The Boxed Red Velvet Cake Mix To Avoid Buying At All Costs

Boxed cake mixes are a cherished item in most novice bakers' pantries. After all, they're affordable, require very few ingredients, and are a foolproof way to successfully make different types of cake, like a classic yet decadent red velvet cake.

Thanks to its vibrant color, this cake can be tricky for a novice to make from scratch. In order to get the perfect hue of red, you'll need to purchase the best type of food coloring. Luckily, you can skip that step entirely and use store-bought red velvet cake mix instead. Not only will it already have the perfect color, but you can use it to make an array of other red velvet desserts like crinkle cookies, trifles, and brownies. Just make sure to pay attention to the store-bought cake mix you grab. Unfortunately, only some of them will produce a delectable final product. Surprisingly enough, the one mix you should absolutely avoid purchasing comes from a beloved brand: Duncan Hines.

Known for its affordable yet delicious cake mixes, Duncan Hines really let its fans down with this product. In fact, it's so disappointing that it was ranked the worst store-bought red velvet cake mix by the Tasting Table staff. Sadly, this cake has an off-putting flavor that immediately launches an attack on your taste buds. Upon your first bite, a pungent artificial flavor will overpower the hints of chocolatey goodness and completely ruin your cake experience. Once this happens, the rest of your bite will taste weirdly metallic. Although the metallic flavor doesn't linger for long, it's enough to deter you from taking another bite.

Compared to other Duncan Hines products, this cake mix is the ultimate catfish. Sold in a vibrant pink and red box, the packaging is visually appealing. And with promises of a "perfectly moist" cake, boldly displayed on the box, it's hard to resist this mix. The cake has an interior that's the perfect shade of red. However, its appearance and spongy texture trick you into thinking this cake will be incredibly delicious.

If you've ever had a brightly-colored frosting, you've probably experienced a metallic taste before. When too much food coloring is added, it can alter flavors and give foods an unpleasant aftertaste. Since this store-bought cake mix relies on red 40 dye to get its color, that might be why the flavor is so unpalatable.

This cake lacks the mysterious, yet distinctive flavor of red velvet cake because it's missing key ingredients. That iconic flavor can be attributed to the combination of cocoa powder, vanilla, and a splash of something acidic like buttermilk or vinegar. Although this store-bought cake mix uses cocoa powder, there's no inclusion of vanilla or anything acidic. Instead, this cake is made with wheat flour, canola oil, leavening, sugar, and a few additives. So, this red velvet cake mix fails to have that subtle tanginess that pairs flawlessly with the delicate notes of chocolate.

Thanks to its strange flavor, this Duncan Hines cake mix has mixed reviews on the company's website. With an overall rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars, most common complaints are that the cake was completely flavorless, tasted strongly of oil, and was a massive disappointment.