This easy 3-Ingredient Mayonnaise Cake Recipe is the ultimate no-fail dessert—rich, moist, and made with a surprising everyday ingredient you already have in your kitchen! If you love quick, budget-friendly treats that taste like you spent hours baking, this old-fashioned classic is about to become your new favorite!
This Mayonnaise Cake Recipe is Genius!
If you’ve never tried this 3-Ingredient Mayonnaise Cake Recipe, you’re in for the BEST kind of surprise! This simple, old-fashioned dessert uses one unexpected everyday ingredient to create a cake that’s incredibly moist, rich, and tender. It might sound unusual at first, but once you taste it, you’ll understand why this recipe has stood the test of time!
This cake actually dates back to the days of the Great Depression, when home cooks had to get creative with limited ingredients. Butter, milk, and even eggs weren’t always easy to come by, so resourceful bakers turned to mayonnaise as a clever substitute. Since mayonnaise is made from oil and eggs, it worked perfectly to add both moisture and structure to cakes—without needing extra ingredients. The result? A soft, fluffy cake with a rich texture that doesn’t taste anything like mayonnaise. This recipe shows exactly why an ingredient may seem to clash with flavor you imagine, but It really doesn’t!
If you’d like to make the original “scratch” version of this old fashioned recipe from the Great depression, you can find it here: The BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe!
One of the best things about this mayo cake is how quick and easy it is to make, with an amazing result! With just a box of cake mix, mayonnaise, water, and eggs, you can have a delicious homemade dessert ready for the oven in minutes. It’s perfect for busy days, last-minute gatherings, or anytime you’re craving something sweet without a lot of work. This is my husband’s favorite cake recipe, so I make the chocolate version into a layer cake and frost with chocolate fudge frosting! I usually make the scratch version because it’s really not a lot more difficult.
This cake is incredibly versatile. You can keep it simple with a dusting of powdered sugar, dress it up with your favorite frosting, or even turn it into a layered celebration cake. No matter how you serve it, you’ll end up with a dessert that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did.
If you love easy dessert recipes, budget-friendly baking, and tried-and-true classics, this 3-Ingredient Mayonnaise Cake Recipe is one you’ll want to make again and again. Don’t be surprised if it becomes a new family favorite!
The scratch version of this mayonnaise cake recipe is in my Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1:
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3-Ingredient Mayonnaise Cake Recipe
This 3-ingredient mayonnaise cake recipe is the ultimate old-fashioned baking hack—creating an unbelievably moist, fluffy cake using a surprising everyday ingredient! Make it today and discover why this budget-friendly classic from the Great Depression is still one of the easiest and most delicious cake recipes you’ll ever make!
Ingredients
1 (16.5 oz.) box yellow cake mix
1 cup real mayonnaise
1 cup water
3 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, beat together the cake mix, mayonnaise, water, and eggs on low speed for 30 seconds.
- Increase to medium speed and beat for 2 more minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar or frost as desired.
Notes
Tips for Best Results
- Don’t skip the mayonnaise—it replaces oil and adds incredible moisture without a mayo flavor.
- For easier slicing, let the cake cool completely before frosting.
- Use a serrated knife to level layers if needed.
- For a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, bake 40 minutes.
This old-fashioned cake uses mayonnaise as a shortcut for oil and eggs, creating a rich, moist crumb with minimal effort—a trick that’s been used since the Great Depression.
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