The Story:
Alright, there are a lot of haters out there. So this post is for you.
A common email I get is “Why do you use so many cake mixes?” Well, it’s for a few reasons.
1: It’s so EASY. A 99 cent box is worth the extra time measuring and making sure I have the ingredients for cupcakes.
2: It’s easy to for people around the world to duplicate my results Some cakes made from scratch can be tricky to mix the right way. It’s hard to explain in a blog post the correct way to do everything. And did you know most people don’t even measure flour the correct way?! It’s true. You’re not supposed to just scoop out some flour from the bag using your measuring cup, you’re supposed to pour some flour into your measure cup and then scrape it level. Such a silly difference can account for a lot of mistakes because some people can get 1 cup and other will get 1 1/4 cup.
3: It’s not cheating! Did you know a lot of bakeries actually use cake mixes. Some really big and popular ones actually. They call it “cake base” but it’s the same thing.
So here you go! Whenever any of my recipes call for a White Cake Mix, just use these ingredients instead. The cake will be more dense than using a cake mix, so when a recipe uses buttermilk you can use just plain milk to help with that. Also, the batter is quite runny but bakes up just fine.
White Cake Mix Substitute Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 C. flour
- 1 3/4 C. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 C. powdered milk
Instructions
-
1. Sift all ingredients together.
-
2. Seal in a plastic bag and use in place of any recipe calling for "white cake mix"
Let me know if you have any suggestions to make this recipe better, I’m going to try to perfect it over the next few weeks as well as get a Chocolate Cake Mix recipe substitute as well.
I bet using just egg whites would help it not be denser than boxed mixes.
Yeah, I know that using only egg whites and whipping them separately then folding them into the batter helps. But thats such a pain. I love the one bowl thing 🙂
She really is..
Harga Besi WF
oooo cool!!! thanks lizzy!
I like using cake mixes too. They’re super easy and taste great too! But can I disagree on point 2? I think a recipe using cake mix is harder to replicate around the world, because mixes vary so much from country to country. Even if the same flavor is available, the yield and ingredients may be different. So the recipes can be hard to adapt, at least until you get the hang of it (cause mixes are very versatile, really).
Anyway, thanks for the substitute 🙂
This is awesome! This recipe will be really great to have laying around the house for whenever I need some cake mix but don’t have the boxed stuff. I would love it if you shared a chocolate variation as well!!
Would adding meringue powder works? Or, simply adding an egg or two with some butter, beat it, and then add in all the dry ingredients, and then mix, it will still be one bowl, do you think this would work?
Ok I am so excited about this! I’ve always wanted a “cake mix recipe!” Quick question, what do i add to the mix if I just want to make white cupcakes and not use it as a add in to other recipes? Thanks in advance! I am making your tiramisu and oreo cupcakes for our baby shower next month. Super excited to try them out! 🙂
Add:
3 eggs or 4 egg whites
1 cup water or milk
1/2 cup oil
Thanks Lizzy. Will this be a creaming method? Whites & yolks separately whisk? Eggs beaten 1st? Which one dear?
Thanks! I guess I was one of the “haters” since I asked about a scratch recipe, but it was because of a wheat intolerance, but now I can substitute a flour I can tolerate. 🙂
Oh no, don’t worry about it! I know people need alternatives for a lot of reasons, and it nudged me to make the recipe faster 🙂
THANKS for this!!!!
To the haters out there… I have done both kinds of recipe, those from scratch and those from a mix. I have spent a long time on scratch recipes and they come out dry and dense. I love your cup of cake recipes because they never fail and are always delicious. I don’t think there is a better way and I am not a novice cook!
Thanks! I like cake mixes too, just because it’s the easiest and quickest way.
I am a novice baker–or I was. Since I discovered Pinterest & your site, I have slightly elevated my status to one step past novice. I love cake mixes. I have made quite a few of your recipes in the past nine months so you keep right on sharing your ideas. I use to be simple by the back of the cake mix box and you have showed me that I can add other ingredients and really make some impressive cupcakes. So let the haters hate but this girl says thank you for the wonderful recipes. Might get brave & try this one!
Aw thanks Karen! I have about 200 cupcakes in my kitchen right now, things are getting crazy!
Thanks so much lizzy! Im one of the ppl that have been emailing because we dont have the cake mix off the shelf here. I always wanna try a recipe but dont have the cake mix, now i can! 🙂 cant wait for tyhe yellow cake mix sub. Thanks again!
Where I live its very difficult to get cake mixes – and the few that you can get aren´t all that great – so I make everything from scratch , another problem I have is that I can´t get measuring cups either and your comment about how you fill a cup is true not everybody fills it with the same amount so I faithfully weight everything, in grams in my case, and I find using scales a much better and exact method, doing it that way when I repeat a recipe it always come out the same. I have a restaurant and some days I maybe bake between 8 or 9 cake s a day so by the end of the week I have baked quiet a few.
