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How to Bake with Cake Mix

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All your boxed cake mix questions answered. This is the best guide for what types of cake mix to choose. What cake mix is the most chocolaty? What cake mix has the best rise? I’m answering all your questions.

The Best Boxed Cake Mixes

Listen, it’s no secret that we use a lot of cake mix around here. Why? Because I think anyone should be able to make something amazing and if that means you need to start with a cake mix, that’s okay with me.

In general, we are not just making a cake mix and slapping some canned frosting on it. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever did that. I generally alter my cake mixes in some ways to make them taste even better.

I definitely have my preferred brands, and sometimes I’ll even specify that for you. This is deep dive into a variety of cake mixes that are available and to see how each one is different from one another.

The 3 Cake Mixes I Tested

All cake mixes offer a wide variety of flavors and some have pudding in the mix. There’s always chocolate, vanilla, devil’s food, Funfetti, maybe a lemon or red velvet.

For the purposes of this test, I used Devil’s Food and I am testing the top three brands: Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and Duncan Hines.

What is the best boxed chocolate cake mix? This post will answer your questions. It is the best guide explaining the differences between boxed cake mixes.

There are certainly other brands available such as Ghirardelli, King Arthur Flour, Jiffy or even a generic store brand, but I felt that these were the top 3 most common brands when it comes to cake mix.

Ingredients Used

For the purposes of this experiment, I used only the ingredients called for on the box: water, oil and eggs. All three boxes were 15.25 ounces / 432 grams but each one varied in the liquid ingredients that are required.

  • Betty Crocker: 1 ¼ cup water, ½ cup vegetable oil and 3 large eggs
  • Pillsbury: 1 cup water, ½ cup vegetable oil and 3 large eggs
  • Duncan Hines: 1 cup water 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs
All your boxed cake mix questions answered. This is the best guide for what types of cake mix to choose. What cake mix is the most chocolaty? What cake mix has the best rise? I’m answering all your questions.

How Each Cake Mix Varies

Betty Crocker

This cake mix was by far the thinnest, due to an extra ¼ cup of water. In fact, when I measured out the amount of batter in each prepared cake mix, there was an extra 1 cup of prepared batter in this box.

What is the best boxed chocolate cake mix? This post will answer your questions. It is the best guide explaining the differences between boxed cake mixes.

Pillsbury

This batter was the darkest in color, so it’s no surprise when you see my conclusion that this was the most chocolate-flavored cake.

What is the best boxed chocolate cake mix? This post will answer your questions. It is the best guide explaining the differences between boxed cake mixes.

Duncan Hines

This batter what the thickest, which makes sense because it has the least amount of liquid.

What is the best boxed chocolate cake mix? This post will answer your questions. It is the best guide explaining the differences between boxed cake mixes.

What Size Cake Pan Should I use?

For this post, I tested these cake mixes in two different sizes pans, both 8-inch and 9-inch and I did not use my beloved bake even stripes.

Two 9-inch pans will produce thinner layers whereas the 8-inch pans will be taller. Most boxed cake mixes provide baking times for 9-inch layers, but if you are making 8-inch layers, you may need to add additional baking time.

9-inch Cake Tests

How much batter I used: To keep things consistent, I am using 1 ½ cups of batter for each cake mix. As opposed to dividing the batter in half (because not each cake mix had the same amount of liquid batter), I wanted to control the amount of batter in each pan.

Baking times: Each cake was baked for 19 minutes.

All your boxed cake mix questions answered. This is the best guide for what types of cake mix to choose. What cake mix is the most chocolaty? What cake mix has the best rise? I’m answering all your questions.

8-inch Cake Test

  • How much batter I used: 1 ¾ cups batter for each cake mix, which is 1/4 cup more than the 9-inch pans.
  • Baking times Each one baked for 19 minutes except for Duncan Hines, which needed an extra 2 minutes.
All your boxed cake mix questions answered. This is the best guide for what types of cake mix to choose. What cake mix is the most chocolaty? What cake mix has the best rise? I’m answering all your questions.

Which Boxed Cake Mix is Best?

I fell this is really a personal preference. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these, but they each have their own unique properties that make them a little but different. They were all moist and spongy, with varying flavors.

What is the best boxed chocolate cake mix? This post will answer your questions. It is the best guide explaining the differences between boxed cake mixes.

Betty Crocker

Rise: In both tests, the Better Crocker has the least amount of rise on the cake, which again might be due to the increased liquid in the batter. You can see it is significantly higher/taller.

Crumb: Betty Crocker had the most compact crumb but I also felt like it had the most air bubbles with Duncan Hines being a heavy competitor.

