This Discontinued 1950s Duncan Hines Cake Mix Was Inspired By A Classic Treat In New England

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Duncan Hines has been stirring up baked goods for well over 50 years now — plenty of time for the company to end up with a long list of discontinued boxed cake mix flavors. One such case is that of the brand's Burnt Sugar Cake Mix, which exited store shelves sometime after its apparent launch in the 1950s. 

Duncan Hines promoted the mix with multiple print ads, with at least one stating that the recipe emulated a classic New England cake. Each box came with a special packet of burnt sugar syrup that went into the batter, and would replicate the taste of the caramelized sugar that's central to the flavor of the cake. 

While Duncan Hines promoted this product as a New England-style treat, burnt sugar cake — which tastes an awful lot like the caramelized sugar you get atop a crème brûlée — has roots in the U.S. South. It still holds a special place in the foodways of African-American communities with Southern heritage, dating back to the 1800s. The recipe then spread throughout the country in the early 20th century, and during this time it was adapted to suit local tastes.

The spread of burnt sugar cake recipes resulted in the establishment of regional versions, including one called Old Vermont burnt sugar cake. This version of it was a traditional layer cake often enhanced with maple syrup. While it's not clear if the Duncan Hines version was meant to emulate this version specifically, which would explain its marketing association with New England, there's no mention of maple syrup in the vintage ads for this product.

In more recent years, burnt sugar cake has started to see a renaissance among home bakers, many of whom are honoring the dish with respect to its place in African-American Southern culinary history, rather than as a New England treat — although versions of this confection from both regions can be equally enjoyable. While a Duncan Hines mix for this type of cake is no longer sold in stores, there are plenty of decadent cake recipes that can be found online for versions of burnt sugar cake, such as the one demonstrated in the video below.