Thanks Lizzy, this cake looks awesome, will difinatelytry this recipe, anyway how to make the frosting? Hope you don’t mind to give me the frosting recipe,.
I just used a basic chocolate buttercream recipe, you can find it on my other cupcake recipes!
I’m an avid cake mix person (yes I love the one bowl easy thing too) and everyone thinks I’ve got some special secret recipe to make the perfect tasting cupcakes. I’ve always wanted a “cake mix recipe” just in case I want to step out of the box and try it. This is fantastic. Thank you for sharing! I love your site and all the wonderful recipes and ideas. Thank you so much for sharing, you are my go to person!
Jolie, I’m the same way! Everyone thinks I’m a master baker and then they are excited to find out I use cake mixes because it really isn’t that hard!
THANK YOU for posting this! I’m one of those haters, and have avoided all your cake mix recipes because of it. But now that can all change!
I’ve made a few of your recipes before, and because they’ve always turned out, I nominated you for a Super Sweet Blogging Award. The rules are here: http://xtinaluvspink.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/and-the-award-goes-to/ I hope you choose to participate. Happy baking!
I love using the cake mixes, but they can be quite different. Seems like I remember you saying you usually purchased Duncan Hines – is that correct?
I use Pillsbury religiously actually
Thanks for sharing this! I love your recipes BECAUSE they are easy to follow, cake mix substitutions. I bake tons and tons of cupcakes. There is a time and a place to bake from scratch. I also worked in a bakery for several years and their most popular cake starts with a Duncan Hines mix, we used to get them in bulk 🙂 Love your blog!
I love love looooove using cake mixes. I always get major compliments when I bake from your site!
I use Duncan Hines always. We don’t have pillsbury up in Canada, and Betty Crocker does not give the same results!
Hello!
Thank you for posting this substitute. I use the cake mixes as well, but will tinker with the recipe too so my kidlits can make them from both scratch and cake mix. Your cupcakes are delicious. We have a cupcake place in town and they are so dry they are definitely not worth what you pay. I like your cupcakes as all i have tried so far have been very moist and our family and friends love them. I am now the go to cupcake girl in the family and you are my go to website for making them 🙂 The haters out there just do not know good cupcakes!
Haha, the “haters” have their reasons. A lot of people live in places that don’t have cake mixes, so I’m happy to cater to each crowd
have you ever heard of anyone making a cake batter from scratch and combining it with box cake batter? making both seperatly and basically doubling the batter by combining and for taste?
Nope, but I have head of “cake mix extender.” It’s sort of the same idea.
I like to use the recipe White Almond Sour Cream Wedding cake. I made my friends wedding cake and I did the baking 2 to 2 1/2 weeks ahead of time and put them in the freezer. When I needed them to fill and decorate I thawed them out and they where moist with out being soggy. She was getting compliments on the cake months after her wedding.
The WASC is a great cake!
I use a cake mix extender with my strawberry cake recipe. I use Paula Deen’s Simply Delicious Strawberry cake and because I like it to be 3 layers instead of 2, I add the following cake mix extender from a recipe on the wilton forum:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup water
It comes out great 🙂
** I just add all of the dry ingredients in with the box mix and stir it up with a whisk. You can sift this if you like, but I find the whisk works just as well and has less mess!
My favorites are the recipes you post using a cake mix. I am gluten free so this makes it easy for me to substitute a gluten free cake mix in your recipe and I have wonderful results. No one ever knows they are gluten free unless I tell them!
Wonderful! I LOVE that gluten free people can do that!
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I have used cake mixes for years for all kinds of cakes and cupcakes, they never fail to be moist and the most flavorful. I have my first paying cupcake order asking for some vanilla and some chocolate cupcakes. Didn’t realize how hard that would be, what they tasted before of mine were decadent specialty cupcakes. I can’t just show up with ordinary vanilla and chocolate with no pizazz, lol. They have to be rich, moist, and the most amazing chocolate or vanilla cupcake they ever had. I think your recipe is going to to the trick. Thank you again for sharing your recipes.
i find if you add melted butter instead of oil its not as heavy 🙂
I work on specialty desserts for my in-laws restaurant and when it comes to playing around with flavor combos or needing a thick enough batter to suspend things in while cooking, you can’t beat cake mixes. My own chocolate mix is fast and probably my favorite but it is way to liquidy to add things to and not have them fall straight to the bottom. I also love the flavor of my vanilla cupcakes but it is time consuming and not practical for playing around with over and over. I would like to know what is a good white or vanilla box mix to use for this though. I have tried: Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and Duncan Hines but all the white and yellow mixes have such a chemical taste, I can’t get past it. I add the 4 eggs, cup sour cream, 1/2 c oil, 1/2 c water and then pudding.
I have always used the Dunkin Hines Butter Recipe Cake Mix and I add in an extra egg and a tbsp of vanilla. My family raves about them. It just seems to work. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi Lizzy. Just found your blog – WOW! So many cupcakes to choose from, I don’t know where to start! I had question though about what flour and sugar to us for the cake mix. Is it white sugar and all purpose flour? I’m in the UK so just want to be sure I use the right equivalent. Thanks!
Yes yes! Granulated white sugar and all purpose flour is what I use!
Thanks Lizzy. I was itching to start last night so had a guess and made a batch with Caster Sugar and Self Raising Flour – they still came out moist and fluffy, and didn’t last an hour in the office this morning! I’ve been tasked to make cupcakes for a charity night this weekend so have chosen 3 of your cupcake recipes so hoping to they’ll be a big hit! 🙂
hi Natahsa, as I’m in the UK too I was just wondering what cake box mix you used? Thanks in advanced 😀 x x x
Pillsbury is my favorite box mixes!
Hi Lizzie it’s not possible to get pillsbury box mixes here in the UK or at least I don’t think they are sold here 😀 x x x
That’s alright, you can just use this cake mix substitute recipe instead!
thank you Lizzie!!! one last question (sorry!) is is it ok to use any devils food cake mix in any of your chocolate cake recipes. Thanks for your quick replys!! x x xx
I prefer the Pillsbury or Betty Crocker ones
Thanks for your help Lizzie 😀 x x x
Hi Courtney.. when I can, I either order Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines mixes from Ebay, or the American Soda website where I can get other US ingredients. 🙂
Tricky! Love it!
I am just loving your blog. Would you be kind enough to tell me what icing tips you use? I am loving the tip you used on the chocolate icing for the white cake mix substitute, but would love to hear which ones you use. Also, can you provide me with a source as where I would buy them and the brand name. Most of the ones I have seem small and the results are not the same.
have you come up with the chocolate cake mix substitute yet?
Hey Lizzy! love your website, i was wondering what can be used instead of powdered milk 🙂
Nothing really, it gives the cake a richer taste. You can leave it out, but you lose flavor.
Hi Lizzy!! Greetings from Costa Rica! I love your blog, you have many delicious options. I could not do any chocolate cupcake so I like to know that I can replace the Devil’s Cake Box, you give me a recipe? thanks
Just ordered your book from AMAZON.com. It has taken me years to realize that truthfully, no one but me knows the difference between box cake mixes and homemade scratch cakes. As long as the cake is not ‘dry’. Every one has eaten thousands of cakes from commercial box mixes, they just don’t realize it. And that is what they are used to eating.
Your photography is superb, really first class.
Aw, thanks so much! Yeah, people don’t know how many bakeries use cake base, there’s so shame in it and they are delicious!
Hi Lizzy, i was just wondering would one batch of this substitute white cake mix be equivilent to one cake box mix when called for in your recipes. Thanks for your help x. Xx
Yes! That’s correct!
Hello Lizzy
I am looking for ideas as I am doing a project on using any confectionary products and I have to select 6 ingredients. It source, processing, and refining details of the ingredients. Functions of these ingredients in the baked goods, then I have to identify a replacement /substitutes of similar quality and the I have to highlight the effects on the replacement/substitutes ingredients on the baked product, and to justify this ingredients replacement/substitutes. Now my problem is the replacement/substitutes to the ingredients to the confectionary products. Please, I need your help and tips on this project.
Thanks
So, does this makes the equivalent of an 18.25 oz package?
Yes it does!
Hi,this is so interesting. At Christmas we make a Christmas poke cake….with jello. It’s supposed to be made with white cake, but the mixes are expensive here in the UK, as we dint usually sell the here . They are imported.
If you known the christmas poke cake recipe . Found here. http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/christmas-rainbow-jell-o-poke-cake-1980.html
Could you tell me how to use your mix to make that cake please. Im trying it stay away from loads of egg whites. CEO dont want to make from,scratch.
Hope you can help. We love this cake.
Thanks
Just mix the above ingredients with 3 eggs, 1/3 C. oil and 1 C. milk and then follow the rest of the instructions for you jello cake!
Heyy, what would you use as an egg substitute when using the pillsbury super moist cake..vegan and gluten free!!
Oh my, not totally sure. I know a lot of people use applesauce in place of eggs…
Awesome Thanks!!!
Can you please tell me the difference in flavor using only egg whites as opposed to whole eggs.
Yes! Egg whites makes a recipe lighter in texture and also less rich (fewer calories) while whole eggs add more favor and make the cake a little more dense. Hope that helps!
Hi,
I have a couple of recipes that call for spice cake mix and another for yellow cake mix,
Do you have homemade cake recipes? I want to bake from scratch.
