This cake mix coffee cake is an easy breakfast solution or dessert perfect for any occasion. Made with just a few ingredients this cake tastes great, especially when served warm with ice cream, yum!
Making a coffee cake with yellow cake mix is a fun and fast solution because there's no more rummaging through the pantry looking for flour, baking soda, etc. One box has it all and the results are easily replicable over and over again.
To get fluffy, flavorful, and moist results we make our coffee cake with yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding so that every bite is as good as the last. The cinnamon swirl throughout the bundt cake gives every slice that special appearance and warmth of spices.
You're going to love this cake, but for a seasonal twist, make sure to check out my Easy Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake.
Why This Recipe Works
- It's simple and easy. Just mix some basic ingredients together and bake. This recipe is perfect for those wanting great taste with minimal effort.
- It's great for breakfast and dessert. Serve this coffee cake up in the morning for an easy meal, or save it for dessert with a scoop of ice cream. Either way, it won't last long!
- Perfect for any occasion. This cake is just as great on an early holiday morning as it is on the weekends. Serve it up whenever you want, or save it for those special days and make it a tradition.
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients
Boxed yellow cake mix- This will be the base of the recipe and already includes the flour, sugar, and leavening agents needed- which makes everything that much easier.
Instant vanilla pudding- Use a box of pudding mix (just the dry stuff) to help keep this cake flavorful and moist.
Vegetable oil- You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, or even melted butter. It will help to add the necessary fats to the cake and keep it moist.
Water- To help get the cake batter to the correct consistency.
Eggs- You'll need eggs as a binding agent.
Brown sugar- For depth of flavor and sweetness.
Cinnamon- For a nice and warm spiced flavor, as you'd expect from a coffee cake.
Flour- You will need some flour to dust the pans with so that it's easier to remove the cake after it's finished cooking.
For specific quantities, see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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🔪 Instructions
Check out how to Make Cake Mix Coffee Cake with these simple step-by-step instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray the inside of your bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and then dust with flour. This will help to prevent the cake from possibly sticking. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix pudding mix, Vegetable oil, and water until combined.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Pour in half of the batter.
Sprinkle the sugar mixture into the bundt pan over the cake batter, and then use a fork or butter knife to swirl it around.
Top with the remaining cake mix batter.
Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
Slice and serve warm.
🍰 How to Grease Your Bundt Pan
Greasing the bundt cake pan before use will help the cake to pop out once baked but adding a dusting of flour can help to prevent the cake from sticking even more so. I recommend using a combination of greasing the bundt pan and dusting it with a light coating of flour so that the cake pops out of the pan perfectly.
To prevent making a mess, I like to add a few tablespoons of flour to my bundt pan and shake it over the kitchen sink before flipping the pan upside down and tapping the bottom of it. All of the excess flour is released into the sink and not onto the floor or counters, making cleanup much easier.
Using Baker's Joy cooking spray (the spray with flour in it) can work in a pinch as well.
If using a chocolate-based cake mix, using cocoa powder instead of flour can help to prevent sticking without making the outside of your cake look too pale or splotchy with white areas.
📖 Variations
Cake mix. You can use any boxed cake mix (15.25 ounces) for this coffee cake but a yellow cake mix will give you a more traditional flavor for coffee cakes. If you wanted to swap out the flavor for something else I'd recommend using either white cake mix or spiced cake mix as those can be modified for a nice seasonal coffee cake.
Pudding mix. You want to use a package of instant pudding, NOT the cooking pudding. This helps to add moisture and flavor to every slice and really makes a difference. By swapping out pudding flavors you can add even more flavor to your bundt cake.
For example, a spiced cake mix and pumpkin pudding mix would be a great seasonal recipe for Autumn!
🍴 Recipe Tips
Cake mix brands. Brands do not matter when it comes to this recipe so grab your Duncan Heins, Store brands, or Betty Crocker, this coffee cake made with yellow cake mix will taste great as long as you use your favorite cake mix brands.
Boxed pudding. Please make sure to only use the DRY mix inside of the package of pudding. You do not want to prepare the pudding. Also, double-check that the pudding is instant and not the cook and serve variety.
💭 FAQs
Yes, this cake mix is dairy free as written. Make sure to grab a box of dairy free cake mix, like Duncan Heins (they're usually the safer bet) and double check the ingredients list on the box just to be sure.
This coffee cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 or 4 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Yes, this cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw again before serving. I like to pop a slice in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make it warm again before eating. Yum!
More great cake recipes to check out soon
- Chocolate Pistachio Bundt Cake
- Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
- Layered Tres Leches Cake
- Raspberry Lemon Bundt Cake
📖 Recipe
Cake Mix Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix (15.25oz) ($1.00)
- 1 pkg Vanilla Pudding (3.4oz) ($0.98)
- ¾ cup Vegetable Oil ($0.36)
- ¾ cup Water ($0.00)
- 4 large Eggs ($0.32)
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar ($0.09)
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon ($0.30)
- 2-3 Tablespoons Flour for greasing the pan ($0.01)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray the inside of your bundt cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and then dust with flour. This will help to prevent the cake from possibly sticking. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix pudding mix, Vegetable oil, and water until combined.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Pour in half of the batter.
- Sprinkle the sugar mixture into the bundt pan over the cake batter and then use a fork or butter knife to swirl it around.
- Top with the remaining cake mix batter.
- Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
Notes
Greasing your Bundt Pan
- Greasing the bundt cake pan before use will help the cake to pop out once baked but adding a dusting of flour can help to prevent the cake from sticking even more so. I recommend using a combination of greasing the bundt pan and dusting it with a light coating of flour so that the cake pops out of the pan perfectly.
- To prevent making a mess, I like to add a few tablespoons of four to my bundt pan and shake it around, over the kitchen sink before flipping the pan upside down and tapping the bottom of it. All of the excess flour is released into the sink and not onto the floor or counters, making cleanup much easier.
Variations
- Cake mix. You can use any boxed cake mix (15.25ounces) for this coffee cake, but a yellow cake mix will give you a more traditional flavor for coffee cakes. If you wanted to swap out the flavor for something else I'd recommend using either white cake mix or spiced cake mix as those can be modified for a nice seasonal coffee cake.
- Pudding mix. You want to use a package of instant pudding, NOT the cooking pudding. This helps to add moisture and flavor to every slice and really makes a difference. By swapping out pudding flavors you can add even more flavor to your bundt cake. For example, a spiced cake mix and pumpkin pudding mix would be a great seasonal recipe for Autumn!
Recipe Tips
- Cake mix brands. Brands do not matter when it comes to this recipe so grab your Duncan Heins, Store brands, or Betty Crocker, this coffee cake made with yellow cake mix will taste great as long as you use your favorite cake mix brands.
- Boxed pudding. Please make sure to only use the DRY mix inside of the package of pudding. You do not want to prepare the pudding. Also, double-check that the pudding is instant and not the cook and serve variety.
- Allergen-Notes. This cake mix is dairy free as written. Make sure to grab a box of dairy free cake mix, like Duncan Heins (they're usually the safer bet) and double check the ingredients list on the box just to be sure.
Storage
- This coffee cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 or 4 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
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