Betty Crocker Devil's Food Cake Mix. What is the best boxed chocolate cake mix? This post will answer your questions. It is the best guide explaining the differences between boxed cake mixes.

Pillsbury

Flavor: The Pillsbury cake had the best chocolate flavor.

Structure: In both cases, the Pillsbury one baked most unevenly, meaning that it needs to be torted if you are making a layer cake so the top is nice and flat.

Pillsbury Devils Food Cake Mix. What is the best boxed chocolate cake mix? This post will answer your questions. It is the best guide explaining the differences between boxed cake mixes.

Duncan Hines

Texture: The Duncan Hines cake had the lightest and fluffiest texture and it was also the most moist cake mix. This was surprising to me given that the batter was the thickest.

Flavor: This cake also has the most cocoa flavor, which is not to be confused with the best chocolate flavor (Pillsbury was the best in my opinion)

Rise: This cake also had the best rise. It should also be noted that Duncan Hines is a Wilton-approved cake mix that is used in their test kitchens.

Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake Mix. What is the best boxed chocolate cake mix? This post will answer your questions. It is the best guide explaining the differences between boxed cake mixes.

How to Make a Boxed Mix Taste Better

You might be surprised to know that even bakeries will reach for cake mix from time to time and with a few alterations, you can make it taste even better. Sometime you’d never be able to tell it’s a cake mix.

  • Vanilla extract: Always add 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla to your cake mixes (expect maybe lemon).
  • Substitute with milk: Most cake mixes call for oil, water and eggs. Swap out the water for milk.
  • Use melted butter: Some people swear by swapping melted butter for oil, but I think oil produces a better texture and moister crumb.
  • Add sour cream: This really is the secret weapon. Adding 1/4-1/2 cup of sour cream to a cake mix makes the cake so much better.
  • Extra Cocoa powder: For more chocolate flavor, try adding 2-4 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
  • Add pudding mix: Even if the boxed mix already has it, people swear that adding a small box of pudding to the mix adds flavor and texture.

How Do I Prevent my Cakes from Sticking to the Pan?

I always recommend greasing the pans with Crisco and lining the bottom with parchment paper. This helps ensure the cake is released easily from the pans. If you don’t have parchment paper, then you can use a dusting of flour. For chocolate cakes, I use a combination of flour and cocoa powder.

Parchment paper is also nice because when I am cooling the cakes on the wire rack, the bottom of the cake won’t stick since it is lined with parchment paper. It also makes it easier to transport.

How Many Cupcakes Does a Boxed Mix Make?

This varies between brands. But generally, I get between 18-20 cupcakes from a box mix. This is using a standard large cookie scoop, about 3 tablespoons in size.

You might find my post tips for baking cupcakes to be helpful. I talk about how much batter for each cupcake and the different types of pans that are available.

More Baking Tutorials

 

Leave a Comment

65 Responses
  1. Lisa Wiggins

    So is Dunkin Hein the best cake to make? And for layer cakes do I use 2 boxes? And does Dunkin Hein have pudding in mix?

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      I think that is subject to what you like the best. A lot of people prefer Duncan Hines. I personally like Betty Crocker. I gave my detailed conclusion of each one in the bottom of the post. For layer cakes, it would depend on the pan size and how thick you want the layers to actually be. I don’t believe Duncan Heins has pudding mix in their boxes but you’d have to check the product you’re buying. Things have changed a lot since posted in 2017, and personally, I bake from scratch almost exclusively now.

  2. Vicki Buck

    I have many cake recipes that call for adding pudding to the mix. Now that you have Bettty Crocker mixes with pudding already in the mix how do you adjust the recipe. Is there a full box of pudding in their mix? I have recipes for quick breads that call for a cake mix and a full box of pudding. How much pudding mix is actually in Betty Crocker cake mixes?

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Anytime I was baking with a Betty Crocker mix, and I always added a pudding mix (3.4oz size) to the cake mix, even if it had pudding in the cake mix already. But I never made a quick bread with a cake mix, only cakes or cupcakes

  3. Sanskriti

    I am going to make two round 9inches from this one box of Duncan hines. I only have one pan so will do one after the other. My question to you is, do i make the whole batter at once and then bake one after the other? will it mean the second cake will be less fluffy ? or do I whip half the batter for the first cake and the other half later on?

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi there, you’ll need to prepare the whole cake mix together and just remix the batter before you bake the second cake

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Carol- I can’t say as I have not tried it. I think with an extra egg you should okay to leave as is

  4. Barbara

    I sift the cake box mix first, then no lumps in the mixing. I add 1 box of instant pudding to all my cake box mix. I exchange milk for the water, add required eggs. I also add 2 tablespoons full of regular mayonnaise into the mix, yes you heard me. That is similar to adding extra egg.

