Homemade Yellow Cake Mix From Scratch
If you’re not making your own homemade yellow cake mix, you should be! There are so many scrumptious dessert recipes that calls for “yellow cake mix” in the world. Cake mix makes dessert making so much more simple. But the list of ingredients in cake mix isn’t all that great, so I’ve avoided cake mix and recipes calling for cake mix for years.
BUT not any more.
I was on the phone with my sister Julie, chatting about a certain beloved cake my mom makes (which calls for a box of cake mix) and how I’d love to make it because it has been forever-and-a-day since I have tasted it. Julie knows I don’t like to use pre-made cake mixes because all the artificial ingredients, blah, blah, blah, so she then she tells me “Laur! I have a recipe for homemade yellow cake mix!” and then she instantly emailed me her recipe. She can’t remember the source of where she found it, but she has used it for many recipes and truthfully I don’t even care because THIS is genius.
I love that it can be made a week or so in advance, if kept in the fridge, OR it can be frozen for a few months. Which means you can have cake mix at your fingertips.
Which translates to having cake at your fingertips… who doesn’t like the sound of that?
To make this yellow cake mix, you’ll need some pretty basic pantry items: unbleached all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and room temperature unsalted butter. See there’s no reason not to make your own cake mix, you probably have these things in your pantry already and plus you can pronounce all the ingredients! Bonus!
Start by measuring and leveling the all purpose flour.
You’ll need 2 and 1/2 cups.
Measure and pour in 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar.
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder.
And 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
Stir to combine…
Drop in 4 tablespoons or 1/2 of a stick of room temp unsalted butter.
Use a pastry blender to work the butter into the flour and sugar.
Until the butter basically disappears into the dry ingredients.
Next, pour the cake mix into a container with a tight-fitting lid. Then store in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. Or store in the freezer for 2 to 4 months (maybe more!). You’ll just want to pull it out 25 to 30 minutes before you use it in a recipe.
Here’s my recipe for a yellow cake PLUS I’ll be sharing a melt-in-your-mouth cake recipe featuring this homemade yellow cake mix as well!
Happy Baking!
My cookbook Simply Scratch : 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy is now available! CLICK HERE for details and THANK YOU in advance!
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Over the past few years Iāve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours! (
This makes me so happy! I am totally a fan of making my own cake mix!!!
Laurie McNamara replied: — May 13th, 2015 @ 12:54 pm
I’m so glad Stacey! š
Sounds wonderful! My question though is what do you add to it to make it in to an actual cake? As is works well for dump cakes and the like but would love to use it to make layer cakes. Thanks!
Laurie McNamara replied: — May 13th, 2015 @ 12:54 pm
Hi Tami! I have plans to share the recipe for a homemade yellow cake soon! So stay tuned! š
Hooray! I’m always looking for a way around the box as well. Thank you for sharing!!
waiting for the rest of the recipe.
Laurie McNamara replied: — May 14th, 2015 @ 10:09 pm
It’s coming tomorrow Vicky! Thanks for being patient š
As always, I love the photos on your post. Thanks for sharing your “outside the box” mix.
Laurie McNamara replied: — May 14th, 2015 @ 10:07 pm
Thank you Eron! š
Why couldn’t you make this mix up minus the butter and put in jars or bags and vacuum seal and take out when needed and add the butter if using in a recipe that calls for a yellow cake mix or if wanting to make a cake add the butter and other ingredients for a cake (eggs, milk??)
Laurie McNamara replied: — May 15th, 2015 @ 12:12 am
I don’t see a reason why you couldn’t Carolyn! š
So how much of the mix do you use? What other ingredients are needed for the cake, ie eggs, milk, oil?? Kinda need that info.
Laurie McNamara replied: — May 14th, 2015 @ 10:07 pm
Yes! I agree! I’m actually posting the cake recipe tomorrow, so stay tuned š
Add 1 1/4 C Water and 2 eggs to make the cake. Found it on her site!
Laurie McNamara replied: — May 14th, 2015 @ 10:08 pm
Actually this cake recipe is different from the cupcake post on this site š
Hi Laurie,
WHile i love this idea, the reason I am contacting you is….I see your last name is Mc Namara. That is my Maiden name!! š I wonder if we are some how related!!
Laurie McNamara replied: — May 15th, 2015 @ 12:13 am
Ha! That’s awesome! It’s always a possibility! š
So happy you used AP flour! I was scrolling down your blog with the side-eye that you’d make me go buy cake flour. Then I got to the measuring pic and see “all purpose”! Woot! Definitely giving this a try v. soon!
I wonder how much cocoa/sugar you would need to make your own ‘chocolate cake mix”???? hmmm I bet that you will come up with that next!!!!
Hi Laurie,
This recipe worked perfectly! My recipe called for a box of yellow cake mix, which I didn’t have on hand – discovered this after my bundt pan was greased and floured. Bundt cake was spot on! I’ll be using this recipe from now on. Thanks.
What do you add into the mix to make it into cake batter?
Laurie McNamara replied: — October 9th, 2015 @ 9:52 am
Here’s the link Kimberly! http://www.simplyscratch.com/2015/05/homemade-yellow-cake-whipped-chocolate-frosting.html
OMG!!! this recipe is the best! I made a cake using your cake recipe with this mix for a party and everyone loved it! Thank you so much!
If my recipe calls for 18.25oz cake mix do I use one recipe of this or should I measure out the 18.25?
Hallelujah! Thank you so much! I too prefer to make things from scratch rather than use “ingredients” from boxes/jars. I have amazing recipes that call for “yellow cake mix”, but I prefer to have everything I make have real ingredients (not a bunch of things I can’t pronounce). So, this is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks again!
Made this cake today and we love it! It tastes like pancakes which is a very good thing. Thanks for the recipe!
Do you have to use grape seed oil or would most other oils do…for instance coconut oil or vegetable oil?
Do I use the whole cake mix for one recipe that calls for yellow cake mix?
Laurie McNamara replied: — June 12th, 2016 @ 9:04 am
Hi Joseph! Yes, you sure can!
I own your cookbook (awesome), but didn’t see this recipe in it. It is exactly what I need! Thanks!
Laurie McNamara replied: — September 8th, 2017 @ 7:39 am
Thank you for purchasing a cookbook, Renee! I hope you enjoy this recipe š