Boxed cake mix

Pre-measured blend of flour, leaveners, sugar, and flavouring. The fastest path to a cake. Just add eggs, oil, and water. Easy to 'doctor': swap oil for melted butter, add an extra egg, stir in sour cream, or add a box of dry pudding mix for a moister, more bakery-like crumb.

Boxed cake mix

Used for

  • dump cakes
  • poke cakes
  • layer cakes
  • cupcakes

In the kitchen

  • Doctor the mix.
  • Add pudding mix for moisture.

Picking it at the store

  • Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, and Pillsbury are largely interchangeable.
  • Check expiry. Leaveners in the mix weaken over time.

Related terms

Browse the full glossary →

Tastease's cooking wizard explains steps like this one in plain language, right when you need it, while you're actually cooking. Shop smarter, cook with confidence.

Start free →

No credit card required