Kitchen Basics

Mix: Kitchen-made Lemon Cake

This Kitchen-made Lemon Cake Mix can be thrown together in no time! Use the mix right away or make it in advance and simply store it in your refrigerator until you’re ready to bake a 2-layer cake or 24 cupcakes. I can’t

Serves 1 recipe
Prep 15 minutes
Total 15 minutes

Jump to the recipe

This From-scratch Lemon Cake Mix can be thrown together in no time! Use the mix right away or make it in advance and simply store it in your refrigerator until you’re ready to bake a 2-layer cake or 24 cupcakes.

I can’t tell you the last time I bought cake mix.

Making my own cake mix has turned into one of my regular hobbies. It might not be as fast as opening up a box, but it’s pretty close. Not to mention the ingredient list is much shorter and without any additives and preservatives!

Since starting this blog, I’ve grown quite the collection of kitchen-made cake mixes! There’s chocolate, white, yellow and funfetti, and all are linked above the recipe printable down towards the end of the post.

Today, I’m sharing my regular flavor of all… lemon.

Simple ingredients with specks of lemon zest, as it should be.

For this From-scratch Lemon Cake Mix Gather:

sugar
lemon zest
cake flour
baking powder
fine salt (sea or Himalayan)
unsalted butter (softened)

Zest 2 lemons and add that to a bowl with 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar.

Use your fingers to massage the zest and the sugar together.

It should resemble coarse, wet sand.

In a large mixing bowl, add the lemon sugar, 2-3/4 cups cake flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon fine salt.

Note: If using all-purpose flour, you’ll want to use 2-1/2 cups. You may notice a difference in crumb texture as well.

Whisk well to incorporate.

Drop in 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter.

Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Keep going until the butter is in particularly small pieces and nearly undetectable in the dry ingredients.

How To Store Kitchen-made Lemon Cake Mix:

Store in an air-tight jar or container and refrigerate until ready to use!

How Long Will From-scratch Lemon Cake Mix Last?

If stored properly, this cake will last for up to 1 month.

Give From-scratch Cake Mix As A Gift:

If you want to give from-scratch chocolate cake mix as a gift, omit the butter and store all the dry ingredients in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Write out the remaining ingredients (include the butter!) and then recipe instructions (start by creaming the butter, vanilla, eggs and adding the dry ingredients, water, oil etc.) out onto a note card and tie it around the jar with string.

Make The Cake:

The recipe for making the cake is below, however if you want to see a step-by-step for the cake and frosting, click here!

Other Kitchen-made Cake Mixes:

Chocolate Cake Mix

Funfetti Cake Mix

Yellow Cake Mix

White Cake Mix

The recipe

Home Kitchen Kitchen-made Lemon Cake Mix

Serves 1 recipe
Prep 15 minutes
Total 15 minutes

Ingredients

1½ cups granulated sugar
2 medium lemons (zested)
2¾ cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine salt (sea or Himalayan)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)

Method

1
Combine sugar and lemon zest in a bowl. Use your fingers to massage the sugar and zest together until it resembles coarse wet sand.
2
In a large mixing bowl, measure and add flour, lemon sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.
3
Use a pastry cutter (or a couple of knives or a fork will do) and cut the butter into the flour. Keep going until the butter is no longer detectable in the dry ingredients and it’s a truly fine crumb.
4
Store this cake mix in a air-tight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
5
If refrigerated, remove and let come up to room temperature for about 30 mintues before using.

From the cook

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on this site should only be used as a general guideline. Nutritional Value Is for the Entire Cake Mix. Click Here To Use This Lemon Cake Mix!

Per serving

Serving1 g
Calories2869 kcal
Carbohydrates573 g
Protein44 g
Fat53 g
Saturated Fat30 g
Polyunsaturated Fat4 g
Monounsaturated Fat12 g
Trans Fat2 g
Cholesterol120 mg
Sodium4042 mg
Potassium665 mg
Fiber14 g
Sugar306 g
Vitamin A1454 IU
Vitamin C114 mg
Calcium1066 mg
Iron6 mg

The recipe

Frosting: Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream

These Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream are a bright and bursting with lemon. Kitchen-made lemon cake mix is blended with only a few ingredients and yield tender, moist cupcakes (or cake!). Yields 24 cupcakes or 2 (9-inch) cake layers.

Serves 24 servings
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 14 minutes
Total 29 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE LEMON CUPCAKES (OR CAKE):

1 recipe lemon cake mix
1 cup water
2/3 cup grapeseed oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract

FOR THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM:

1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 pinch fine salt (sea salt or Himalayan (optional))

Method

MAKE THE CUPCAKES or CAKE:

1
Preheat your oven to 350° and line a standard muffin pan or alternatively, line and grease 2 (9-inch) cake pans. (see notes for lining cake pans)
2
In a mixing bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add the lemon cake mix, water, oil, eggs, vanilla and lemon extracts.
3
Mix on low to medium speed until incorporated.
4
IF MAKING CUPCAKES: measure 3 tablespoons of the batter per liner. Bake the first batch of cupcakes on the middle rack for 14 to 16 minutes or until a tester comes out clean with only a few crumbs attached. Rotate the pan halfway through to ensure even baking. Remove and repeat with second batch.
5
IF MAKING A 2-LAYER CAKE: divide the batter (about 2¼ cups) per 9-inch cake pan. Bake both cake pans on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 22 to 24 minutes or until a tester comes out clean with only a few crumbs attached. Rotate halfway through to ensure even baking.
6
Remove and let cool completely before frosting.

MAKE THE LEMON BUTTERCREAM:

7
Add softened butter to a mixing bowl or bowl of your stand mixer. Cream butter until smooth, about 2 to 3 mintues.
8
With your mixer on low, gradually add in the sifted powdered sugar. Scraped the sides and bottom of the bowl before each addition. Increase the speed if necessary until incorporated. Sifting powdered sugar beforehand, insures a creamy smooth buttercream.
9
With the mixer on low to medium-low speed, add in the lemon juice, milk, vanilla and lemon extracts. Mix until incorporated.
10
If you need a stiffer frosting, simply add more sifted powdered sugar. If your frosting is too stiff, continue adding a little more milk.
11
The frosting should be soft yet hold it's shape well.

From the cook

Here is my step-by-step for easily lining cake pans. Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on this site should only be used as a general guideline.