The Popular Cake Mix Brand That's Quietly Shrinking Its Portions, According To Shoppers

The cost of food is on the rise, and a phenomenon known as shrinkflation has become a culinary epidemic, reducing the amount of food we get while hiking up prices. Unfortunately, Betty Crocker, the popular cake mix brand, has become yet another grocery item hit by shrinkflation.

In an interview with Business Insider, a customer care representative for Betty Crocker confirmed that the Super Moist line of 20 cake flavors now has two ounces less cake mix than the original boxes. Shoppers took to social media to alert others of the sneaky reduction in size. While the 2023 Business Insider interview cited a reduction from 16.25 to 14.25 ounces, a more recent, 2024 Facebook post stated, "Betty Crocker has reduced the size of the cake mix again. It is now 13.25 oz." Numerous infuriated responses followed, with one complaining that the brand is "putting sheer profit above everything including customer service/satisfaction." Others expressed anger about being duped. "Manufacturers think we're stupid and [won't] notice," said a Facebook customer.

Betty Crocker is a historic and iconic cake mix brand, but it isn't the end-all, be-all. Tasting Table actually found that Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix isn't as good as other top brands like Pillsbury and Duncan Hines. To that effect, a Redditor points out, "Duncan Hines is still holding steady at 15.25 [ounces]." Die-hard Betty Crocker fans might want to pivot to a brand that doesn't try to pull a fast one on them.

In addition to reducing the value of the cake mix for the cost, Redditors also complain that a reduction as small as two ounces has negatively affected their baking. "They tinkered with the amount of leaveners in the mix itself so that, when it comes out of the oven...it looks like a more substantial amount of cake, " says a Redditor. Not only is this false advertising, but the truth comes to light soon enough.  Another Redditor confirmed the disappointing discovery by questioning, "why is my cake only half as high as it's supposed to be? Because they don't supply enough mixture." An increase in leavening agents also gives the mix an "off taste" according to Redditors. 

One Reddit user made cupcakes with the mix, lamenting, "now the mixes don't make the correct amount, which affects the quality of the baking." Someone else on Reddit astutely said, "you can't say baking is a science then mess with the ingredients and think it will be the same."

Customers on Facebook and Reddit have come up with a few solutions to the shrinkage. One Redditor said, "I now add 4 oz from another box to keep the ratios correct." However, this would mean buying two boxes for a single cake recipe. A customer on Facebook recommends upsizing the cake mix with specific measurements of all-purpose flour, sugar, and leavening agents. But if that's the case, you might as well make cake mix from scratch.