Does Boxed Cake Mix Ever Really Go Bad?

When a sweet tooth strikes, boxed cake mix is the pantry staple that waits on hand to save the day. Some mixes are even vegan-friendly. Thanks to always-there boxed cake mix, it can be "cake o'clock" first thing in the morning or in the middle of the night, and that ol' reliable mix lasts forever ... or does it? The short answer is that, while dry boxed cake mix does expire, it doesn't ever really "go bad" like meat or dairy. But, no packaged food product can last forever. As time passes, its ingredients deteriorate and the overall quality subsequently breaks down. Even though expired boxed cake mix is still safe to eat, the flavor and texture are affected.

As a general rule, it's a safe bet that your boxed cake mix will still perform well four to six months after the "best by" date if stored properly in a cool, dry place. Boxed cake mixes are typically printed with a "best by" date six months from the date of manufacturing. Some boxed cake mixes can last much longer, roughly 18 to 24 months after manufacturing, which will be indicated by the "best by" date. That said, this doesn't necessarily mean home cooks have that full window in which to use up their cake mix. If that box had been sitting on the grocery store shelf for a while before making it home to your kitchen, that "best by" date could be two or three months from now. 

It's also worth noting that perishable products like produce, meat, and dairy are typically printed with "use by" dates, after which the item should be discarded, as it could be unsafe to ingest. The "best by" label is printed on tougher shelf-stable goods and simply indicates when the item will lose its peak quality performance. In the case of boxed cake mix, "expiring" mostly impacts the activation of leavening agents like baking powder and yeast, which means your cake won't rise as well in the oven. Baking with expired cake mix will likely yield a less fluffy cake that probably won't hurt you, but certainly won't taste as good. Pro tip: Expired cake mix can be creatively used to make denser desserts like cookies or bar-style "brownie" treats, which don't need to rise as much anyway.

When in doubt, take a close look for signs of spoilage. Give that dry mix the sniff test: If it smells sour or "off," toss it out. Also, "dry" cake mix should be dry — not clumpy or in any way damp. Any moisture could be a sign of improper storage and subsequent mold growth, in which case the mix should be discarded. If it looks fine, the Ace of Cakes Duff Goldman himself has a few tips for taking boxed cake mix to the next level (and The Caker is our favorite brand of dry packaged cake mix, for the record).