White Cake Mix Recipe

Taste-testing cake is a tough gig, but I’m suffering through it for you guys. Today, I put the finishing touches on my white cake mix recipe, and after sampling a piece (okay, maybe two), I’ve deemed it ready to share.

As you may remember, I’m on a quest to develop my own mix recipes this year. I’ve cooked from scratch for years, but sometimes it would be nice to just pull a mix out of the pantry. And not one of those junky, over-priced mixes that you can buy at the grocery store. I’m talking about a real mix, with real ingredients. Something you could feel good about feeding your family.

So, I came up with a list of mixes that I’d like to develop, and I’m working my way down that list. White cake mix is my latest creation, and it’s a goody.

Since lots of dessert recipes call for a box of cake mix, I’ve taken great care to make sure my cake mix recipes will produce a cake that’s the same size as what you’d get from a store-bought mix. Every time I baked a cake from one of my mixes, I also baked one from a store-bought mix. So, I can tell you definitively that my white cake mix will give you a cake that’s the same size and color as one made from a store-bought mix.

But that’s where the comparison ends, because a cake made from one of my homemade mixes is more moist and flavorful, and holds up better to icing. You know how cupcakes tend to explode into a billion little pieces when you pull back the wrapper? These won’t do that.

Alright, so now that we’ve gotten all of that back story out of the way, let’s dive into the recipe, shall we?

Homemade White Cake Mix

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

If you compare this to my yellow cake mix recipe, you’ll see that the ingredient list is identical. The difference between the two recipes is in the preparation. So, really, if you keep a jar of this in your pantry, you can use it to make either type of cake. Pretty handy.

What You Do:

Measure your flour by spooning it into your measuring cups and leveling it with the back of knife. You may be tempted to just scoop the flour out of the bag with the measuring cup, but don’t do it. You’ll end up with extra flour in your cake, and that’ll kill the light and fluffy texture that we’re aiming for.

Combine the flour and the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and stir until everything is well combined.

Transfer your finished white cake mix to an air-tight container. It should fit perfectly in a quart jar. Be sure to label your container, so you don’t confuse it with another mix.

Free Printable White Cake Mix Labels

Here are free printable labels that you can use.

They’re designed to print on full-sheet shipping labels. Use Avery 8165, if you have an inkjet printer or Avery 5265, if you have a laser printer.

I would recommend putting your mix in a jar with smooth sides. Most canning jars display the brand name on the side of the jar in big, raised letter, and the labels don’t go over that very well. Ball makes a smooth-sided jar for crafting purposes. It’s readily available at most craft stores. You may also have luck finding smooth jars at thrift stores or yard sales.

If you’re using Google’s Chrome browser, our printables may not print properly. Click here for printing help.

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How to Use Your Cake Mix:

When a recipe calls for a box of white cake mix, just replace the box with a jar of your homemade mix, plus a couple teaspoons of vanilla extract. It’s that easy.

Want to use your cake mix to make a white cake from scratch? Here’s how to do that:

Homemade White Cake

Ingredients:

1 homemade white cake mix
6 egg whites
1 stick of butter, softened
1-1/4 cup milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

What You Do:

Dump your cake mix into a mixer or a large mixing bowl. It’s just as easy to make in a stand mixer as it is by hand.

Separate your eggs. Keep the whites, and set the yolks aside. Add your vanilla to the whites, and stir to combine.

Cut your butter into small pieces, and add it to your mixing bowl. Stir until it’s well-combined with the cake mix. Then, add the egg white mixture, followed by the milk. Stir just long enough to bring the batter together. Over stirring will make your cake dense.

Grease your pan. Then, dust it with flour.

Pour your cake batter into your cake pan(s), and bake at 350 degrees. A 13×9″ cake will take around 30 minutes. 8×8″ or 9×9″ cakes will take slightly less time. Figure on around 28 minutes. Your times may vary slightly from mine, so keep an eye on things towards the end of the baking time. You’ll know your cake(s) is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Allow your cake to cool for 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan. Since you greased and floured the pan before you added your batter, it should come right out.

Ice your cake (or don’t). Then, enjoy. This cake freezes well, so it’s a good one to make ahead.

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Wondering what you should do with all those leftover egg yolks? Use them to make pudding, ice cream, lemon curd, key lime pie, lemon bars, creme brulee or mayonnaise. If you don’t have time to make any of those things today, just freeze the yolks for another time.

More Mixes to Try