This homemade white cake mix is easy to mix up and it will stay fresh for several months on your pantry shelf. Not only does it save money and taste great but you'll know everything that goes into it! With just a few ingredients you can stir up a homemade cake mix recipe in minutes. You can even use it in any recipe that calls for conventional cake mix, like this cute Jello Poke Cake!
For this recipe you'll need: flour, sugar (I use vanilla sugar), buttermilk powder, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt
Find out more about the different kinds of flour before you get started.
I don't like cake from cake mix very much.
There are a ton of reasons but the main one, for me, is that you really don't save that much time. I mean, seriously, you save about 3 or 4 minutes because you don't have to measure the dry ingredients. Whoo.
But, I'll also admit that sometimes it's just nice to dump the contents of a bag into the bowl, add eggs plus oil plus water, and wave your magic wand over the gooey batter which then forms into a tender, yummy cake. If you don't have the magic wand you might have to put it in the oven and it might take a little longer but the results are the same.
I've said before that I wasn't allowed to cook or bake in my mom's kitchen because I was too messy. I don't blame her because I really am super messy... but the one thing she did allow was a one layer cake from a mix. No frosting, mind you, just the cake.
Since most of my messes are made in the process of measuring a cake mix kept the kitchen sparkling clean and satisfied my need to bake. It was a win win situation! At least it was until I was making cake several times a week and we'd all gained a few extra pounds. At that point I was unceremoniously introduced to Dr. Stillman - a contemporary of Dr. Atkins with an even stricter diet plan.
I pretty much stayed away from cakes of any type after that.
Once I was a mom I realized that I not only enjoyed cooking but I had little time to devote to it. Cake mixes just didn't fit my WWMID? (What Would Ma Ingalls Do?) mentality so I started experimenting with making my own mixes.
This was long before the Internet, y 'all. This was back in the day when if you wanted a recipe you had to buy a cookbook, check a cookbook out from the library, or tear the recipe from the magazine you were reading. Yes.
It was the dark age of technology.
Coming up with recipes that weren't popular or in common use was nearly impossible so it meant a lot of trial and error. Mostly error. Eventually I came up with a couple of cake mix, bread mix, and other recipes that I liked. It's funny to see the mix recipes similar to the ones I worked for months on so readily available on Pinterest.
Y'all are blessed.
So this is my homemade white cake mix. It's pretty basic and results in a somewhat dense cake that works well for anything a boxed cake mix will work for.You can add whatever clear flavoring you like to change the flavor up - I like a combination of almond and vanilla for a wedding cake flavor.
I vacuum seal my mixes and keep them on the pantry shelf. I think this keeps them fresher longer than popping them into a cute jar but you do whatever works best for you. I've had mine last at least 6 months for sure - I lost one behind the Thanksgiving roaster pan and found it in May.
Worked fine.
Make up a batch or two of this homemade white cake mix today because I have a recipe publishing on Monday for the Fourth of July that you'll definitely want to make.
Homemade White Cake Mix Recipe
This is easy to make and will stay good, tightly sealed, on the pantry shelf for months. Use this homemade cake mix any way you'd use a commercial white cake mix.
📖 Recipe
Homemade White Cake Mix
Print Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 5 cups all purpose flour
- 4 cups vanilla sugar, or use plain sugar and add a vanilla bean to the bag of mix - remove before using
- 1 cup buttermilk powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Blend sugar in the blender for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Mix all ingredients together.
- Seal in an airtight container for up to 3 months (I've had it longer and it's fine)
To Use
- Measure 5 cups of cake mix into the bowl of a mixer.
- Add 1-¼ cups water, ½ cup light vegetable oil (I use peanut oil since we don't have allergies), 2 teaspoons clear vanilla, and 4 egg whites (about ⅔ cup).
- Beat on low for 1 minute.
- Switch to high and beat for 2 minutes.
- Spoon into a greased and floured pan of choice and bake at 350F according to the chart below.
- Baking Time : Cupcakes — 12-15 minutes
8″ or 9″ cake rounds — 20-25 minutes.13 x 9 pan — 35-40 minutesBundt pan — 45-50 minutes
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Debra H says
Hi, I have not tried your recipe but I am forward to doing so since I am a “made from scratch” baker. Have you tried this recipe using cake flour?
If so, what would be the measurements.
Debra
D’Sweets simply homemade
Marye says
I have not but Im sure you could.
Sallie Russ says
Is there a way to use this mix, I already have some in the pantry, to make a chocolate cake mix?
Marye says
I'm honestly not sure - adding cocoa would throw off the measurements.
Jessica says
If I don’t have vanilla beans - can I use vanilla extract when I add all the wer ingredients?
Marye says
Yes. That will be fine!
Judy says
To make the cake, instead of water, could I use amaretto liqueur? If so, would i sub the entire amount of water for the equal amount of liqueur?
MARYE AUDET-WHITE says
yes and yes. 🙂
Michelle says
If I want to make this but dont want to store it. CanI use Regular Buttermilk instead of the dry? The dont seem to sell it where I live? I have made my vanilla sugar 2 weeks ago and Im eager to make this cake.
Marye Audet says
sure! 🙂