Betty Crocker Vs Pillsbury: Which Brand Has The Best Yellow Cake Mix?

If you're looking for a classic yellow birthday cake that's sure to please, boxed yellow cake mix usually does the trick. But you would be mistaken in not doing your research before buying a box, since some yellow cake mixes outshine others. Luckily, Tasting Table ranked the absolute best packaged yellow cake mixes to help. And when it comes to Betty Crocker vs. Pillsbury — two classic cake mix brands — one brand's yellow cake mix fares better. According to our taste tester, Pillsbury's yellow cake mix outranks Betty Crocker's, mostly due to its more pleasing texture. Pillsbury's yellow cake mix came in third in our ranking, beating out Betty Crocker's yellow cake mix, which ranked fifth.

In the review, our taste tester ranked 12 different cake mix brands, looking overall for what she described as "a balanced, flavorful sponge with notes of real vanilla." Her main qualm with Betty Crocker's classic yellow cake mix was that it was a bit too moist while simultaneously displaying a slight "squeakiness akin to biting into a cheese curd." On the other hand, Pillsbury's cake mix had a better structure as it was softer and more enjoyable to eat. Though it may seem like a small factor, Pillsbury's superior, comparatively plush yellow cake texturultimately helped it surpass the ranks of many other mixes, including Betty Crocker.

Notably, Pillsbury's classic yellow cake mix wasn't without its flaws. Two Duncan Hines cake mixes ranked above Pillsbury's yellow cake rendition because it was a touch too sweet. Still, Pillsbury had an edge over Betty Crocker not only with its classic yellow cake mix but its zero-sugar version as well. Pillsbury's zero-sugar yellow cake mix ranked ninth, coming in ahead of Betty Crocker's lower-sugar yellow cake mix, which placed tenth. 

No matter how much sugar it has, a yellow cake needs to have a light and open crumb structure, while remaining intact, moist, and soft. Similar to its classic yellow cake, Betty Crocker's lower-sugar version missed the mark due to excess softness and a lack of structure. "The main problem is if you were to top it with a heavy frosting or use it in a layer cake, it would absolutely disintegrate, leaving you with a pile of cake-flavored mush," our taste tester wrote in her review. Even though Pillsbury's zero-sugar yellow cake mix had a noticeably artificial taste, its sturdier structure helped it outperform Betty Crocker's lower-sugar version.