The Best Spice Cake Mix You Can Buy Practically Tastes Homemade

There's something magical about the way a spice cake can turn your kitchen into the coziest room in the house. The air is filled with the scent of warm spices and caramelized sugar, a pleasant sense of comfort and nostalgic contentment. And while some of us may crave this experience, it's also hard to dedicate several hours to baking a cake from scratch. Thankfully, Krusteaz's pumpkin spice quick bread mix provides a shortcut for those without the time to make a spice cake, and the results practically feel homemade.

When ranking six spice cake mixes, cookbook author and Sugar Blossom Bake Shop founder Lei Shishak gave Krusteaz top marks for its even-handed spice blend and satisfying texture, saying it "captured that home-baked feel of a great spice cake." Unlike some mixes with too little spicing or not enough warming spices, Krusteaz's had a "thoughtfully balanced" flavor, and a "well-rounded sweet-meets-spicy profile with an equally comforting aroma." She also said that while she could taste all the spices you traditionally find in a spice cake, they were "never overpowering." Instead, they provided a "gentle warmth" that didn't lean "too heavily on any one spice."

As for structure and texture, Shishak said some mixes ended up dry, a tad chewy, or too delicate to stand up to heavier toppings. That said, she was impressed by how the Krusteaz cake was "wonderfully moist with a delightfully soft crumb," while also being "soft and springy yet sturdy enough to hold any topping."

It's easy to see why Krusteaz's pumpkin spice quick bread mix beat out the competition, especially with its close-to-homemade taste. While some store-bought mixes can have that one-note "spice" flavor or lean too heavily on one particular spice, Krusteaz's perfectly balanced blend lets the spices work in layered harmony without being overly sweet or, worse, tasting chemically. However, texture is also important, as box mixes can turn out gummy or oddly dense. But Krusteaz gives us that homemade feel with the moist mouthfeel and tender crumb you'd expect from a home baker who's perfected an old family recipe. "Everyone thought it was homemade," one reviewer said on Krusteaz's product page. Another person wrote, "This is as yummy as the scratch recipe my mom makes!"

As is the case with most store-bought mixes, you can also get pretty creative with Krusteaz's pumpkin spice quick bread. After all, it's easy to elevate any spice cake by incorporating ingredients like nuts for crunch, shredded carrots for some subtle sweetness, or chocolate chips to complement the cinnamon flavor. There's also the option of adding buttermilk into the batter for a slight tang, or a tipple of brandy to accentuate the spices. And while you can always make a classic cream cheese frosting or caramel sauce glaze to top things off, if you're feeling adventurous, try sprinkling some finely chopped candied ginger for a little zing or citrus zest for a pop of brightness. Either way, you'll have a delicious spice cake.