Best Chocolate Cake Mix Brands: Quick And Convenient

Cake mixes are convenient as they reduce the effort of collecting ingredients and measuring them out. In most mixes, all you need is an egg, milk, or water to turn the dry mix into a batter.

We picked four popular brands of chocolate cake mixes in India – Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Funfoods and Wingreens Farms (Impatient Baker). We checked them for the convenience they provide, their ingredient list, flavor and texture (sponginess and density).

While all the cake mixes are eggless, the ingredients required to prepare the batter may or may not require an egg. We divided the cake mixes into two categories based on the ingredients required for their preparation. 

We chose Pillsbury Rich Choco Oven Cake Mix as one of the best chocolate cake mix brands. This was prepped with an egg. The Wingreens farms eggless chocolate cake mix is our Top Pick in the eggless cooking category. Both of these have a deep, rich chocolate flavor which trumped the other contenders. More details here.

Here is all that you need to know about the chocolate cake mix brands.

1. Available Variants

Chocolate cake mixes are available in different categories based on two broad differentiators – 

• The type of ingredients used – Can be eggless or with egg. A green or red dot will indicate if it’s eggless or not. 
• Appliance/Equipment required – The pack mentions the appliance/equipment needed for cooking the cake – Microwave, Oven or pressure cooker.

Related reading – Weikfield Vanilla Cooker Cake Mix Review

2. Available Sizes

Chocolate cake mixes are available in different sizes ranging from 250 grams to 500 grams.

3. Price Range

The price per 100 grams of chocolate cake mix is between Rs 50/- and Rs 77/-.

4. Shelf Life

On an average, the shelf life of a cake mix is between 6-10 months.

5. Main Ingredients

The main ingredients used in most cake mixes include – flour, cocoa solids and sugar. The percentage of ingredients and type of sugar/flour varies from brand to brand.

Here is how we reviewed the chocolate cake mix brands and the parameters we gauged it on. 

We divided our review process in three stages – 

• Dry inspection
• Ease of cooking
• Taste test

The dry inspection stage helped us check the packaging, price, and texture of the cake mixes. We checked the boxes/packs for the instructions and how easy they were to follow. How convenient is it to make the cake using the mix?

The second stage included us checking all the brands for the ease of cooking. How easy or tough the mix is to use and does it require too many ingredients to make? We followed the instructions given on the pack individually.

The taste test stage helped us gauge the chocolate cakes for their taste and texture. This included the flavor of chocolate, sponginess, appearance and aroma as well.

Our parameters included – 

1. Taste

Taste is an umbrella category which gauges smaller elements like the intensity of chocolate flavor, the sweetness levels and if there is any aftertaste. Be it the taste of the flour, essence or chocolate – how does everything come together? How delicious is the overall bite?

2. Texture

Soft, spongy, light and airy are the qualities we were looking for. A good chocolate cake must have a soft, springy sponginess which is a result of the correct quantities of ingredients, whisking time and baking time.

A dry, dense cake is never desirable. 

3. Aroma

When we bake, the entire house smells lovely. We were looking for the cake mix with the most pleasant and richest chocolate aroma.

4. Overall experience

When we say overall experience, we mean every other small contributing factor that helps form a good impression. Example – How light or dark is the chocolate color? Does the cake cook well in the mentioned time frame? How easy or tough are the instructions to follow? Does the cake mix require too many ingredients or does it require minimal inputs from the user? 

5. Packaging

How well are the cake mixes packaged? Is the packaging sturdy? Is the cake mix sealed well?

A tabular comparison of the brands we reviewed for their price, shelf life, and net weight. 

What is dextrose and why is it in your cake mix?

Dextrose is a simple sugar derived from corn. The chemical structure for this is the same as glucose. It is added to packaged foods as an artificial sweetener/preservative.

Pillsbury Rich Choco Oven Cake Mix is a fine, lump-free powder with a light chocolate color. The choco cake mix is eggless but the instructions on the back mention the addition of water, vegetable oil and eggs. 

The whole process of baking this was very convenient. Not a lot was required, just a few kitchen staples. The baking was done in 35 minutes and a perfect cake was ready in less than 60 minutes.

Our review lab was filled with an intense chocolate aroma which was inviting. Coming to texture. Pillsbury chocolate cake has the softest, and most airy texture. The cake is spongy and isn’t dense. A lovely crust has formed on the top.

The rich chocolate intensity and balanced sweetness is spot on. Moreover, it doesn’t taste or smell eggy. We liked how the sweetness levels leave room for you to top it with ganache or frosting.

