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This Easy Cornbread with Cake Mix is soft, fluffy, moist, and just the right amount of sweet. Yellow cake mix and Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix come together to make a cornbread that is much lighter and smoother than traditional cornbread. It takes just a few minutes to mix together and is so good warm from the oven with butter and honey.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Made this today to go with some stew, we love it! Hard to wait for the stew to finish, absolutely delicious.” – Angela
“I made this today and it was exactly what I was wanting. I wanted to find a recipe similar to the one our local bbq place makes . These are pretty dang close.” – Tonia
“This is my favorite way to make cornbread! Saved in my favorites.” – Marsha
Why I Love This Easy Cornbread
I’ve always liked my cornbread a little softer and sweeter than the traditional kind. I want it moist, fluffy, and easy to slather with butter and honey while it’s still warm from the oven. That’s why I love using cake mix along with cornbread mix. It gives me the texture I’m looking for without losing that classic corn flavor. This is the kind of cornbread I love serving with a big pot of chili, soup, or stew when the weather cools down.
🩷 Erica
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
One reason I love this recipe is that most of the measuring is already done for you. The two boxed mixes contain the flour, cornmeal, sugar, leavening, and other dry ingredients you would normally need to measure separately.
- Yellow cake mix: This is the secret to the soft, fluffy, cake-like texture and extra sweetness.
- Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix: Use two 8.5-ounce boxes for 17 ounces total. This gives the bread its corn flavor and keeps it tasting like cornbread instead of cake.
- Milk: Adds moisture and a little richness to the batter. Regular milk or buttermilk will work.
- Eggs: Help bind the cake mix cornbread together and give it structure as it bakes.
- Butter: Melted butter adds richness and helps keep the cornbread tender.
- Water: Gives the thick batter the moisture it needs without making it too heavy.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
This recipe is great as written, but there are a few ways you can change it depending on what you are serving.
- Buttermilk: You can substitute buttermilk for the milk for a little extra tang.
- White cake mix: White cake mix can be used in place of yellow cake mix. I prefer yellow because it has a richer flavor that works especially well with the cornmeal.
- Cheddar and jalapeños: For a savory version, stir in shredded cheddar cheese and chopped jalapeños. One reader had great results using about 1 ½ cups cheddar and two chopped jalapeños.
- Creamed corn: For more corn flavor and moisture, add about ½ cup creamed corn and reduce the water to about ½ cup.
- More corn flavor: If you want the texture to lean more toward traditional cornbread, add another box of cornbread mix and another egg. You will have more batter than will fit in a 9×13-inch pan, so use the extra batter for muffins.
- Less sweetness: If the cornbread is a little sweeter than you prefer, replace about ¼ cup of the dry cake mix with ¼ cup all-purpose flour. A small pinch of salt can also help balance the sweetness.
- Honey butter: Brush the top with honey butter after baking, or serve it with regular honey or hot honey.
Don’t have a box of cake mix? You can also use my Homemade Cake Mix.
How to Make Easy Cornbread with Cake Mix
- Combine the Mixes: In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix and cornbread mix.
- Make the Batter: Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. The batter will be thick.
- Fill the Pan: Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish or a lined muffin tin.
- Bake: Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If making muffins, bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and baked through.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t prepare the boxed mixes separately. Add the dry cake mix and dry cornbread mix directly to the bowl, then use only the milk, eggs, butter, and water listed in this recipe.
- Use two 8.5-ounce boxes of Jiffy. That gives you the 17 ounces of cornbread mix called for in the recipe.
- Don’t worry about thick batter. The batter for this cornbread is thicker than regular cake batter, and that is exactly how it should look.
- Mix by hand. A whisk or sturdy spatula works well. You don’t need a hand mixer, and mixing only until combined helps keep the cornbread light.
- Use the toothpick test. Ovens and baking pans can cook at slightly different rates, so don’t rely on color alone. Check the center before taking it out of the oven.
- Cover it if it browns too quickly. If the edges and top are golden but the center still needs more time, loosely cover the pan with foil and continue baking.
- Other pans can work. Readers have successfully used round pans, Bundt pans, muffin tins, and cast iron skillets. Because the depth of the batter changes, watch the cornbread closely and use the toothpick test instead of relying on one exact baking time.
- For muffins: Line a standard muffin tin and bake at 325°F for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Let it rest before slicing. Giving the cornbread a few minutes to cool helps it set and makes cleaner slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Pour the dry mixes directly from the boxes into your mixing bowl. Do not add the ingredients listed on the cake mix or cornbread mix packages. Only add the milk, eggs, butter, and water listed in this recipe.
