The Best Cake Mix Muffin Recipes
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Breakfast is the best meal of the day, but when you’re short on time, why not lean into my favorite kitchen hack: muffins with cake mix! Skip the measuring and dirty dishes and make fluffy bakery style muffins that taste like they’re from scratch!
Why You’ll Love Using Cake Mix for Muffins
- Quick and Easy: Cake mix takes the guesswork out of baking, allowing you to whip up delicious muffins in a fraction of the time. Perfect for busy mornings, play dates, or last-minute baking!
- Foolproof Results: With cake mix, you get consistently fluffy and moist muffins every time. No need to worry about measuring ingredients or mixing techniques—just mix, bake, and enjoy!
- Endless Flavor Possibilities: From classic chocolate chip to blueberry lemon, cake mix provides a versatile base that you can easily customize with your favorite add-ins and flavors.
- Kid-Friendly Treat: Baking muffins with cake mix is a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen. Let them whisk the batter and sprinkle in chocolate chips for a fun and simple baking activity.
- Perfect for Busy Schedules: Whether you’re prepping for a busy week ahead or need a quick snack for school lunches, muffins made with cake mix are a real time saver! Make a double batch and freeze the extras for a quick grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
- Budget-Friendly: Using cake mix as your base is cost-effective and allows you to make a large batch of muffins without breaking the bank.
- A Great Way To Start Baking: Even if you’re not a seasoned baker, cake mix makes it easy to create delicious muffins that your family will love.
The Best Cake Mix Muffins
Variations
The best part of using a cake mix as your muffin base is the versatility. White and Yellow cake mixes can be used as a base for any muffin recipe.
- Add a dash of cinnamon or vanilla to add warmth.
- If you’re using raspberries or blueberries, add some fresh lemon zest or extract to the batter to freshen it up. Or use a lemon cake mix!
- To make cake mix taste more homemade, use melted butter in place of the vegetable oil, and sour cream or yogurt for the water called for on the box mix.
- Spice cake mixes are great for pumpkin muffins or any cozy muffin with a lot of spices!
Note: If using white cake mix, use the instructions on the back of the box that call for whole eggs.
Making Cake Mix Muffins Healthier:
With a few simple swaps, you can make your cake mix muffins healthier.
- Add in extra nutrients by using ingredients like applesauce or banana instead of water and mixing in fresh blueberries, diced fruit, nuts, and seeds.
- I like using whole milk Greek yogurt in place of the water the boxed mix calls for. The yogurt adds moisture and extra protein.
- Melted applesauce, coconut oil, or unsalted butter can be used in place of vegetable oil in cake mix recipes. Use “refined” coconut oil so the muffins won’t taste like coconut.
Storing Leftover Muffins
Store leftover muffins at room temperature in an air tight container. See the recipe for specific storage durations.
Freezing Cake Mix Muffins
After baking, let the muffins cool completely and leave them in the paper liners.
Place the muffins in an airtight container or resealable freezer bag, and freeze for up to one month.
To enjoy, thaw at room temperature or reheat directly from the freezer in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or in the air fryer at 300°F for about 5-8 minutes.
FAQs
Commercial muffin mixes call for less wet ingredients, making a thicker batter with a coarser crumb. Cake mix typically requires more fat and water to make a finer and fluffier texture.
The ingredients are the same, but the amount of wet to dry ingredients, the fat levels added, and how the batters are mixed are different.
Yes. They can also go by the name “muffin tins”.
More Time Saving Recipes
Here are more quick recipes using shortcut ingredients that you’ll love!