Features

• A 285 gram pack is priced at Rs 165/-.
• Price per 100 grams is Rs 57.89/-.
• Ingredients – Sugar, Refined wheat flour (maida), Cocoa powder (4.6%), Dextrose, Edible veg oil (palm), Baking powder, Raising agent (INS 500 (ii)), Colors (INS 150C, INS 150D), Modified starch (INS 1442), Emulsifiers and Stabilizers (INS 477, INS 415), Iodized salt.
• Contains added flavour (Natural and nature identical and flavouring substances (Vanilla).
• Contains permitted synthetic food colors.
• Allergen advice – Contains wheat ingredients.
• Shelf life is 10 months.
• Energy is 372 Kcal per 100 grams.
• Ingredients needed – 120 ml water, 40 ml vegetable oil and 2 eggs.
• Approx number of cake slices of medium thickness – 10

Process

• Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
• Mix in a bowl the contents of the pack, eggs and water.
• Mix for 2 minutes or till batter is lump free.
• Pour oil in a pan and grease.
• Pour batter till 3/4th height.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
• Let the cake cool for 30 minutes.

Likes

• The cake mix is convenient to use. 
• It is priced competitively. 
• We liked the balanced sweetness.
• The rich chocolate aroma and taste are appetising.
• The texture of the cake is absolutely marvellous. It’s soft, spongy, and airy.

Dislikes

We did not dislike anything about the cake mix, which is why it’s our Top Pick.

Best Suited For

Baking seems hard? This is a foolproof way of making a soft, spongy and delicious chocolate cake at home.

This eggless chocolate cake mix by Wingreens Farms from their ‘The Impatient Baker’ segment has the most chique-looking packaging. The plastic container is reusable. The powder is one time use as the instructions given are to use the entire pack.

What worked for us? The rich chocolate aroma, flavor and the texture. We loved the spongy, soft and airy cake. The interplay of a crisp crust on top and the soft sponge is excellent.

This was absolutely fuss-free to make and came closest to a homemade chocolate cake.

Features

• A 300 gram pack is priced at Rs 229/-.
• Price per 100 grams is Rs 76.33/-.
• Ingredients – Wheat Flour, Sugar, Dextrose, Milk Solids, Cocoa Solids (12%), Raising Agents (INS 500), Acidity regulator (INS 541), Edible Vegetable Oil (Sunflower oil), Emulsifier (INS475, INS471, INS481), Caramel, Iodized Salt, Stabilizer (INS415).
• Contains added flavour (nature identical flavouring substances)
• Allergen advice – Contains wheat gluten and milk solids.
• Shelf life is 9 months.
• Energy is 347 Kcal per 100 grams.
• Ingredients needed – Water, Oil.
• Approx number of cake slices (thick) – 10

Process

• It’s as easy as 1,2,3 – As the pack mentions. 
• Add 150 grams (½ cup+4 tsp) water to mix and whisk to form an aerated sponge batter until no lumps are left.
• Scrape mixture down and whisk on medium speed for about 5 minutes.
• Add 30 gram (2 Tbsp) oil to the batter slowly and whisk on slow speed for another minute.
• Pour into an oiled baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree Celcius for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Likes

• The packaging gets full marks from us.
• Not too many ingredients are required to bake this. Thumbs up!
• The chocolate aroma and flavor is on point.
• We appreciated the texture of the cake. It’s soft, spongy, and airy.

Dislikes

• There is nothing that we disliked flavor or texture wise. The only problem was that the batter is too thick. Because the batter is so thick, a lot of it gets wasted unintentionally. It sticks to the blender/mixer and is difficult to scrape off. 

Best Suited For

People looking for a completely egg-free baking experience, will love this! It is super convenient to use and requires minimal ingredients.

Earlier when we reviewed Betty Crocker’s Choco Fudge Cake Mix by itself, it turned out to be a chocolaty delight with a balanced sweetness and correct sponginess. But in a comparative situation, this was just a small step down from our winners.

This doesn’t mean that it wasn’t delicious or spongy, we just mean that our Top Picks were better. The chocolate intensity was a bit lower in comparison. 

Features

• A 475 gram pack is priced at Rs 310/-.
• Price per 100 grams is Rs 65.26/-.
• Ingredients – Sugar Refined wheat flour (maida), Cocoa solids (4.7%), Edible veg oil (palm), Corn starch, Dextrose, Raising agents (INS 500(ii)), INS 341(i), Modified starch (INS 1442), Iodized salt, Emulsifiers and Stabilizers (INS 477, INS 471, INS 415), Artificial flavouring substance (Vanilla)
• Contains added flavour (Artificial flavouring substances – vanilla)
• Allergen advice – Contains wheat ingredients
• Shelf life is 10 months.
• Energy is 392 Kcal per 100 grams.
• Ingredients needed – 100 ml veg oil, 250 ml water, 3 medium eggs
• 1 cake mix box produces 2 cakes of 9 inches each.
• Number of cake slices (Approx) – 25 thick cake squares from the whole cake mix.

