do i just mix the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and use the butter separately to sprinkle over the cake mix or do I still need to combine another 2 sticks of butter into the yellow cake mix and use another 2 sticks of butter to sprinkle on top, making it a total of 4 stick? yikes!! 4 sticks seems like alot, I’m not complaining. LoL!!
MIsa – you could try and get away with just the 2 sticks. I’m not sure if prepackaged cake mixes already have fat (oil or butter) in them besides what is added separately. I’m sure it will work fine…I mean, 2 sticks is still a lot of butter! I’d say go for less and see how it works out.
Lorena – apparently my sarcasm didn’t come through the post really well because I was just teasing on the “healthy” part of that dessert! 🙂
Thank you for the cake mix recipe! I have been trying to eat cleaner – avoiding mystery ingredients in processed foods is a big part of it.
As for your peach cobbler, I’m afraid I have to challenge your healthy rating there. It sounds really yummy, but when you eat it, with the white flour and white sugar and pop you have to just acknowledge it as a cheat.
Thanks for doing all the experimenting for me. I have one recipe that I LOVE but it calls for yellow cake mix. I haven’t made it in a while because I didn’t want to use the mix. I can’t wait to try this out.
I’m wondering if you could make this lemon-flavored. I make a lemon-blueberry bar that calls for a lemon cake mix and I would love to be able to make my own mix.
Hi Andrea, I’m not sure as I’ve never tried it. You might try adding lemon zest and a bit of lemon juice for that flavor.