Use two 8.5-ounce boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, which equals 17 ounces total.
Use one standard full-size box of yellow cake mix. Cake mix package sizes vary by brand and have changed over the years, so you may see boxes ranging from about 13 to 15 ounces. Use the full dry mix from one standard box. Don’t substitute the much smaller 9-ounce Jiffy Yellow Cake Mix without adjusting the recipe.
Yes. White cake mix works, although the finished cornbread will have a slightly different flavor. Yellow cake mix gives it the rich, sweet flavor I prefer for this recipe.
Yes. Pour the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 325°F for about 18 to 20 minutes. Check them with a toothpick since muffins cook much faster than a full 9×13-inch pan.
Yes. You can bake this cake mix cornbread in a cast iron skillet. Because the batter depth and pan material can change the baking time, watch it closely and check the center with a toothpick.
Yes. Replace the milk with the same amount of buttermilk. It gives the cornbread a slightly tangier flavor while keeping the crumb moist and tender.
A sunken center usually means the middle needed a little more baking time. The top can look completely done before the center has set. Check the deepest part of the cornbread with a toothpick before removing it from the oven. If the top is getting too dark while the center is still wet, loosely cover the pan with foil and continue baking.
Make Ahead and Storage
This is a great cornbread to make ahead for a potluck, holiday dinner, or Sunday meal.
To make ahead: Bake the cornbread as directed, let it cool completely, then cover tightly and refrigerate. I like to warm it slightly before serving so the butter melts right into it.
To refrigerate: Store leftover cornbread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 to 5 days.
To freeze: This cornbread freezes well. Cut it into individual pieces and wrap them tightly before placing them in a freezer-safe container or bag. You can also freeze the recipe as muffins, which makes it especially easy to take out one serving at a time. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Warm individual pieces briefly in the microwave, or cover with foil and warm in a low oven until heated through.
Pairing Ideas
Because this Easy Cornbread with Cake Mix is slightly sweet, I especially love serving it with something warm and savory. Try it alongside my Easy Chili, Creamy Black Bean Soup, Chicken Enchilada Chili, or Cheesy Potato Soup. That little bit of sweetness is so good with a rich soup or spicy bowl of chili.
More Cornbread Recipes
If you make this Easy Cornbread with Cake Mix, let me know what you think in the comments below! I would love to hear what you served it with or if you tried one of the variations. Don’t forget to leave a star rating, too! 💛
Easy Cornbread with Cake Mix
Video
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix, (standard 13 to 15 ounce box)
- 17 ounces Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, (2 boxes)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 4 eggs
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Mix cake mix and corn muffin mix together in a large bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir well. The batter should be nice and thick.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan or muffin tray.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For muffins, bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden and baked through.
Equipment
- 9×13 inch pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Large Whisk
Notes
- Use the dry cake mix and dry cornbread mix directly from the boxes. Do not prepare either mix according to its package directions first.
- Use two 8.5-ounce boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix for 17 ounces total.
- The batter should be thick. Stir only until combined to keep the cornbread light and tender.
- Bake a 9×13-inch pan at 325°F for about 40 minutes. Muffins take about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Check the center with a toothpick before removing the cornbread from the oven. If the top browns before the middle is done, loosely cover it with foil.
- For a more corn-forward texture, add another box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and another egg. There will be extra batter, so bake the remainder as muffins.
- For the more cake-like variation from the original recipe, use only one box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve warm with butter, honey, honey butter, or hot honey.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this recipe and my family loved it. It is easy to make and cooks in the time provided in the recipe. We did feel that is was more like cake than cornbread but delicious. I have adjusted the recipe by removing one cup of cake mix and adding an additional cup of Jiffy mix. This was perfect for us. I have reserved the leftover cake and jiffy mix from the past three times I’ve made it and I’ll try that to see how it comes out (saved in a sealed storage bag) next time. Thank you for this recipe it was just what my family was looking for in a good cornbread recipe.
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it.
I like this recipe better than regular cornbread. so moist. someone posted that their xake sunk in the middle. mine did the same but not too much. but it was fully baked. i left it for 35 minutes. Can’t wait to share this with others.
Ty for sharing this recipe. I baked this 12/2019, very moist with excellent flavor, crumbly but not at all gritty, For my oven, I needed 40 mins @ 350. Cake rose so high that I thought batter might spill over cake pan, but never did, baked to perfection. Would def make again! Happy Holidays!
