This Coffee Cake Mix Outshines Betty Crocker And Dolly Parton– And It's Gluten Free

Whether you're a coffee lover or not, coffee cake is something that anyone would be happy to start their day with. Famous cake mix brands are happy to oblige busy customers with convenient versions to whip up at home. Tasting Table's taste tester sampled and ranked six store-bought coffee cake mixes according to flavor, texture, and the quality of the cinnamon swirl component. The third-place ranking that fared better than popular brands like Betty Crocker and Dolly Parton was the Open Nature Gluten Free Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake Mix.

Dolly Parton's coffee cake mix came in fourth while Betty Crocker came in dead last. Both brands' cinnamon swirl layers were seriously lacking, and the cakes themselves were far from what would be defined as a coffee cake crumb. Open Nature's cinnamon streusel coffee cake mix, however, was unmistakable. It had a well-distributed cinnamon ribbon that came through in every bite, while the cake crumb was flavorful and tender. The mix uses a more neutral rice flour to replace the wheat, which didn't interfere with the flavor of the coffee cake. 

More importantly, our taste tester couldn't tell this cake was gluten-free at all, so it's a great option for gluten-averse and gluten lovers alike. The streusel topping was among the favorites because it had great structural integrity. Where even the best of coffee cakes might create a streusel avalanche when cut, Open Nature's streusel remained miraculously intact.

Safeway customers gave Open Nature's gluten-free cinnamon streusel coffee cake mix a whopping 4.9 out of 5 stars. One glowing review proclaimed, "Needs no improvement. It is delicious and doesn't taste any different than 'normal' cinnamon streusel." Assembling the cake gives you free rein as to how much streusel to add to the batter versus as a topping to the cake. One customer stated, "Love that I'm able to control how much cinnamon to add. The taste is amazing!!!"

Customers also applauded the versatility of this coffee cake mix, as you can make it into muffins or cake. It'll also work well as the base for other quick breads and cakes, as well as any simple upgrades you have in mind. One customer said, "I use it for carrot cake, zucchini bread, pear and pecan coffee cake...even pumpkin muffins!" However, not all customers were wowed by the cake mix. One customer thought "it wasn't as good as other brands" they tried and said it was "kinda dry." 

To that effect, the reason Open Nature's coffee cake came in third place was that it was a tad drier than the two higher-ranking competitors. If you want a coffee cake that's utterly moist and flavorful, the best store-bought coffee cake comes from a popular brand: Krusteaz. It's just not gluten-free. Of course, if you have the time, it's worth the effort to make a coffee cake from scratch using one of Tasting Table's many tasty coffee cake recipes.