You can make cake mix pancakes with just a box of cake mix and a few basic ingredients. They're sweet, fluffy, and really easy to change up with different cake mix flavors and toppings.
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Cake Mix Pancakes: What You Need to Know
I've been making these cake mix pancakes since my daughter's third birthday (she's 14 now!). They're one of those recipes I pull out anytime breakfast needs to feel a little more fun.
The strawberry version is our favorite, but you can use pretty much any cake mix flavor. I always keep a few boxes around for easy cake mix cookies or cake mix apple cobbler, too!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cake Mix: Any Flavor
Freezer-Friendly: Up to 6 months
I hope this one makes it onto your next birthday breakfast menu!
Can You Make Pancakes with Cake Mix?
You can absolutely make pancakes with cake mix!
You don't want to just mix up a cake according to the box directions and pour it on a griddle, though. Cake batter is thinner than pancake batter, so I add flour and baking powder to give it a better pancake texture.
Then, you just add eggs, milk, and melted butter and cook them like regular pancakes. Easy peasy!
Ingredient Notes
(See recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact ingredient measurements.)
- Cake mix - Use whatever flavor you'd like. I'm using strawberry here, but yellow, Funfetti, chocolate, and spice cake mix are all great options.
- All-purpose flour - I know adding flour to cake mix sounds a little weird, but you'll need it. Without it, the batter is too thin and the pancakes don't hold their shape as well.
- Baking powder - This gives the pancakes a little extra lift and helps make them super fluffy.
- Eggs - These help hold everything together.
- Milk - Regular whole milk works great here.
- Melted butter - I wouldn't swap this for vegetable or canola oil. The butter gives the pancakes a much better flavor.
- Add-ins - Totally optional. Strawberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and chopped bananas all work great.
For the Icing Syrup
- Powdered sugar - This is the base of the icing.
- Half and half - Thins the icing to the right consistency.
- Vanilla extract - Adds a little bit of flavor.
Best Cake Mix Flavors for Pancakes
This is probably my favorite part of this recipe! You can change the whole thing just by swapping out the cake mix.
A few ideas...
- Strawberry cake mix with chopped strawberries
- Funfetti cake mix with sprinkles
- Chocolate cake mix with chocolate chips
- Yellow cake mix for a more basic version
- Spice cake mix with apples or pecans
You can use pretty much any flavor you like!
For add-ins, I like to sprinkle them over the pancakes once the batter is already on the griddle instead of mixing them into the whole bowl. It's much easier to make sure every pancake gets a little bit of everything that way.
How to Make Cake Mix Pancakes
- Make the icing syrup. Mix powdered sugar, half and half, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add cake mix, flour, and baking powder to a large bowl. Stir with a fork until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add eggs, milk, and melted butter. Whisk until you have a smooth pancake batter.
- Heat your griddle. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and spray it with cooking spray.
- Pour the pancakes. Pour pancake batter onto the hot griddle. Sprinkle any add-ins over the top while the batter is still uncooked. Let the pancakes cook for about 2-3 minutes. Once you start seeing bubbles on top, wait another 30 seconds or so before flipping, then cook for another 2-3 minutes, until pancakes are cooked through.
- Add your toppings. Drizzle with icing syrup and add whipped cream, sprinkles, fruit, or whatever else you'd like.
Step-by-Step Recipe Video
Cake Mix Pancake Topping Ideas
We usually stick with the icing syrup, whipped cream, and sprinkles. That's kind of our classic cake mix pancake combination.
But go nuts (literally) with the toppings! You can also use:
- Chocolate chips
- Warm peanut butter
- Nutella
- Maple syrup
- Pancake syrup
- Fresh fruit
- Banana chips
- Chopped nuts
- Ice cream
These pancakes are already a good bit sweeter than regular pancakes, so you really don't need much on top unless you want to go all out.
Storage & Reheating
Storage: Keep leftover cake mix pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. If you're adding fresh fruit, I'd try to eat them on the earlier side since the extra moisture can shorten their shelf life.
Reheating: To reheat them, microwave a pancake for about 20-30 seconds or warm it in a toaster oven for a few minutes.
Freezing: These freeze really well! Lay the pancakes flat on a baking sheet and freeze them for a few hours. Once they're frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag.
They'll keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you're ready to eat one, just warm it on a griddle or in a toaster oven.
Leslie's Helpful Tips & Tricks
- Start with a hot griddle. Let your pan heat up before adding the batter. This helps the pancakes cook more evenly.
- Stick with medium heat. Cake mix has plenty of sugar in it, so these can brown pretty quickly if the heat is too high.
- Don't flip too early. Wait until bubbles start forming on top, then give the pancake another 30 seconds or so before flipping.
- Add extras after pouring the batter. Sprinkle fruit, chocolate chips, or sprinkles onto each pancake instead of mixing them into the whole bowl.
- Don't leave out the flour. Trust me here! The batter will be too thin without it.
- Keep the baking powder, too. It helps give the pancakes that fluffy texture.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
More Cake Mix Recipes
I can't wait to see this cake mix pancakes recipe in action! Tag me in your recipe posts 📸 on social media (@lambertslately) or leave a review ⭐️ below.
Cake Mix Pancakes
Ingredients
Cake Mix Pancakes
- 15.25 oz boxed cake mix (any flavor)
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup butter (melted)
- strawberries, chocolate chips, or sprinkles (optional)
Icing Syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Icing Syrup
- Mix powdered sugar, half and half, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.
Make the Cake Mix Pancakes
- Add cake mix, flour, and baking powder to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add eggs, milk, and melted butter. Whisk just until combined.
- Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and coat with cooking spray.
- Pour pancake batter onto the hot griddle. Sprinkle any add-ins over the uncooked pancakes, if using.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles form and the edges begin to set. Wait about 30 seconds, then flip.
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the pancakes are cooked through.
- Serve warm with icing syrup, whipped cream, sprinkles, or your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Use a 15.25 oz box of cake mix for the recipe as written. Any flavor works. If using a smaller box of mix, start with less milk and add more as needed.
- Batter should be thick but pourable. Add a little flour if too thin or a splash of milk if too thick.
- Cook over medium heat since cake mix browns faster than regular pancake batter.
- Wait until the edges are set and bubbles form on top before flipping.
- Add fruit, chocolate chips, or sprinkles after pouring the batter onto the griddle.
- Don't overmix the batter. Whisk just until combined.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 17 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
Awesome recipe! ❤️. When cooking the pancakes I did find them hard to flip. Still came out delish 😋
Glad you loved it! 🙂
Can I Multipurpose Baking Mix instead of the cake mix?
Yes, but I would make sure to add sugar to your mix if you'd like the pancakes to be sweet like cake.