As we’ve discussed before here on the blog, it’s getting difficult to find a cake mix that hasn’t been reduced from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces. This week, two things came up that made me want to work on a solution of sorts to this issue. First, I wanted to make my favorite lemon streusel recipe, which uses a lemon cake mix as a base. Second, my beautiful mom gave me a new cookbook for Christmas, Taste of Home’s “Fast Fixes With Mixes,” which uses…
…18.25-ounce cake mixes as bases for other recipes. In light of both of these, I wanted to figure out a way to add three ounces back in to a boxed cake mix so that these recipes would bake up the same as they previously had.
I had the idea to mix it up, store it in a mason jar, and then just spoon out a few tablespoons-full of mix extender when I needed it. Here’s what I came up with:
Three-Ounce Cake Mix “Upsizer”
Adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book white and yellow cake recipes:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Whisk all dry ingredients together and store in a clean mason jar. When you wish to increase a 15.25 ounce cake mix to 18.25 ounces, add three ounces of this mix (6 tablespoons) to your existing cake mix. Believe it or not, you do not need to adjust the liquid ingredients at all — try it and see!
I’m using this now to upsize cake mixes for any recipe that uses a cake mix as an ingredient, as those recipes are based on the older, larger-sized mixes. And that lemon streusel that I love? Came out perfectly!
letsshop says
To have on hand for problems like a sized down box of cake mix. Never noticed since I don’t bake much anymore. I know everything is getting sized down lately !
Springfield says
This is a good idea. I will make some up this weekend. Good to have on hand
kbhmom says
I knew things were getting downsized to keep from raising prices, but I never thought about the cake mix as an ingredient. I just used a box of cake mix as is. Might explain why the recipes came out extra moist this year. LOL. They were still good though. ;)
seachicago says
I’m planning to try this tonight. I need to make cakes for my son’s birthday, and when I read the side of the cake mix box, I noticed it only makes 10 servings! The older boxes I have make 12. Grrrr!!!
Sweetles says
If you start with a new, lesser quantity, mix and add the ounces back in, do you need to increase the liquid (oil, water, egg) shown on the back of the new box? I don’t have a new box in my cupboard right now to compare the extra ingredients required to what was required for the old box. So, I don’t know if they also decreased the required liquids and now that we can add back in more dry ingredients (thanks to your recipe), will that throw off the batter consistency?
addicted says
Just wanted to say thanks again for this post. I reference it whenever I need to make a new batch, or just double check directions.