Make Your Own Cake Mix

pattikay in L.A.'s Note:

I see all these cool recipes using cake mixes and I usually don't have any on hand. I found this recipe on Recipelink.com, where it is credited as being from Make Your Own Groceries. I've used it, and it does the job! There is another cake mix recipe on this site (#182515), but I thought I'd go ahead and post this one since it is slightly different (it's made with shortening, so it can be made ahead and stored in a plastic bag) and it also includes notes for variations. I'm posting a recipe for a chocolate cake mix as well.

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 1.0 cake mix

• 1 7/8 cups cake flour (I used all purpose flour and it was fine)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening

Directions:

1. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to blend.
2. Mix in sugar.
3. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks crumbly.
4. Label and store in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature.
5. Makes 1 pakage mix. Each package makes two 8 or 9 inch layers or one 9 x 13 x 2 inch rectangle.
6. To Use:.
7. Pour 1 package of mix into a mixing bowl;.
8. add 3/4 cup milk and 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract.
9. Using either an electric or manual rotary beater, beat at slow to medium speed for two minutes (by hand, beat 3 minutes averaging 135 strokes per minute). Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently as you beat.
10. Add 2 eggs; beat 1 minute more (2 minutes by hand).
11. Grease and dust with flour your choice of pan(s); spread batter evenly in pans.
12. Bake round cake pans at 375 degrees F. for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
13. bake the 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
14. Cool cake(s) for 10 minutes in their pan(s) before turning out on racks.
15. Variations:.
16. WHITE CAKE.
17. Follow the same directions as for Yellow Cake replacing the 2 eggs with 3 unbeaten egg whites. Use an electric mixer for beating.
18. SPICE CAKE.
19. Add to the package of Yellow Cake Mix: 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and a pinch of ground allspice. Follow Yellow Cake directions.
20. EXTRACT FLAVORED CAKES.
21. Replace the vanilla in either the Yellow or White Cake recipes with 2 to 3 teaspoons of the extract of your choice. You may want to add a few drops of food coloring for the flavors like lemon, orange, or cherry, etc.
22. FRESH ORANGE CAKE.
23. Pour 1 package of Yellow Cake Mix into a bowl; add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel (1 teaspoon dried). Squeeze the juice from 1 large orange and add to it enough water to measure 1 cup. Add this orange juice to the mix, beat for 2 minutes as directed previously; add 2 eggs; beat and bake as directed.
24. CUPCAKES.
25. Pour cake batter into greased cupcake tins or tins lined with paper baking cups; fill 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
26. Makes about 2 dozen.
27. NOTE: To prevent a cake from sticking to its pan, put the pan on a wet towel to cool as soon as you take it out of the oven.

Reviews

[Boomette]

Very easy to do. I did half of it cause I wanted just a little cake. And I did the spice cake version. But I didn't add sugar for the spice cake version. Thanks Pattikay. Made for Zaar Star Game. I'll do this anytime I need a cake mix for other recipes (when I will have no more cake mix in the pantry LOL)

[Chef #490764]

This was a delightful treat. I made the spice cake (cupcakes). The only change I made was that I used canola oil instead of the vegetable shortening. I put the dry ingredients in processor and added the oil through feed tube til well processed.

[Elaine H]

I was looking for a recipe to use pecans in and I thought I might put them in a cake. I found this recipe and started to assemble it, then realized I did not have enough white flour so I subbed 1/2 whole wheat. I also added 2 small boxes of cook and serve vanilla pudding to the mix and subbed canola oil for the shortening. Next, I added very finely ground pecans, fresh grated nutmeg and Saigon cinnamon to the mix.
It is baking right now. I think it would be good if you cut down a bit on the oil and add some unsweetened applesauce to it too. That idea came to late so I will have to try it again some other time. I also made a frosting with powdered sugar, country crock spread, more finely ground pecans and Saigon Cinnamon.
The neat thing about this recipe is how versatile it is. You can whip it up just like homemade and think ahead to busier times by having extra portions of the mix on hand to save time.
It is still baking, but I can already tell how good it is going to be by the smell and the high rise!