Thank You,
Gale
Just use this white cake mix and add spices to make it a spice cake mix and as for the yellow, only use egg yolks when you make the cake (ad an extra one). It’s hard to really copy the yellow cake mixes though because they use powdered egg yolks, and those are tricky to find.
Thanks so much for this! I LOVE your blog (and instagram, Facebook and pinterest..too far?) I love this post because sometime I use the box mix because of a time issue but if I have the time I love getting back to the basics. Recently all the recipes I wanted to take my time on all called for box mixes! Little frustrating BUT thats what makes you fantastic!
Happy to help out Sarah!
Hi Lizzy, I want to congratulate you on your success. I am wondering if I can use cake flour instead of all purpose flour for this cake recipe? Thanks ahead of time, one of your many fans Susie in Cali
Yes you can! Thanks for your support Susie 🙂
Why the powdered milk in this one and not the chocolate…csn you use something else other then that or follow the chocolate just add more ur
Two questions: 1) since the manufacturer’s have decreased the weight of the boxed mixes, does this matter for your recipes? This may have been discussed earlier, but I did not find anything on this issue. 2) If I have some old, out-of-date boxed mixes, can I test them to see if they are OK? Should I just add an extra teaspoon??? of baking powder in case what is in the mix may not work anymore. Thanks for your site and for answering my questions. Good Luck!
1. Nah, doesn’t matter!! 2. I have used really old mixes and they still work great!
Thank you so much for this! I bake about 200 cupcakes a month and use doctored box mixes most of the time. I feel like such a cheat! I can’t wait to try this out. Also, I am curious about what El Greene (above comment) asked too. I haven’t seemed to notice much difference in my doctored recipes, but wonder if yours will work out the same. Thanks again.
I love to bake, cakes and cupcakes of all kinds. I often reguraly use Duncan Hines Cake mixes. Especially love the white cake mix. I wish I could find a homemake cupcake receipe that was as moiste as these turn out. I always get such rave reviews on my cupcakes and I feel bad that they are not from scratch.
I dislike reading all these post from people who have not tried the recipe. I want to know how it turned out and not read comments like “sounds great, will try, like your blog”. Waste of comment space.
I have a question what brand of powdered milk do you use? Thank you
Carnation!
Hey there, You’ve done a great job. I’ll definitely digg it and personally recommend to my friends.
I am sure they’ll be benefited from this site.
Thank you so much for this! I got a cake pop maker for Christmas, and I wanted to start making my own recipes!
Interesting. If I added a cup of powdered milk to my traditional scratch recipes, how would it affect it? What adjustments should I make to my original recipe?
What can I use in place of the powdered milk? I see the question was asked, but not answered. Thanks
by mistake i put 3/4 cup of oil to duncan hines cake mix instead of 1/3, what can happen?
Don’t mind about haters… I still love your mix cake..
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I have never seen a plain cake mix sold in Austria, so I appreciate this recipe!
So glad I could help! Enjoy!
I have a box of vanilla cake mix. I’m not a big vanilla fan. I want to do something with it besides make a cake. Everything I fine is for white cake mix. My question is can I substitute the vanilla for the white cake mix. Or is there something you can recommend. Thank you, Debbie
What ingredients do you need if you want to make this into a cake? And how long would it bake?
What can you substitutes powdered milk for?
I have a recipe that uses a cake mix and stick of butter combined as the ‘crust’. Would this work for that?
Can you add vanilla pudding mix to it to make it more moist?
Recipe may be great but it’s not proportionate to a box mix. Most are 15.25oz and the recipe comes out to over 25 ounces. I did not notice this until after I made my Gooey Butter Cake recipe and the dough part (cake mix with a stick of melted butter and one egg) seemed unusually dry. I made it anyway and hopefully it came out okay but now I know I need to adjust your recipe to make it come out to closer to 15 ounces.
Yes, I am aware that it is helpful to make the batter with just egg whites, beat those egg whites separately, and then fold them into the batter. However, it is a major inconvenience. I like the concept of using just one dish.
It’s cool, I make similar cupcakes for my children for school, it’s very important to me so that they don’t stay hungry. It is also important to choose the right methods in learning https://www.nursingpaper.com/questions/ this will help save your time and nerves.
Lol, before releasing the recipes, you offered a lot of fun short stories. I love your stories. Your recipe is also good. I can follow and create a lot of yummy cakes. It is best if you can release more articles.
I appreciate your recipe. I made this cake. It is sweet and delicious. I plan to make it on my son’s birthday. Hope that the kids will like it.
very interesting for me
I love this cake so much!
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Great Post
I think the author makes a compelling case for the practical benefits of using cake mixes, especially for home bakers who value consistency and ease over the satisfaction of fully homemade cakes.
Thank you so much! I love all the tips you gave as well, can’t wait to try these!
Hi there
nice post