  5. Dia

    Hi I use the Betty Crocker mix and it turns out yummy but I use one 9 inch pan so it rises in too much of a dome shape so that I have to cut a lot out to straighten it then cut horizontally through middle to get two layers for putting frosting etc. so my question is how do I avoid this too much dome shape which is also asymmetrical means more higher from one side? Also if I bake in two pans instead of one, what should the baking time be? I have only made three cakes with the baking time as mentioned on the box I.e 40-45 min. Kindly advice.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Dia. Thanks for your note. If you see in my post, doming of a cake is normal, unless you’re using something like bake even stripes. 9 inch pans in particular are curved at the bottom edge, instead of straight up and down which I think is what causes the cake to be higher on one side than the other, also a common issue. Baking a whole cake mix in 1 pan is a lot, so I am not surprised that you have a large dome. In my post, I noted that I baked my 9 inch rounds for 19 minutes. But baking times are estimated as each oven and pan bakes differently. As a rule of thumb, I always put 15 minutes on the clock, check it and add time from there.

  6. Shannon

    I have a recipe that says to add pudding mix to the cake mix. I’ve read many of the cake mixes already contain pudding mix, but it doesn’t state that on the package. Can I add more pudding mix? Should I refrain from adding it since it might already be in the cake mix. Not quite sure what to do. If you know, please post the answer. Thank You!

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Shannon- when in doubt, follow the recipe you are making. I often adding a box of pudding to a cake mix (even if the cake mix has pudding in it).

  7. Rosalind

    I’m furious. The Betty Crocker mix I just used had timing for a bundt cake, which implies that it will fill a bundt pan. Of course it doesn’t and my pretty little house shaped pan didn’t work out properly. Cake mixes have steadily shrunk over the years. I have lots of old recipes that call for an 18 ounce cake mix. Instead of skinflinting us, manufacturers need to provide the same amount for whatever price they need to charge.

  8. Jennifer

    Can I split an angel cake mix between 2 6” pans (3” high) making two cakes for twin grandchildren
    Thanks!

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Jennifer, I am not as familiar with angel food cake, but a regular cake mix should be fine, you’ll just need to adjust the baking times accordingly.

  9. Michelle

    Here’s my “cake mix” enhancer method that I use:

    Read the instructions on the box
    Add 1 or 2 more eggs (your preference)
    Replace the oil with melted butter but double the amount of butter
    Replace the water with milk
    Bake as directed on the box

  10. Karen

    Thanks for doing this. I always wondered why I thought Duncan Heinz was always the “fanciest” cake mix. My brain is weird, but there is actually a difference. Duncan Heinz seems to turn out the way I like my cakes.

  11. Kimiko

    I’ve read about “enhancing” box mixes by substituting whole milk for the water, melted butter for the oil, and increasing the number of eggs. The suggestions seem pretty consistent for milk to water (1 to 1), but the melted butter is inconsistent (everything from a couple of tablespoons in addition to the oil, to doubling the oil amount). Do you have any suggestions on tips to use to improve box mixes?

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Kimiko, yes there’s lot of recipes out there for improving cake mixes, personally the one I like is from The Cake Mix Doctor, and it uses the regular oil, eggs and water, but then adding vanilla extract and sour cream. I’ve never done the butter substituting for oil myself but I’ve heard it’s pretty common

  12. Eric Ericson

    Can I divide a dry 16 oz cake mix in half and make 2, 6 in cakes cooked on seperate days. I am widowed and cooking for 1.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Sorry Eric, I have no tried this myself, so I can’t say for certain. You might try baking them at the same time and freezing one of them

  13. Pat

    It would have been very helpful if you had listed the total cups of batter for each mix. I need to know how many cups batter in Pillsbury? I’m making 2 boxes, 1 white & 1 Devils food to make 4 ea 9″ marble layers. It would be difficult to eyeball exact amount of batter in each. Any idea how much batter in the Pillsbury? I cannot find the answer anywhere in the internet, not even on Pillsbury site.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Pat, unfortunately I don’t have the answer at this time. Can you measure out the batter before you start pouring in your pans? You could also try weighing it if you have a scale, and then dividing it accordingly.

  14. Ellen

    Can I use a full 16 oz box of Betty Crocker pound cake mix to make a tall 8 in cake? If so what’s an estimated baking time?

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Ellen, I am sorry I can’t answer that. I haven’t done it myself. When baking 8 inch cakes, I usually start at 20 minutes and assess from there.

  15. Anshu

    Hi!
    I would like to ask – how much cake batter ( in grams) should I bake so that I get 1 kg of ready dry cake? Would love to get the answer for this asap. Thanks!

