Let me share a great recipe with you to make your own homemade cake mix to have on hand. This particular cake is better suited for a sheet cake than a layer cake. However, it is delicious and very convenient to keep ready in your refrigerator (if using a margarine) or your pantry (if you prefer shortening) for those times when you crave something sweet and just don't feel like working!
What is really nice about this basic recipe is that you can use a healthier margarine and avoid preservatives and all those trans fats that come in packaged cake mixes. You can also make a smaller 8" or 9" cake.
Another wonderful thing about this cake is that you can alter this basic cake mix recipe to get a few different cakes out of the same mix! I will show you how a couple of changes will turn that basic recipe into a Yellow Cake, Chocolate Cake, Orange Cake or Lemon Cake snack cake like magic.
Trust me, you will love this fabulous timesaving recipe!
Homemade Basic Cake Mix--Nuts Style!
3 cups of sifted all-purpose flour
2 cups of sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons of baking powder (I use Rumford only because it does not contain aluminum!)
1 teaspoon of salt
3/4 cup of margarine (Be careful to make sure the package states margarine, not spread. A spread will never work for baking due to the high amount of water. You can also use a shortening, which is less healthy in my opinion but it works as well.)
Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl or your food processor. Mix together or process a few seconds before adding your margarine or shortening. Work this mixture with your fingers or process it until it resembles cornmeal texture. Store the margarine version in the refrigerator or the shortening one at room temperature. This makes about 6 to 7 cups of mix.
To Make My Yellow Snack Cake:
2 cups of Basic Mix
1/2 cup of milk
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Grease an 8 or 9" square baking pan. Stir the mix first before adding the rest of the ingredients in your bowl before pouring into a greased baking pan. Bake about 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
To Make Chocolate Snack Cake Version:
2 cups of Basic Mix
1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup of very cold or ice water
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Prepare the same way as I instructed when making the yellow cake.
To Make Orange or Lemon Snack Cake Version:
2 cups of Basic Mix
1 large egg, slightly beatne
1 tablespoon of grated orange (for orange cake) or lemon peel (for lemon cake)
1/4 cup of either orange juice (for orange cake) or lemon juice (for lemon cake)
1/4 cup water
Prepare the same way as I originally instructed when making the yellow cake.
