Pancake Mix Cake Recipe
Can you make a cake with pancake mix? Yes!
Pancake mix already contains flour, leavening, and salt, so all you need to add is sugar, eggs, milk, and oil to get a soft, fluffy pancake mix cake.
It’s the easiest shortcut when you want cake but don’t have cake mix or a full list of baking ingredients.
This cake recipe takes about 10 minutes to prep, uses 5 pantry staples, and bakes in one pan. Frost it, top it with fresh berries, or stir in chocolate chips.
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What You’ll Need to Make a Cake with Pancake Mix
- Pancake mix: use a “complete” mix. Avoid “just add water” mixes, which lack the richness a cake needs.
- Sugar: pancake mix is only lightly sweetened, so this is what makes it taste like cake.
- Eggs, milk, and vegetable oil: these add structure, moisture, and tenderness.
- Vanilla extract (optional): it makes the cake taste more like a classic vanilla cake.
How to Make a Cake with Pancake Mix
- Just combine pancake mix with sugar, then whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla before mixing everything until smooth.
- Pour the batter into a greased 9×13″ pan and bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let it cool, then use your favorite frosting recipe or decorate as you like.
This easy recipe gives you a fluffy cake base that you can customize with your favorite flavors, frosting recipes, mix-ins, or toppings.
Easy Variations
- Chocolate chip: fold in ½ cup mini chocolate chips.
- Funfetti-style: add 2-3 tablespoons of sprinkles.
- Lemon: add lemon zest and swap a little of the milk for lemon juice.
- Berry: fold in fresh or frozen berries, or top with whipped cream and berries.
Don’t Forget To…
- Scroll down to print the full recipe with step-by-step instructions and exact measurements.
- Check out my Kitchen Essentials for the pans, mixing bowls, and baking tools I use to make this recipe a breeze.
- Save or share this recipe on Pinterest!
No. Pancake mix is lightly sweetened and made for light, fluffy pancakes. Cake mix is sweeter and richer, with added flavorings. They aren’t interchangeable cup for cup, but you can turn pancake mix into a cake by adding sugar, eggs, and oil.
Yes, with a few adjustments. Pancake mix is made for pancakes, so it needs extra sugar and fat (eggs and oil) to taste and feel like cake. Skip any “just add water” mix, since those don’t have enough richness.
Yes. Pancake mix already has flour, baking powder, and salt in it, so it works as a shortcut base. Add sugar, eggs, milk, and oil, and you get a soft, fluffy cake with a slightly lighter, less rich texture than a traditional cake.
Absolutely! Just divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 15–18 minutes.
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More Pancake Mix Ideas
- Try this Easy Recipe for Pancake Mix Muffins for a quick grab-and-go snack that’s perfect any time of day.
- Wondering what can you do with pancake mix besides pancakes? You’ll be surprised at how many creative and tasty options there are.
- Explore a variety of Pancake Mix Breakfast Recipes that make mornings simple, delicious, and stress-free.
How to Make a Cake with Pancake Mix
Ingredients
- 2 cups pancake mix
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pancake mix and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract (if using).
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, you can frost or decorate it as desired.
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