  16. Hilda King

    I don’t understand why Betty Crocker cream cheese icing has no flavor of cream cheese at all. What a fail on my cake

  17. Kathleen Erickson

    Thanks so much for this interesting blog. You really did a great job accounting for all the various factors: amount of liquid, size of pan and measuring the same amount of prepared batter into each pan. Very scientific! Well done!

  18. Kaykay

    My mother always said Duncan Hines was best. For many years I baked cakes for a living and only used their mixes. I still prefer them. I also make a lot of cinnamon rolls using the yellow mix. It has (by far) the best flavor of any mix. Yesterday I made a double batch (60 rolls) and used one of the other brands. My son bought me the wrong brand! The quality and flavor is totally different and I almost want to throw them all away.

  19. Shannon Harvey

    Great post! I’ll be working on a basics blog post soon too and will include links to these. Sometimes you gotta bring it back to the basics. For the record, I am a Pillsbury girl all the way! It might be the branding and colors (which always get me) but it is what it is! Ha!

  20. wendyk

    when you can’t make from scratch Duncan Hines is the one to use! I go by the direction on the pk. but always add either a couple of tbl. of sour cream or 2 tbl. of melted butter for extra moist /flavor!

  21. 4Graces

    I don’t know why anyone would think that 15.25 ounces of cake mix could make the same size cakes as an 18.25 ounce mix, no matter how much extra leavening or whatever the manufacturer puts in it. Still, the mix boxes claim it does. Why won’t they just be honest? I just finished baking a Duncan Hines Classic White cake mix batter and it made a very nice 7 inch by 11 inch cake at a little over one inch high. I have tried the D.H. batter in a 9 x 13 pan and it comes out about half an inch high which I find unacceptable. I prefer the D.H. brand, but I resent having to open two boxes of mix to get the amount of product I need to make a nine inch cake. The main selling point of these mixes is that they are easy and quick. Now they are neither if one is to get an appropriate sized cake.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi there. Thank you for your comment. I totally understand the frustration. All of my recipes use a 15.25 oz size but I hardly ever make a 9inch cake, I always make an 8inch cake. I’ve never tried using two boxes. However I am confused why your 9-13 pan was only half an inch high, I agree that seems small! Most of the time I use Betty Crocker and my 9-13 inch cakes are definitely higher.

    2. Freda

      I buy two mixes just to make up what they take now…. big mistake when they changed the amount .. but we all know it’s about money and us having to buy double ??

  22. Tia

    Hi you inspire me so much, however, I have to bake some eggless cupcakes for my daughter’s school cake sale and I was considering using box cakes.
    What can I use to substitute the eggs and still make the cake fluffy and moist???

  23. Linda Colgan

    Hello, I have a question How can you use a box cake mix using a a Wolfgang puck 1.5 mini rice cooker? I have searched and can’t find a recipe for measurement s can you please help. I’m just one person and want cake:)
    Thank you,please email if you can

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Linda, I am not sure what the Wolfgang Puck 1.5 mini rice cooker is or how you would make a cake in a rice cooker. If you are looking for a single serving cake, I might suggest looking for recipes for “mug cakes”. There are quite a few on the internet.

  24. ColleenB.

    Great Information. I tried to tell my daughter that Duncan Hines was the best.
    Thank You for taking the time out of your schedule for doing this experiment.

  25. Lisa @ NatureImmerse

    If you’re short on time and aren’t confident in the kitchen, cake mixes are an easy way to whip up a sweet treat. Whether you make it from scratch or out of a pack, a good cake should be slightly moist and evenly risen with an even colour and thin crust. It should melt in your mouth when eaten and not be too sweet or have a chemical or salty taste or aftertaste.

  26. Amanda

    This was an amazing scientific experiment! I didn’t know you were a scientist for your other job. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this–and so thoroughly! Submit this to America’s Test Kitchen (or Milk Street now.)
    Thanks, Julianne.
    Can’t wait for what you come up with next! No other blogger I came across has ever taken the time to do this 🙂
    ~A

  27. Alison

    Great post Julianne….and a lot of work! I have never had much luck with the Pillbury mix as it never rises. I’ve been told that maybe it’s because of the elevation and living in the southeast? Duncan Hines has always been my favorite go to cake mix. It always rises nice and has a great taste and texture….never dry.

    1. Brooke

      I also find Duncan Hines my go to cake mix. I just made a cake using their yellow cake mix. Instead of using water I used milk (but left the other ingredients the same). It was super thick but was turned out so moist. Easily the best cake I’ve ever made (and I bake a lot).

      Thanks for the side-by-side comparison, Julianne! 🙂

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