Process

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
• Grease the pan (2 baking pans of 9inches each). We greased the pan with butter and a light sprinkling of flour.
• Mix one pack of the cake mix, water, and eggs together in a large bowl with a beater on low speed until mixed. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until well blended. (or beat vigorously by hand for 3 minutes)
• Pour into the greased pans.
• Bake for 22-27 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes and remove from the pan.

Likes

• The cake is spongy, soft and airy.
• We liked the balanced sweetness.
• The batter has a semi-thick consistency and is easy to whisk and pour.

Dislikes

• There isn’t anything we disliked about the cake texture wise. The only reason it’s not our Top Pick is because our winners were tastier and spongier.
• The chocolate intensity was a bit lower.

Dr Oetker Funfoods Chocolate Mix did not win because the aroma and flavor of chocolate was the lowest. It’s not as rich as our Top Picks. The sweetness levels are a bit higher than medium, which may be an issue if you’re topping the cake with some more chocolate or frosting. If eating it as is, then the sweetness is fine. There are no issues with the texture as such. It’s spongy and springs back, but is a bit denser than the others.

Features

• A 250 gram pack is priced at Rs 125/-.
• Price per 100 grams is Rs 50/-.
• Ingredients – Sugar, Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Milk Solids, Cocoa Solids (6%), Edible Starch, Baking Powder, Stabilizer (INS 407). )
• Contains Added Flavour (Nature-identical Flavouring Substances).
• Shelf life is 6 months.
• Energy is 382 Kcal per 100 grams.
• Ingredients needed – Butter and water
• Number of cake slices (Approx) – 12 medium thickness

Process

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
• Grease an 8 inch tin.
• Add 100 gram melted butter.
• Add 150 ml water.
• Mix till the batter becomes smooth.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the skewer comes out dry.

Likes

• We liked the sponginess of the cake.
• The cake mix doesn’t require a hand blender and mixes well with a spoon/fork.

Dislikes

• Lacks the rich chocolate aroma and flavor.
• The cake is a bit dense.

Why did we choose Pillsbury Rich Choco Over Cake Mix and Wingreens Farms (The Impatient Baker) as our Top Pick?

What a home baked chocolate cake should be – Light, airy, soft, spongy and full of chocolate. What it shouldn’t be – Dense, dry, crumbly, over sweetened and eggy (if using egg). 

After baking the chocolate cake mixes as per the instructions given on the pack we divided them into two categories – eggless and with egg preparations. 

Under the completely eggless preparation segment we picked Wingreens Farms The Impatient Baker Chocolate Cake Mix as our Top Pick. In the with-egg segment we picked Pillsbury Rich Choco Oven Cake Mix as our winner. 

Both our winners have the characteristic rich chocolate intensity – flavor and aroma. The texture too hits the bulls-eye!

Here are some interesting FAQs on Indian chocolate cake mix brands.

1. How many cakes can be baked with a 300 gram pack of cake mix?

A 300-gram cake mix can make a single cake that will serve 4-5 people. 

2. Are these cake mixes a vegan food item?

No. Some brands contain milk solids and require egg or butter to turn into a batter. Read the list of ingredients before purchasing. 

3. Can the cakes with these mixes be baked in a microwave or a pressure cooker?

There is a different category of cake mixes that are meant to be cooked using a microwave or a pressure cooker. These are oven-friendly cake mixes. 

4. Do these cake mixes contain additional flavour enhancers?

All the above mentioned brands contain added flavors. 

5. Can these cake mixes be stored after unpacking?

Yes. Make sure you read the storage instructions and seal the pack tightly.

Just decadent!

We loved the airy, spongy and chocolaty cakes made using Pillsbury Chocolate Cake Mix and Wingreens Farms Cake Mix (Eggless prep). The rich intense chocolate flavor, balanced sweetness levels, and the soft texture of the cakes was superior as compared to the other contenders making these our Top Picks. 

Do you use cake mixes? If yes, which is your go-to brand? Let us know in the comment section below.

* If you do agree with our review, please give it a thumbs up! And, tell us which one is your favorite from this list. If you don’t, please tell us why!

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* Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.

* No part of this review is sponsored by any brand. All expenses were borne by us.