Rather than spend the higher cost of Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix, you can save money by making your own using the exact same ingredients. Make a batch to keep on-hand for cravings and unexpected guests.
I swear by using my Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend Recipe to bake gluten free goodies. When your goodies contain heavier ingredients or when you need lighter cakes and muffins, I suggest my Gluten Free Self-Rising Cake Flour Blend Recipe. However, both of these recipes call for “superfine” rice flour. If you cannot or won’t order it online, you probably won’t be able to find it in stores. If this is the case, you may decide to use your favorite high-quality flour blend. Some of my readers use Better Batter or Cup-4-Cup brands.
If you want to make your own low-cost cake mix (including sugar and leavener) for less than $1.75 per box, that is similar to (readers say it’s better than) Betty Crocker’s Gluten Free Cake Mix, use the below recipe. It may not be the highest of quality and texture, but it does make wonderful coffee cakes, quick bread, and other heavier-style cakes (lots of butter, etc.) Since the average cost of Betty Crocker’s Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix is about $5.49, you’ll save about $3.75 per box. Use this cake mix in place of one box of Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix, in any of their recipes calling for it (see below the recipe). Enjoy!
Note: Check out my Gluten Free Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe that uses this mix.
This recipe is from my upcoming cookbook!
UPDATE – June 23, 2018:
If you’ve checked out this recipe in the past, note that Betty Crocker now uses baking soda instead of baking powder in their gluten free yellow cake mix. This is really odd to me because of one main fact. Baking soda should accompany an acid like buttermilk, vinegar, lemon juice, etc. Otherwise, you will note a baking soda flavor. While the recipes at the below links may have been delicious in the past, I’m not so sure how they will turn out using their current mix. I suggest using this homemade copycat recipe instead unless their recipe calls for an acidic ingredient.
UPDATE – Feb. 24, 2020: Betty Crocker now adds canola oil and cornstarch to their gluten free yellow cake mix. The cornstarch is a great move! Feel free to replace 1/4 cup of the potato starch with cornstarch. However, adding canola oil makes baked goods moister and heavier.
Save money by making your own Betty Crocker gluten free yellow cake mix to keep on hand whenever the mood strikes. You have the option of making cakes that are deep to light yellow, naturally.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (6.56 oz.)
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons potato starch (4.69 oz.) (or cornstarch)
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons white rice flour (4.375 oz.)
- 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder (Rumford, or Featherweight, for corn-free)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1-1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum (or guar gum for completely corn-free)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional for color) (the original recipe does not include this)
- For the Old Cake:
- 2/3 cup water
- 6 Tablespoons* unsalted butter, softened (or half coconut oil + half shortening) (or 1/2 cup oil)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- granulated sugar
- white rice flour
- potato starch
- oil
- cornstarch
- baking soda
- salt
- xanthan gum
- For the New Cake( Coming Soon):
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup melted unsalted butter (or 1/3 cup additional oil)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. If desired, sift the mixture to create even lighter cakes and muffins.
- Use in recipes calling for Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix.
- Preheat oven To 350°F*. Oil a 9 x 9-inch pan; and set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, beat the cake mix, water, butter, vanilla, and eggs on medium speed until creamy, about 2-1/2 minutes.
- Transfer to the prepared pan and even out.
- Bake on the center shelf of your oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Begin testing at about 33 minutes*, though it may take up to 40 minutes or so.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Then slice and frost as desired.
Tips
*Betty Crocker now suggests to use 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter. However, they have also revamped their ingredients to include cornstarch and possibly more rice flour (in weight) than potato starch. I'll try to experiment with a new version soon..
This mix does not make super sweet cake; thus the super grade given to the Betty Crocker gluten free products (not to mention that they are all natural). However, the recipes that Betty Crocker lists (see below) add tons more sweetness. Therefore, if you use the recipe for eating plain, you may wish to add additional sugar.
Using 1/8 teaspoon turmeric creates a very deep yellow/golden cake. You may use less to be closer to a boxed yellow cake recipe.Betty Crocker gluten free cake mix does not contain turmeric, but I like to add for two reasons: color and it is known to be an anti-inflammatory ingredient. Betty Crocker gluten free cake mix does not contain turmeric, but I like to add for two reasons: color and it is known to be an anti-inflammatory ingredient.
I haven't tried using this mix in a plain yellow cake yet, but used the instructions for the above directions on walmart.com at Instructions for Betty Crock Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix. It include bake times for different size pans, and even high-altitude baking. I don't know if they will work exactly with this mix, but I would image it is extremely close.
Cost:
7/8 cup white rice flour (4.375 oz.) ($3.09 for 24 oz. Bob's Red Mill brand at vitacost.com) = $0.56
7/8 cup granulated sugar (6.56 oz.) ($2.58 for 5 lbs. Walmart Great Value brand) = $0.21
7/8 cup potato starch (4.69 oz.) ($3.99 for 24 oz. Bob's Red Mill brand at vitacost.com) = $0.78
2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder (0.3 oz.) $3.29 for 16 oz. Bob's Red Mill brand at vitacost.com) = $0.06
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (0.1 oz.) $2.09 for 16 oz. Bob's Red Mill brand at vitacost.com) = $0.01 1-1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum (0.1 oz.) ($7.19 for 8 oz. NOW Foods' brand at vitacost.com) = $0.09 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/16 to 1/8 teaspoon turmeric (optional for color) TOTAL - $1.71 *I have now made this cake plain, using the 8 tablespoons of butter as suggested by Betty Crocker, but it was too heavy (tasted great, though). I suggest using 6 tablespoons of butter instead of the 8. I have updated the recipe accordingly.
