"Baking a spice cake from scratch can sometimes seem more tedious than it's worth. You crave cozy, fall-inspired flavors but don't want to pull out every spice jar in your cabinet, let alone wait for your butter and eggs to come to room temperature or make a run to the grocery store. As a former bakery owner, I know how much effort goes into making a delicious homemade spice cake."
"I grew up on Betty Crocker cake mixes, so my inner child was really hoping this one would be a winner. Unfortunately, things didn't start off on a positive note. As I combined the cake mix with the required eggs, oil, and water, the batter turned a flat, pale tan color with virtually no aroma. Its thin, watery consistency didn't inspire confidence either. Nevertheless, I portioned the batter into cupcake liners and slipped the pan into the oven."
Six boxed spice cake mixes, including gluten-free options, were purchased and baked and then ranked by taste, moistness, aroma, texture, and spice balance. Some mixes delivered rich, cinnamony warmth reminiscent of pumpkin pie spice, while others failed to provide a clear spice presence or sufficient moisture. One tested mix produced a flat, pale tan batter with virtually no aroma and a thin, watery consistency. After baking, the cupcakes looked promising visually, but the spices were barely detectable and the crumb was dry, prompting sips of water.
Read at Tasting Table
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