The cake spectrum is broad, filled, and frosted with a million possibilities, topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting or layered between fudgy mounds of chocolate ganache. It should go without saying that one of the keys to a delicious cake starts with the cake layers themselves.
While homemade cake layers are sometimes hard to beat, there are times when you may be in a pinch and need to rely on a boxed mix. Plus, there are endless, simple ways to dress up a boxed cake mix.
So, for those occasions when you want to grab a boxed cake mix at the grocery store, which brand should you choose? We gathered our editors to participate in a blind taste test to find the best white cake mix on the market.
Credit:
Southern Living/Grace Canaan
How We Tested
Here, in our very own Southern Living office, we decided to make five different boxed white cakes to do a blind taste test and give our unbiased feedback. We chose the contenders and prepared each box of cake mix according to the directions and additional ingredients listed on the package. The cakes were then set out for editors to test with no indication of which brand was which.
The Contenders
We sampled five different boxed vanilla cake mixes in order to find the mix with the best taste and texture:
Miss Jones Baking Co’s Ultimate Vanilla Cake MixGreat Value Deluxe Moist White Cake MixDuncan Hines Classic White Cake MixPillsbury Moist Supreme White Premium Cake MixBetty Crocker Super Moist White Cake Mix
How Each Cake Scored
Miss Jones Baking Co’s Ultimate Vanilla Cake Mix
This cake mix calls for melted butter instead of oil, which accounts for the rich flavor, dense texture, and sticky-moist feeling of the cake. Some of the editors thought it was cornbread at first glance and were skeptical as they reached for their first bite, but the flavor was fantastic! “If someone said they made this from scratch, I’d believe them,” shared one editor. Some noted how good it would be with chocolate frosting.
Great Value Deluxe Moist White Cake Mix
This cake mix used four egg whites, and it showed. Fluffy, with a golden exterior and pale white interior, this cake looked impressive even before digging in. After tasting this cake one editor said, “Tastes almost like my gram’s Angel Food Cake.” This mix produced a tall even layer, but was quite sweet with a lot of artificial vanilla flavor. The only other two ingredients this mix called for were vegetable oil and water, and of all the mixes, it rang in the cheapest per box at the time of purchase.
Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix
This cake mix calls for three egg whites to be beaten into the batter for two minutes (in addition to the oil and water). The air beaten into the egg whites make the crumb of the cake very delicate and airy. After taking their first bite, someone noted that the cake was almost powdery and that it dissolved in their mouth. This fragile cake wouldn’t hold its structure under a layer of frosting as well as the others. “This cake would be good crumbled into layers for a trifle,” noted one editor.
Pillsbury Moist Supreme White Premium Cake Mix
The prominent vanilla flavor in this cake is the classic “boxed cake vanilla” flavor that differs greatly from the dark vanilla extract used in a homemade vanilla cake. The light spongy texture of the cake and the generally sturdy structure would make it great for a frosted layer cake. One editor shared, “The texture almost reminds me of angel food cake, and I dig it.”
Betty Crocker Super Moist White Cake Mix
Across the board, the unanimous agreement was that this cake had the least flavor among the five. Compared to its competitors, its mild taste and light texture might be preferred for a cake that is being made to support the flavor of a rich frosting or a special filling. One editor summed up their feelings on this cake by saying. “I’d make this cake when I want the frosting to be the star of the show.”
And The Winner Is…
Great Value Deluxe Moist White Cake Mix
Credit:
Walmart
This mix produced a cake texture that wowed our editors the most. They couldn’t believe how light and fluffy it was. Once you factor in its low price, it only sweetens the deal. It only used egg whites in the batter, which gave the cake an airy crumb and beautiful pure white color. At about a fifth of the cost of the most expensive mix we included (Miss Jones Baking Co’s Ultimate Vanilla Cake Mix), we agree that this cake is a great value.
Dining and Cooking