Homemade Yellow Cake Mix is an easy, made-from-scratch substitute for store-bought boxed mixes. It produces a soft, moist yellow cake and works perfectly when a recipe calls for a boxed yellow cake mix. This simple mix is flexible — add a few drops of vanilla, lemon, or other extracts to customize the flavor.
This recipe recreates the convenience of a boxed yellow cake mix using common pantry ingredients. It makes enough batter for a 9 x 13-inch pan or two 9-inch round pans and approximates a 16.5 oz boxed mix. If the recipe you’re following calls for a slightly different box size (one or two ounces), you can usually proceed without adjusting much.
Note: this mix follows the sweetness level of many commercial cake mixes. If you prefer a less sweet cake, you can reduce the sugar by one-third to one-half without compromising texture too much.
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
23 – 28 minutes
Yield
9 x 13 pan or 2 x 9 inch pans
Ingredients
2 ½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
2 ¼ cups (450 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ cup (75 g) melted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup (235 ml) milk
- You can replace the milk with 5 tablespoons dry milk powder plus 1 cup (235 ml) water.
- For a less sweet cake, reduce the sugar by half or by one-third to taste.
- To change the flavor, stir 1–2 teaspoons of vanilla, lemon, or almond extract into the wet ingredients.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan or two 9-inch round pans.
- In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the sugar until evenly distributed.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Add the milk and melted butter to the eggs and whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and smooth the top. Bake for 23 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting or serving.
Serving and storage: Once cooled, frost the cake as desired or dust with powdered sugar. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 2–3 days or refrigerate for up to a week. You can also freeze unfrosted cake layers wrapped tightly for up to 3 months.
We’d love to hear how your cake turned out. If you tried any variations or add-ins, please share your experience in the comments. Happy baking!
Recipe Summary
Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
From-scratch substitute for boxed yellow cake mix. Soft, moist, and easy to flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ cups (450 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (75 g) melted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (235 ml) milk
Instructions (short)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare pans.
- Mix dry ingredients; whisk eggs, milk, and butter.
- Combine wet and dry, pour into pans, and bake 23–28 minutes.
- Cool 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Nutrition (per serving)
Yield: 10 servings • Calories: 375 • Total Fat: 8g • Saturated Fat: 5g • Cholesterol: 74mg • Sodium: 392mg • Carbohydrates: 70g • Fiber: 1g • Sugar: 45g • Protein: 6g
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary.