We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
When a boxed cake mix is bad, it can lead to a dry, overly crumbly texture and might even lack flavor. Of course, no cake mix is completely unsalvageable — you can try to doctor up a disappointing one by adding pudding mix, melted butter, or other ingredients to turn your dessert into something worthy of your nearest local bakery.
For those who want a delicious cake without having to include any upgrades, however, Food Republic conducted a ranking of the best and worst boxed cake mixes, and Betty Crocker’s Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix was the clear winner, standing out in texture, color, and flavor. One reason it tastes so good is likely due to Betty Crocker’s use of corn syrup in its recipe. Although corn syrup has a reputation for being artificial and toxic, it’s actually less sweet than table sugar, and when used in cake batter, it can create a moister texture compared to cake mixes without it.
This could explain the hundreds of glowing reviews for this cake mix on Amazon. Another major selling point is that, despite resulting in a clearly delicious, quality cake, it’s sold at an affordable price point — typically under $2 online — making it a great value purchase.
How to take boxed cake mix from good to great
When boxed cake mixes rose in popularity in the late 1940s, they were marketed to housewives as a form of convenience. No longer did a “homemade” cake require grinding flour and precisely measuring every ingredient; these innovative mixes simplified the process to just adding two fresh eggs and water to a dry mixture containing the appropriate amounts of baking soda, baking powder, and other flavorings.
Having a box of Betty Crocker’s Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix is a great alternative to buying a store-bought cake because, on top of being easy to prepare and tasting great on its own, it can be easily customized. Adding a few drops of almond extract will give your cake some dimension and nutty warmth. You also only need three ingredients to turn yellow cake mix into a vintage treat — a can of pineapple slices, some maraschino cherries, and a bit of brown sugar will transform it into a delicious pineapple upside-down cake. Mix the cake mix with some confectioner’s sugar, softened cream cheese, butter, real vanilla extract, and an egg, and you’ll have gooey butter cookies. Or, to take your culinary expertise to the next level, combine the mix with ricotta, sugar, eggs, and vanilla to make a ricotta cheesecake you’d expect to find at a fine dining establishment serving a four-course Italian dinner. Whether you choose to follow the box instructions or mix it up, Betty Crocker is where it’s at.