Recipes from me as well as Betty Crocker using their or my Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
Click one of the below links to be directed to my recipe or redirected to the Betty Crocker website:
Carla’s Recipes:
Gluten Free Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe
Gluten Free Coffee Cake Recipe with Currants and Nuts
Amazing Gluten Free Free Banana Bread
Gluten Free Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread (Dairy-Free Options)
Betty Crocker’s Recipes
Gluten-Free Banana Cupcakes with Browned Butter Frosting
Gluten Free Golden Caramel Cake
Gluten-Free Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
Gluten-Free Harvest Pumpkin Spice Bars
Gluten-Free Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars
Gluten Free Holiday Cake with Cranberry Sauce
Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Gluten-Free Eggnog Breakfast Cake
Gluten-Free Cinnamon and Toasted Pecan Crusted Sweet Potato Cake
Gluten-Free Apple Spice Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Walnuts
Gluten-Free Sticky Pecan Caramel Fig Cakes
Gluten-Free Blueberry Corn Muffins
Gluten-Free Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Gluten-Free Lemon Lover’s Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Gluten-Free Lime Vanilla Freeze
Gluten-Free Celebration Trifle
Gluten-Free “A Maize ing” Cornbread
Gluten-Free Easy Pumpkin Dessert Squares
Gluten-Free Creepy Mini Eyeballs
Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Caramel Sea Salt Frosting
Gluten Free Berries and Cream Cake
All recipes on this site as well as photos are copyrighted by Carla’s Gluten Free Recipe Box, Carla Spacher, or their respective owners 2009 – present.
Yeah! Exactly what I wanted. Used it in a Betty Crocker recipe for Harvest Muffins that wanted me to use their cake mix. The Harvest Muffins came out delicious. Thank you.
Can you substitute corn starch for ALL the potato starch?
Becky,
Again, this would be an experiment on your part, but I would definitely give it a try. Let me know how it went if you tried it.
Carla
You say it’s ok to sub 1/4 cup of corn starch for 1/4 c of the potato starch, but can you sub the entire amount? I’m out of potato starch. 😉
I did make my peanut crunch cake (calls for cake mix) today with this!! Excellent!! (Want to try plain yellow next, and now I’m out of potato starch)
Becky,
It will be an experiment, but go for it and let me know how it turns out!
I’m happy to hear your feedback on the cake, but I’m not sure which recipe you’re referring to.
Carla
Hi Carla,
Your AP, Self Rising and Cake flour blends call for super fine rice flour.
The Devil’s Food and the Yellow Cake mixes call for rice flour but not super fine. By the looks of the great outcome it seems that is the right flour, but I wanted to ask since I bought super fine for the recipes for the gluten free flour blends.
Thanks!
Justina
Justina,
You are correct in that the Copycat Betty Crocker cake mixes do not call for superfine rice flour but regular. I was trying to duplicate Betty Crocker’s brand.
I hope this answers your question.
Carla
If I use your Baking mix but substitute Swerve, do I change anything else?
Colleen,
Unfortunately, I have not used that brand of sugar substitute. If it contains fiber, you will need to add additional liquid. In addition, because sugar creates moisture, you wish to increase the fat in the recipe using butter or oil.
I hope this helps.
Carla
Facebook Comment – August 2, 2015,
“this is very good and much less expensive!!”
~ A.F.
Hi Carla,
your recipes are always great. I have a gluten intolerance due to Hashimoto’s autoimmune disease.
Have you ever thought about translating them in Italian and other foreign languages? It will be very helpful.
Let me know, I’m an Italian translator.
Keep up the good work!
Marianna,
If you look at the left column of this site’s pages, there is a translator you can use no matter what language you speak. However, because I do not have my recipe ingredients by weight, you’ll need to use my weight conversion chart – http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-flour-conversion-chart/. It converts cups to grams or ounces.
Thanks,
Carla
Facebook Comment – April 30, 2015,
“Excellent website! I made up a batch of your copycat recipe for Betty Crocker yellow cake mix, and subsequently made the banana bread recipe that follows it. FANTASTIC! I have tried many gluten free recipes for banana bread and never found a really good one. I had so many frozen bananas in the freezer that I had to use up. This one’s a keeper. Thank-you.”
~D.C.
Can you use an egg substitute in this recipe?
Facebook Comment – April 7, 2015,
“I make snicker doodles with the batter . Add 1 tsp. cinnamon to dry mix and blend. Add 1/2 cup oil and two eggs. Blend. Roll into walnut size balls by hand, roll balls in a cinnamon sugar mixture, flatten slightly with a glass, two inches apart. Bake 350F. Bake 7 – 12 mins.”
~L.E.B.
Facebook Comment – April 7, 2015,
“Oh my gosh! This is the best cake! I’ve made it several times now and when I serve it no one knows it’s gf! Thank you Gluten Free Recipe Box!”
~L.O.C.
From One Creative Mommy blog,
“Prepare the cake exactly as for the quick version. Carla is brilliant, because her mix tastes even better than the boxed mix! Bet you won’t be able to eat just one!”
http://onecreativemommy.com/gluten-free-lemon-pound-cake-cupcakes/
what about the liquid ingredients??
Facebook Comment – Feb. 10, 2015,
M.B., “I did this recipe and made a lemon cake with a lemon glaze, it was amazing! It came out better than Starbucks lemon cake”
Gluten Free Carla – Carla Spacher of Gluten Free Recipe Box,
“Did you make the Betty Crocker Lemon Pound Cake Recipe or a different one?
M.B., “I make the Betty Crocker lemon cupcake recipe and baked it in a bread pan then poured the lemon glaze on top, it was very moist and so delish!”