This Homemade Vanilla Cake Mix is super easy to put together and store in your pantry for those days you want to put together a quick, delicious vanilla cake! Make several to keep on hand – or to give as gifts. I’ve even included a cute little tag you can print out with the ingredients and instructions for baking later!
We all have those times in life that are super busy and we need a little shortcut. Baking can even be one of those things we need a shortcut with. Though I love to bake and enjoy the process of putting everything together for a wonderful cake, there are times that I just want to grab a mix out of the pantry and have part of process already done for me.
This cake mix is perfect for those days!
The mix includes flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. All your main dry ingredients really. Just combine them in a bowl and add them to a well sealed mason jar and you’re all set! It’s a fair amount of mix, so I used a 32 oz size mason jar. I had to do a little tapping of the jar on the table to get everything to pack down so could I fit it all. 🙂
Once your mix is ready, feel free to download and print the cake mix tag to add to it so you have the ingredients list and instructions handy when you’re ready to bake it. It’s a straightforward mix, which is perfect for a cake mix. No need to cream anything – just combine and mix together!
It bakes up into a lovely and super moist vanilla cake! I love how simple it is to make and the 9×13 size is great for something quick, easy and transportable if you feel like sharing. 🙂 Is there anything better than a quick, easy cake to get your fix?
More Cake Recipes
- Moist Vanilla Layer Cake
- Easy Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Moist Vanilla Cupcakes
- Easy Moist Chocolate Cake
- White Cake
Homemade Vanilla Cake Mix
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 14–16 Servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Homemade Vanilla Cake Mix is super easy to put together and store in your pantry for those days you want to put together a quick, delicious vanilla cake!
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE MIX
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
WET INGREDIENTS TO FINISH CAKE
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) hot water
Instructions
1. To make the cake mix, combine the dry ingredients and mix well.
2. Add the dry mix to a large sealable container. I used 32 oz mason jars. Seal and store until ready to make. Print the tag with ingredients and instructions to add to the jar.
3. To finish the cake, preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and grease a 9×13 inch cake pan.
4. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry cake mix and mix until well combined.
6. Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. The batter will be very thin.
7. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
8. Allow the cake to cool and frost it with the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 462
- Sugar: 50.3 g
- Sodium: 209.2 mg
- Fat: 20.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 66.6 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 40.8 mg
Enjoy!
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I baked this cake for my husband’s b-day. He loved it so much I am baking it again for our family 4th celebration! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is definitely a keeper! No more box cake mixes for us!
Wonderful!
Hi, this looks so simple and from your description, delicious. If you only mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients for this cake and it turns out well, why go through the trouble of beating the butter and sugar for a certain amount of time, adding the eggs and beating for a certain amount of time, and then alternating dry and milk to make a cake batter? Thanks!
Lots of reasons. Some people prefer the taste of butter, some prefer a different texture cupcake. This batter is very thin so you can’t mix things into it, etc.
Thanks Lindsay, that makes sense.
The cake taste like eggs.
Do you need the hot water?
Yes.
How do you store the milk in the pantry? Or do you add the milk later?
The dry ingredients are the only part that goes in the mix. The rest is added later.
Followed the recipe to a T, except I added cinnamon and nutmeg, and what I got was non rising, doughy, tiny cupcakes. Stressed, NOT impressed.
Can I use this cake recipe to make a normal cake, I mean can I remove the vanilla extract?
If you leave out the vanilla, you’d probably want to use a different flavoring or the cake won’t have any flavor.
Great recipe and gift idea! We loved it. My guess if anyone thought it was rubbery they quite possible mixed it way too long. Overmixing will do that to a cake batter. Thanks for the recipe, I have sworn off cake mixes and this was perfect!
I was so excited to make this cake, it was very moist but I felt like it was heavy and doughy. I’m struggling find the perfect recipe with balance of fluffy, moist and not dense. I do love so many of your recipes though!
I completely agree. First time trying it today and I thought I did something wrong or maybe one of my ingredients had expired so I came to the comments and yours was spot on.
I have not tried this recipe yet. Do you happen to know what size the jar needs to be?
I used a standard 16 ounce mason jar.
Tried this recipe yesterday and unfortunately it turned out doughy. Not sure why but I will see if there is another recipe that I can try.
Turned out beautiful!! Thank you for this super easy recipe! Will definitely keep it and use again
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I wish I read the reviews first. I was reading them while it was baking. I followed the recipe and didn’t make any changes and it did not come out like the picture. It was rubbery like others have stated
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. For some reason with this recipe, it seems to either work out perfectly for people or not at all. I can’t seem to figure out why it doesn’t work for people sometimes.
Perfect cake mix! The only thing I had a problem with was the amount of time which can vary depending on oven anyway. I ended up keeping it in the oven for 45 minutes. Came out moist and tasty.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this for my kids and didn’t have any white flour. I ended up using whole wheat flour and it turned out perfect! I couldn’t imagine what it would taste like with normal flour! Great recipe!
Hi Lindsay!! I would like to have a coconut cake mix. May I add dried coconut to this recipe? Thanks 💗
You could certainly try it. It’s going to add texture to your final cake. An alternative would be to add coconut extract later when you add your wet ingredients.