DIY: Homemade Yellow Cake Batter Mix
It has probably been five years since I’ve used box cake mixes with any sort of regularity. Back in the day, I would bake one up in a 9×13-inch pan and then proceed to slather a can of chocolate frosting over the top. I think I’ve made some serious kitchen strides since those days, but leave it to all of those popular “cake batter” recipes to keep me tethered to cake mixes. Between cake batter ice cream, fudge, pancakes, and the zillion other recipe variations, not to mention all of the dump cake recipes that I keep seeing, I can’t seem to escape cake mixes. I haven’t made many of those recipes, mostly because I have really made a conscious effort over the last couple of years to eliminate a large majority of overly processed products from my kitchen. Anything that I can make homemade, I do. That includes cake, of course, but what about all of those recipes that call for cake mix, straight from the box? I was left in a quandary, until I happened upon this recipe. Leave it to the people at America’s Test Kitchens to come up with the answer. This quick, homemade mix is the perfect solution!
This mix takes literally minutes to throw together, and you can keep it in a zip-top bag in your freezer for up to 2 months. I am totally thrilled at the idea of never having to skip past a recipe because it calls for cake mix.
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My plan is to use this mixture anytime a recipe calls for dry cake mix. If you’re interested in using the mix to bake a cake, be sure to check out the link in the note below for instructions.
Look out cake batter recipes, here I come!
One year ago: Garden Zucchini Pizza Casserole
DIY: Homemade Yellow Cake Batter Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) cake flour
- ½ cup (64 g) nonfat dry milk powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, cut in ½-inch cubes and cold
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sugar, both flours, milk powder, baking powder and salt. Process for 15 seconds. Add the pieces of butter and lightly toss with a fork so they are coated with the flour mixture. Sprinkle the vanilla over the top. Pulse until the mixture is fine and crumbly, about 10 one-second pulses. Use immediately or store in an airtight bag or container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Hi, I tried this out today and wrote about it in my blog post. It worked out pretty well!
Michelle,
I just made this and I loved it! It tastes even better then the store bough one, yet still has that gooey, yummy flavor of the cake box mixes! Thanks soooo much for sharing. Now I can make those recipes that call for the mixes without feeling guilty!
-Kloe ♥♥
can I use this mix and still follow the directions on a standard yellow box mix?
Example: 2 eggs, 1/2 cup oil, 1/4 cup water?
please let me know, I’m so confuse…
Hi Shannice, I would recommend using the directions provided on Mel’s website (the link is in the note at the bottom of the recipe).
Thank you! I googled “yellow cake mix” because I want to make a dump cake but didn’t want to use a box mix. I’ve been making most of my own food for a while now, and the thought of going back to those mixes is unappetizing! I’m going to try this. Yay!
Im glad that i found this recipe, will make it right away, but is that okay if i use full fat dry milk? Because the low fat is kind of rare and sometimes expensive. Also can i use blender instead of food processor?
Thanks
Hi Kathya, I’m not sure how it would affect the taste, but you could give it a try. If you use a blender, be sure to just pulse, you don’t want to turn it into a paste.
As far as storage goes though – do you HAVE to keep it in the freezer? Or do you mean that you can keep it at room temperature airtight OR in the freezer two months? Would you have to defrost it? Thanks. :) I’d really like to try this one!
Hi Rachel, Because there is butter in this, you should not keep it at room temperature. It will not actually freeze in the freezer, but rather kept fresh, so there is no need for thawing.
Ohhhh gotcha. So you can use right out of the freezer? Hmmm. interesting… :D
I love this idea. My question is: I have a receipe that calls for the topping to be a box of yellow cake mix with a cube of softened butter blended together. I notice this recipe already has butter. Do I add more for the crumble topping effect? Thanks!
Hi Lisa, Yes, I would add the additional butter called for in the recipe.
Hi I live in South Africa and we do not have All Purpose flour as stated in the recipe what and how can I substitute for AP flour. Many thanks in advance. Bronwyn
Hi Bronwyn, Without knowing what your options are, I wouldn’t be able to say. You want to use whatever flour is standard for “regular” baking – nothing too fine, like a cake or pastry flour, and nothing high-gluten like a bread flour.
Hi-I saw your instant pudding mix recipe and there was a nite to check back tomorrow to see the cake mix recipe you use with it. Is this that recipe? Do I add a half cup of pudding mix to this cake mix or does this already incorporate the pudding mix to make it more moist? Thanks!
Hi Cathy, This is not the recipe I used the homemade pudding mix in; I used it in my homemade rum cake: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/04/18/homemade-rum-cake-recipe/
I hate box cake mixes due to the processed oils and excess sugar,etc. Thanks for bringing a bunch of us back to “Scratch City”. My question…I am very curious as to the amount of Sugar in this mix…(2 cups of Sugar to the 3 cups of Flour) it just seems like a lot to me. Is there any way to use less or a healthy substitute? Thanks!
Hi Annette, I always recommend following the recipe as written, as omitting portions of ingredients can definitely affect the final outcome. I have not played around with any type of sugar substitute, so I’m not sure how it would work. If you have success with something, please feel free to stop back and share!
hi: how can i convert this recipe to fit 8×8 square pan? there’s only 2 people in our household and i don’t want to freeze leftover if i can. thanks.
Hi Rose, You should be able to cut the recipe in half if you are making a cake.
Will this work with dump cake? I want to use this as a substitute for the dry cake mix that goes on the second layer of dump cake, but is this recipe truly a dry cake mix? I guess the adding of the butter and liquid vanilla extract throws me off.
Hi Aysha, I’ve never made “dump cake”, but you can substitute this mix for any recipe that calls for a yellow box cake mix.
I stay away from cake mixes because it has an ingredient that I causes my hands to break out and I itch all over.
Ok, have any of you actually USED this recipe to bake anything? Also, I’m a little confused. Does this substitute boxed cake mix or is this just for giving recipes that “birthday cake” taste? I have a recipe for a “Sunshine Cake” Ingredients as follows:
1 Lemon
1 Orange
1 Carrot, Grated
3 Eggs
I 160z Sour Cream
1 Package Yellow Cake Mix
***Can I use your recipe instead of the yellow cake mix and how much of it would I use?*** Thank you!!
Yes, you could use this recipe. There are approximately 3 cups of dry mix in a box of cake mix, so that’s how much of this you would use.
I’m confused. In an earlier comment you said this recipe is equivalent to one box of cake mix, about 5 cups. I looked at Mel’s page and she gives contrary advice, too. She says Cook’s Country used this recipe for 1 cake, but she recommends half the recipe for a plain cake, and about 3 1/2 cups if a non-mixed application like a cobbler…I have no idea what to do. Just keep reading comments I guess and see if anybody’s figured it out!
Hi Jo, The yield of batter that comes from a box cake mix is 5 cups; that’s prepared batter with the eggs, oil, water, etc. added in and mixed. The amount of dry mix is around 3 cups.
I am curious about making a chocolate cake mix. Can you add cocoa to the mix, and if so how much would you recommend?
Hi Abbey, I haven’t tried doing this yet, so unfortunately I don’t have a recommendation as to the amount of cocoa powder to try to make a chocolate mix.
Thanks Michelle for posting this recipe! I re-posted it on to my site, bostongirlbakes.blogspot.com, and made some yummy cake batter blondies with it. It’s so nice to know I don’t have to go out and buy those preservative-laden mixes anymore!
Heather
I found this recipe on pinterest. I made it exactly as you listed, but it looked like so much more than the equivellant of one box of cake mix, so I weighed it. As it is written, I was able to make two 19 oz mixes, with a scant two ounces remaining. I can see me having a bit more or less flour in each cup, but having twice as much weight as a single box is leaving me puzzled a to how you think this one recipe equals one box of mix. Thoughts?
This mix was perfect. Thank you, Michelle for sharing. Thank you Holly for the tip on making two mixes!! 1/2 the recipe is enough for dump cake and 1/2 for crust for a cheese cake I found on pinch it. I like the results of the mix bcz you can add more or less to the recipes out there that call for cake mix :)
I have the same question as Elle. I just made the mix and ended up with enough for two 18oz cake mixes with some left over. I made this for a recipe that calls for an 18oz box of yellow cake mix. Am I right in assuming that I just weigh out 18 ounces of the mix for my recipe? Or am I completely missing something?
Hi Sue, Yes, you would just weigh out the dry ingredients and proceed with the recipe.
Unfortunately, I have made these substitutions twice now and both times the cake came out of the oven looking fabulous and immediately fell and caved in. Any ideas on what went wrong? Made all the substitutions as suggested. First time was using a yellow cake box cake and second time a french vanila box cake.
Hi Kathy, I’m confused. Did you use this mix to make a cake, or did you do something with a box cake mix?
Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m understanding your frustration when you say you’ve looked for a “from scratch” recipe and all you get are recipes that call for a cake mix!! grrrrr!! Why don’t people want to bake from scratch anymore??
Have you used this so far in any of your own recipes? I want to use it in a recipe for pumpkin bars that calls for yellow cake mix to make the crust and the topping. I am wondering if you used it, and what for. Thanks!
I used this to make Cake Batter Milkshakes for my kids. Fabulous!
Thanks for the recipe! I did change it up bit and used Splenda sugar blend to make a dump cake for my diabetic dad. It worked perfectly.
Discussions like this about a yellow cake are a good a way to promote and expand the topic. Great information. Nice work Michelle.
ooo I am so glad I found this! I don’t have a problem with cake mix but when I cake make something from scratch, I always like that better. I’m wondering If I can find a homemade white cake mix…. hummmm….
Have you tried making it with all-purpose flour only and not using the cake flour? I’m curious if it changes anything, especially if you’re not using it to actually make a cake.
I have not tried changing flours in the recipe, although the cake flour will make it a little lighter and not as weighed-down as the all-purpose.
I love it… it’s probably better for you too… no secret mystery ingredients!
yay! I would rather have homemade than box mix! Thanks for sharing.
if you are good at math (i ask my hubby) a regular box of cake mix before sizes changed was 18.25 ounces. a cup is 8 ounces. usually that’s fluid but it does roughly translate to flour and stuff. somebody should measure out a cake mix from the box and do a comparison and then let the rest of us mathematically challenged know the results! i would estimate that you’d need two and a half cups of this to equal one box of mix but don’t quote me.
Hi Shawn, A cup of all-purpose flour weighs in around 4.5 ounces, and depending on the protein content could be as little as 4.25 ounces or as much as 5 ounces, it all depends. Different ingredients have much different volumes, which can affect weighing and measuring. The 8 ounces = 1 cup measure is only accurate for fluid liquids.
I’ve had this recipe on my to-do list for a while but never seem to get around to it. I’m so excited about it! No more half empty boxes of cake mix in the pantry from all the cake batter recipes I want to try :)
Quick question – this recipe makes 5 cups of cake mix, but how many cups usually come in one box? In other words, does this one recipe make more than one box mix?
Hi Mary, No, this is equivalent to one box of mix. Most mixes yield 4.5 to 5 cups.
Thanks for answering this one. I had the same question as the recipe I want to try calls for one box of mix. I too dislike box mixes. They never taste anywhere near as good as a homemade scratch cake! I am to the point that if I know a cake is made from a mix and a plastic tub of frosting, I will decline it, saying “sorry, I am full!” haha