My Easy Yellow Cake Mix Recipe works just like store-bought mixes - and can be used in place of them. The moist vanilla cake it makes tastes better, though!
One area that’s been particularly chaotic? The average weight of a box of cake mix has gone down, significantly.
Given that box mixes are commonly used as a base ingredient in fancier cake recipes - like many pineapple upside-down cake recipes, some cookie recipes, etc.
Not having the amount of dry mix that those recipes are based on, means that those recipes won’t turn out well, with current box mixes.
The good news?
You can VERY easily make your own cake mix... which behaves just like a store bought cake mix.
Not only is it a delicious vanilla cake, it’s less labour intensive than a scratch cake. Much like with store bought, this DIY cake mix just needs water, eggs, and fat... and whips together in a single bowl.
No creaming butter and sugar together, etc... just a really easy cake recipe, that easily turns out a moist vanilla cake - reliably.
If you’re into making food gifts, you can even put this cake mix into a Mason jar, attach a cute little tag with the directions, and give them out!
Anyway, let’s take a look at what you’ll need in order to make - and use - this homemade yellow cake mix.
Yellow Cake Mix Ingredients
This easy homemade cake mix recipe uses really simple ingredients, you’ll have no problem finding what you need in any grocery store.
As always, I have a few notes for you:
Flour
I like to use cake flour, as I find that it results in a lighter cake than using all purpose flour.
That said, feel free to use all-purpose flour in this recipe. I do, when I don’t have cake flour on hand, and can’t be arsed to go buy some!
Vanilla Pudding Mix
This is my secret ingredient to making homemade cake taste and behave like a box cake mix.
First of all, it contributes the vanilla flavor - so you don’t need to use a specialty powdered vanilla ingredient. This is key to it having the convenience of a boxed cake mix!
Beyond flavor, the pudding mix also influences the retention of moisture.
Along with choice of fat, this goes a long way to prevent you from having a dry cake.
Large Eggs
I firmly believe in adding an extra egg to box mixes, so this homemade cake mix uses 4 whole eggs.
You can use egg whites to make this more of a white cake mix - well, off white - as the yolks are what contribute most of the yellow colour to yellow cake.
I usually whip them a bit before adding them to the cake mix.
Fat
You can use either melted butter or oil for using your cake mix. Both work fine, it’s just a matter of your priorities.
Butter tastes a bit better, but also causes a dry cake when it’s cold. If you bake your cake with butter, you will definitely want your cake to be up to room temperature when serving, even if you’ve been storing it in the fridge.
Oil still tastes fine - just use a neutral flavoured one - vegetable oil or canola oil, rather than olive oil or peanut oil.
As a note: Way back in the day, "add and egg and double the fat" was a common way to make a cake mix taste better, so that's what I call for in this recipe.
If you want to do the cake up using the box directions, feel free to cut the fat in half. It won't be quite as moist, but the calories will be significantly lower.
Everything Else
Rounding out this recipe, you will need:
Granulated Sugar
Water
Baking Powder
Salt
... I just don’t have anything to add, as far as these last few ingredients go. Easy stuff!
Homemade Funfetti Cake Mix
To make this a Funfetti mix, add sprinkles - ⅓-1/2 cup, measure with your heart - to the dry mix.
When using the mix, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon almond extract, during the addition of the eggs and water. The almond is what really gives it that “birthday cake” taste.
Just note: sprinkles you can buy tend to “bleed” more than the ones they use in cake mix. More colour is a good thing, IMHO!
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How to Make Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, here is the visual walk through:
Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
Combine flour, pudding mix, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Label bag with directions, store in an airtight container in a dark, dry place until ready to use.
To Use Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Liberally grease two 8" round cake pans with vegetable shortening, and/or spray with baking spray. (See below for the baking time other pans/cupcakes)
Empty cake mix into a large bowl, along with eggs and water. Beat with a hand mixer on low speed until smooth.
Carefully add melted butter, mix on medium speed until smooth and the wet ingredients are completely mixed in.
Bake in preheated oven until knife or toothpick inserted into center of batter comes out clean (“The toothpick test”) and cake springs back - about 30 minutes.
Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before turning cake layers out onto baking rack to cool to fully cool.
Alternately, you can bake it in a 9 x 13 pan (about 25 minutes), in a Bundt pan (about 30 minutes), or as cupcakes (18-20 minutes)
More Cake Recipes!
Looking for more ridiculously delicious cake recipes? As the "Evil Cake Overlord", I've got you covered! (Ps: Check out my instructions for making Marshmallow Fondant, as well!)
Tortes:
B-52 Torte
Bahama Mama Torte
Blood Orange Truffle Torte
Citrus Splendor Torte
Cookies & Cream Cake
Raspberry Tiramisu Torte
Schmoo Torte
Spumoni Cake
Tiger Tail Cake
Bundt, Sheet, & Upside Down Cakes
Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake
Brandied Apple Upside Down Cake
Deep N Delicious Cake
French Martini Bundt Cake
French Martini Upside Down Cake
Mango Mojito Upside Down Cake
Pina Colada Bundt Cake
Strawberry Mango Marble Cake
Cupcakes:
3D Monarch Butterfly Cupcakes
Black Velvet Cupcakes
Chai Cupcakes
Easy Butterfly Cupcakes
Fat Elvis Cupcakes
Lynchburg Lemonade Cupcakes
Pink Grapefruit Daiquiri Cupcakes
Fillings, Frostings, & Etc
American Buttercream
Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix
Milk Chocolate Whipped Ganache
Stabilized Whipped Cream
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Also: I have Cake Decorating Tutorials, and posts about previous Decorated Cakes that I've made.
Easy Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
Equipment
- 1 Medium Ziplock Freezer Bag
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Mix:
- 2 ¼ cups Cake flour
- 3 ½ oz Instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 ½ cups Sugar
- 4 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
To Use:
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Butter melted (or Vegetable Oil - see post for information)
Instructions
Homemade Vanilla Cake Mix:
- Combine flour, pudding mix, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Transfer to a large Ziplock freezer bag, press excess air out, and seal.
- Label bag with directions, store in a dark, dry place until ready to use.
To Use:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Liberally grease two 8" round cake pans with vegetable shortening, and/or spray with baking spray.
- Empty cake mix into a bowl, along with eggs and water. Beat until smooth.
- Carefully add melted butter, mix on medium speed until smooth.
- Divide batter among prepared cake pans.
- Bake in preheated oven until knife inserted into center of batter comes out clean and cake springs back - about 25-30 minutes.
- Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before turning cakes out onto baking rack to cool fully.
- Ideally, allow to cool to room temperature, wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Allow cake to sit overnight, make frosting & ice cake/cupcakes the following day.
Notes
Nutrition
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