Thank you for this recipe, it is delicious. It did take about 30 minutes to bake in my oven, at the 20 minute mark it hadn’t browned up on top. I will definitely make this again.
Just made it this afternoon and serving with home made chili….always a favorite. Years ago when I worked at General Motors in Michigan it was always on their lunch menu once a week and we thoroughly enjoyed it then and still do to this day 40 years later.
Just had a question I really want to try this for our sunday dinner. Do I add the ingredients from the cake box and the jiffy. Or just use the ingredients you have listed?
Just the ingredients listed. Thank you for asking!
Hi
Can I substitute yellow cornmeal in lieu of Jiffy Cornmeal mix, and would I need to add baking powder or baking soda and salt to the mix before doing so?
Your recipe sounded so great that I ordered 18 boxes of Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix to make a lot of batches for my neighbors here in Florida.
Thank you,
Ron C
Ruskin, FL
For this recipe you will actually want to use the Jiffy cornbread mix (not the cornmeal mix). I’m not sure how you would replace that with cornmeal. The cornbread mix has all the ingredients needed for bread all mixed in. I don’t think using JUST cornmeal will work how you would expect it to. Hope this helps!
Can haddon a can of corn?
This cornbread is delicious and I’ve made it several times – I do have a problem, though, it consistently doesn’t cook in the middle. I have used a 9 x 13 pan and tried using 2 8 x 8 pans. Same results. It appears done when I test it with a toothpick, but after I take it out of the oven and it sits a bit, the center falls and is undercooked. Any suggestions??
Check the deepest part of the cornbread with a toothpick before removing it from the oven. If the top is getting too dark while the center is still wet, loosely cover the pan with foil and continue baking. Hope this helps!
I agree. I loved the light and fluffy texture… typical cornbread tends to be too dense or grainy for me… I also added peppers but it was a little sweet. Any suggestions on taking this good recipe and toning down the sweet? Thanks!
Try replacing about ¼ cup of the cake mix with ¼ cup all-purpose flour and add a small pinch of salt. Hope this helps!
I couldn’t stop craving this cornbread cake and need to try it. I finally made a bundt cornbread cake today for Christmas Eve. So delicious, dense and moist! I also added a capful of vegetable oil to make it more dense as suggested. My cornbread had to bake for 50 min. Simply amazing!! Thank you
What a great idea to make it in a bundt pan! Thank you for sharing! I’m so glad you like the recipe. 🙂
Question: I have 2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix which comes to 17 oz. I’m 2 oz shy of what recipe requires. I think I should be okay following your recipe. What do you recommend?
Yes, that’s exactly what you need. Two 8.5-ounce boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix equal the 17 ounces called for in the recipe.
I used the two 8.5 oz boxes in mines and it came out great. Thanks again.
This is best cornbread I ever tasted. This is a definite keeper.
Wow, what a compliment! Thank you so much!
Loved the flavor of this cornbread but it was almost too light for my tastes. It didn’t hold together once sliced and crumbled when we tried to butter it. Next time I made add some oil to make it a little denser.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this recipe. Yes, it is supposed to be light and airy. Let us know how adding oil works out, would love to know if it makes it more dense!
hi, made the corn bread was really good i add a jalpena to it. going to make 3 more with different pepper and some garlic.
Oh I love the idea of adding some jalapeño. I have heard of people adding some cheddar cheese to the mixture as well, yum!
This recipe is definitely a keeper!!! It was absolutely delicious, thanks for posting!
Thank you! So glad you liked it 😀
It’s really good!!!….even though I forgot 2 add water….lol…no one could tell….lol
Can I make this with flax eggs? If so, how many? We are vegans, I have the dairy free milk covered as well as the butter. Thanks so much
We have never used flax eggs before so I’m not sue how it would affect the recipe. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
Fantastic! Tastes like Wegmans corn muffins. Jiffy muffin mix is now 8.5 oz., so I added 1/4 c locally ground corn meal. Baked in preheated 13″ cast iron pan. Forget the chili, this is the star!
I’m so glad you like it! Thank you for sharing your adaptation to the recipe.
I did not notice the difference in the jiffy mix while preparing, I cooked an additional 8 minutes and it was great!
So did I. It came out great! It sunk alittle in the middle but other than that, it was winner!
Thank you for the nice recipe. Have a Wonderful Day!