Craving muffins, but only have a box of cake mix? With just a few additional ingredients you can transform that cake mix into deliciously hearty Cake Mix Muffins.

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Have you ever had a craving for a homemade baked good and then realized you didn't have the ingredients to make it?
If you're out of flour, sugar, and/or leaveners, it can be hard to make the baked good of your dreams. Boxed mixes can be the perfect solution, but what if you don't even have the mix for the baked good you want?
Over the years, I've been working on perfecting all kinds of recipes that you can make with pancake mix, cake mix, muffin mix, and brownie mix. Some are super easy (like muffin mix pancakes and cake mix banana bread) and some require a few additional ingredients (like cookies with pancake mix)
These muffins with cake mix don't require too many additional ingredients, but it definitely took some finagling to get this recipe right!
🧁 What's the difference between a cupcake and a muffin?
There's always been a lot of debate about what exactly differentiates cupcakes and muffins.
Some say it's just a matter of frosting, while others insist the differences are more substantial.
While cupcakes are generally smaller versions of a dessert cake, there seem to be many, many more types of muffins; some sweet, some savory, some healthy, etc.
In general, muffins usually do contain less sugar than cupcakes and they're often a big denser in consistency (as opposed to light and airy cupcakes). They usually are a healthier option than a cupcake (though not always!) and they typically don't have frosting on top, though they do sometimes have icing drizzles or a glaze.
👩🍳 Can you make muffins with cake mix?
The short answer is yes, you can make muffins with a box of cake mix! But really, it depends on your definition of a muffin.
While these cake mix muffins are definitely a bit sweeter than you might expect the standard muffin to be, they do have more of a muffin consistency thanks to the addition of a secret ingredient: old-fashioned oats.
The addition of the oats will give the muffins a more chewy and hearty texture than the typical cupcake would have. They'll also help to make a denser baked good than you'd get by simply following the directions on the cake mix.
🗒 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to turn your box of cake mix into a batch of homemade muffins (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Box of cake mix (flavor of your choice): I have instructions for using a 15.25 box of cake mix and a 13.25 box of cake mix
- Old-fashioned oats
- Whole milk
- Large eggs
- Vegetable oil: like canola oil
- Vanilla extract: optional
Note that the recipe card shows you how to make this recipe with a 15.25 oz box of cake mix (I used Duncan Hines' Devil's Food Cake Mix for testing). If you have a 13.25 oz box of mix, please see the notes section in the recipe card for ingredient adjustments (I used Betty Crocker's Super Moist Cake Mix for testing).
🥣 How to make cake mix muffins
For the most part, you'll follow the same process you would to make cupcakes with a box of cake mix, with just a couple changes.
You'll start by soaking your old-fashioned oats in the milk. Let them soak for about 20 minutes to soften them.
I tried this recipe without softening the oats first and they were a bit too chewy in the muffin. Letting them soak in the milk helps so much!
In the meantime, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with papers.
Put the cake mix in a large mixing bowl.
Once your oats are done soaking, whisk the eggs (and additional yolk if you're using a 15.25 oz box of cake mix), oil, and vanilla extract (if using) into the mixture.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the cake mix and stir just until combined, taking care not to over-mix.
Spoon batter into the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ of the way full.
And bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Aren't they pretty little muffins?
Be sure to let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before moving to a metal rack to cool completely.
And enjoy!
The addition of oats turns these would-be cupcakes into a deliciously dense and sweet homemade muffin.
And now you can confidently tell people you're eating a muffin for breakfast. Because who the heck would put old-fashioned oats in a cupcake?
Nobody.
⏲️ How to store
Once your cake mix muffins are completely cooled, I recommend storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
When stored properly, they should keep fresh for 3-4 days.
I don't recommend putting the muffins in the fridge, but you can freeze them if you want. They'll keep freshest if you wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then store them in a big freezer bag or other airtight container.
You can let them thaw at room temperature when you're ready to enjoy!
Freezing these cake mix muffins is a great idea for an on-the-go breakfast any time you want. Or dessert.
🎉 Variations on recipe
This is the most basic recipe for turning a box of cake mix into muffins, but, of course, there are lots of variations you can make and add-ins you can use.
Here are some ideas:
- For an even more muffin-like baked good, try omitting some of the cake mix and using whole wheat flour instead.
- Nuts like walnuts, pecans, or pistachios will add crunch and make these muffins even more savory.
- Add fresh fruit (like blueberries, chopped strawberries, raspberries, etc.) or dried fruit (like raisins, chopped dates, etc.) for more flavor and extra nutrition.
- Add shredded cheese to turn these into a sweet and savory muffin (think cornbread!).
- You can add chocolate chips or chunks to turn these into chocolate chip muffins, but note that this will obviously make the muffins even sweeter.
- Experiment with different flavors of cake mix, like carrot cake, strawberry cake, lemon cake, etc.
🍰 More cake mix recipes
If you still have a box of cake mix and aren't sure what to do with it, try my other easy cake mix recipes:
And be sure to check out all of my boxed mix recipes for lots of great ideas on baking alternatives!
And here's a great recipe for turning cake mix into peanut butter cookies.
You'll be amazed by all the recipes you can make with a simple box of mix; perfect for when you don't have other ingredients on hand.
I hope this recipe helps you turn your box of cake mix into a batch of muffins.
Let me know what else you want to make with boxed mix!
📖 Recipe

Cake Mix Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) cake mix flavor of your choice (see notes for adjustments if using 13.25 oz box)
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs plus 1 yolk
- ½ cup vegetable oil (like canola oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Add the cake mix to a large bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, mix oats and milk together. Let mixture sit for about 20 minutes so oats can soften.
- While oats are soaking in milk, preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with papers.
- Add eggs and yolk, oil, and vanilla extract (if using) to the milk and oat mixture and whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the cake mix and stir just until combined, taking care not to over-mix.
- Spoon batter into the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before moving to a metal rack to cool completely.
Notes
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats
- ⅔ cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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