The Best Red Velvet Cake Box Mix, According to a Professional Baker

Published on Jun. 20, 2025

We tested three red velvet boxed cake mixes to find which one made the most eye-catching red cake with the best texture.

A nice slice of red velvet cake is one of my favorite desserts. I love the balanced chocolate-meets-vanilla flavor paired with a touch of tanginess. Not to mention, a slice of bright red cake with contrasting cream cheese frosting is certainly stunning. As a former bakery owner, red velvet was one of my most-requested cake flavors, and I continue to make it again and again for friends and family.

While baking a from-scratch red velvet cake is preferred, the ingredients list can feel a bit long. (Enter: butter, eggs, cocoa powder, buttermilk, red dye and a touch of vinegar.) When you need a beautiful cake ASAP, a boxed mix may be the best bet. You can use the boxed mix for a simple cake, transform it into red velvet brownies or make cute individual red velvet jar cakes. But which boxed option in the baking aisle rivals a homemade cake? I went on a mission to find the mix that created the best texture while maintaining moisture and balancing the cocoa and vanilla flavors with that signature tanginess. Here’s how the three I tested stacked up.

1 / 3

3. Pillsbury Red Velvet Cake Mix

Add this red velvet cake mix to a large bowl and mix with water, oil and three eggs. You’ll end up with a deeply red-hued batter that keeps its hue after baking. This mix took longer to bake than the other options and resulted in a cake that wasn’t quite as tall. The crumb was fluffy and tender with excellent moisture. Where it fell flat for me was flavor. It tasted just like a light and subtle chocolate cake, without the touch of tanginess I had been hoping for.

Bottom Line: This is a decent choice based on its texture and moisture, but I wished for better flavor.

2 / 3

2. Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix

This cake mix came in as a very close second because it does deliver on a lot of great qualities a red velvet cake should have. After adding water, oil and eggs, it baked in the shortest amount of time, but resulted in the tallest cake. The crumb was light and fluffy with great moisture. It also delivered an incredibly vibrant red hue. The flavor provided a balance of chocolate and vanilla notes, as desired, with just a touch of tanginess. I wished for a bit more tanginess as-is, but the box did have an idea for doctored cake mix! Using Greek yogurt instead of oil would have provided just the flavor I was looking for.

Bottom Line: This cake mix delivers on great moisture, a fluffy texture and slight tanginess.

3 / 3

1. Betty Crocker Red Velvet Cake Mix

While this mix was almost a close tie to the Duncan Hines option, it ultimately took the cake (can’t miss a good pun) because of its superior flavor. The color of the cake was bright and eye-catching with a fluffy, airy texture and surprising moisture. It didn’t just offer a light chocolate flavor—every bite actually tasted like red velvet cake should—with balanced cocoa and vanilla, along with a pronounced tanginess. That, of course, was enhanced even further with the addition of cream cheese frosting on top.

Bottom Line: Make an easy red velvet cake with this mix, which delivers on fluffy texture, excellent moisture and proper flavor. It has this baker’s stamp of approval.

Author

Molly Allen

Now a freelance writer and photographer specializing in stories about food and drink, Molly is a former bakery owner who brings her years of first-hand expertise to Taste of Home and other food-centric publications. She is a pizza oven expert having tested nine different models. She also has a passion for grilling and cooking on smokers and fire pi...