Duncan Hines Wins Yellow Cake Mix Taste Test

A blind taste test of two popular boxed yellow cake mixes favored Duncan Hines over Betty Crocker, with nearly all 10 participants preferring Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix and its matching milk chocolate frosting. The comparison, published by The Kitchn and distributed by AOL on October 23, 2026, evaluated flavor, texture, appearance, and frosting quality to determine which product came closest to homemade cake.

The test compared Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix with Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix. According to the product comparison, Duncan Hines contains 15.25 ounces of mix, compared with 13.25 ounces for Betty Crocker. Both mixes and their corresponding 16-ounce frosting containers were priced below $2 at Walmart.

The preparation followed each package's instructions, using eggs and vegetable oil from the same sources. Both cakes were baked in a 9-by-13-inch pan the night before the tasting, cooled overnight, and frosted the following morning. Ten coworkers sampled the cakes without knowing which brands they were evaluating.

Betty Crocker's cake had a brighter yellow color and a coarser crumb, while Duncan Hines produced a more neutral-colored cake with a tighter crumb. Despite using less mix and oil, the Betty Crocker cake rose slightly higher. Its frosting was lighter and thinner, while Duncan Hines had a darker, thicker chocolate topping.

Rachel Perlmutter, culinary producer, described similarities in the cakes' texture during the tasting.

"moist" Rachel Perlmutter, Culinary Producer, said both cakes were.

Perlmutter also assessed the cakes' crumb and consistency, noting that their textures were broadly similar despite differences in the tasters' preferences.

"nice light fluffy crumb," Rachel Perlmutter, Culinary Producer, said.

Perlmutter further compared the cakes' textures during the evaluation.

"textures are pretty comparable." Rachel Perlmutter, Culinary Producer, said.

Although some participants struggled to distinguish the products, most criticized Betty Crocker's texture after trying both cakes more than once.

"spongey," the tasters said of Betty Crocker's cake.

Other participants raised concerns about the cake's consistency and dryness during the side-by-side evaluation.

"crumbly," the tasters said of Betty Crocker's cake.

The group also found that Betty Crocker's cake lacked the moisture they preferred.

"dry." the tasters said of Betty Crocker's cake.

The tasting group identified another weakness in the cake's structure, particularly after repeated sampling.

"needs more structure," the tasters said of Betty Crocker's cake.

Topher Leo, assistant culinary producer, favored Duncan Hines for its richer flavor. The comparison also highlighted how the mixes' different oil requirements could influence their finished texture and taste.

"more rich and buttery," Topher Leo, Assistant Culinary Producer, said of Duncan Hines.

Perlmutter contrasted that flavor with the more pronounced oil taste she detected in Betty Crocker's cake.

"has a more prominent vegetable oil cake flavor," Rachel Perlmutter, Culinary Producer, said of Betty Crocker.

Leo said Duncan Hines came close to the flavor of a cake prepared from scratch.

"I might not be able to distinguish Duncan from homemade, if you didn’t tell me," Topher Leo, Assistant Culinary Producer, said.

The frostings were noticeably sweet, although the participants distinguished between their flavor profiles. Betty Crocker's topping emphasized sweetness, while Duncan Hines delivered a darker chocolate taste.

"more sugar-forward," Karis Danish, Director of Video, said of Betty Crocker's frosting.

Danish also identified a secondary flavor in Duncan Hines' milk chocolate frosting.

"a hint of vanilla," Karis Danish, Director of Video, said of Duncan Hines' frosting.

Perlmutter expressed a favorable view of Duncan Hines' frosting, describing it as representative of what she wanted from a packaged product.

"what I want a jar of frosting to be." Rachel Perlmutter, Culinary Producer, said of Duncan Hines' frosting.

By the end of the tasting, all but one participant ranked Duncan Hines as the preferred cake and frosting combination. Maxwell, founder of Apartment Therapy Media, liked both products, while Celia, an editorial assistant who favored Betty Crocker, said she would continue purchasing her usual brand despite selecting Duncan Hines in the blind test.

The comparison also found that both mixes call for one cup of water and three eggs. Duncan Hines requires half a cup of vegetable oil, while Betty Crocker calls for one-quarter cup. Package instructions list baking times of 23 to 28 minutes for Duncan Hines and 24 to 29 minutes for Betty Crocker in a 13-by-9-inch pan.