The Best Gluten-Free Cake Mix Brands According to Our Test Kitchen
Updated: Apr. 18, 2023
No time for a from-scratch gluten-free cake? Our Test Kitchen tried eight brands and found the best gluten-free cake mix you can buy. You'll love the fast and fudgy results.
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In Search of the Best Gluten-Free Cake Mix
Enjoying a gluten-free lifestyle often means reading labels carefully and making treats from scratch. Sometimes, though, you just don’t have the time to stir up a homemade gluten-free dessert. That’s when you reach into the pantry for a GF boxed cake mix—preferably the best gluten-free cake mix.
Gluten-free eaters know, though, that there are some good GF dupes and some not-so-good. To find the best versions of this baking must-have, our Test Kitchen had to sample every gluten-free chocolate cake mix they could find. Our Test Kitchen team also found the best yellow cake mix.
Testing Gluten-Free Cake Mixes
You’ll find many flavors of gluten-free cake mixes out there—just like any baking mix. For this taste test, our Test Kitchen narrowed in on a perennial favorite: chocolate. Our pro cooks stirred up eight different brands of GF chocolate cake mixes and sampled each in a blind taste test.
- Appearance: Before grabbing a fork, these gluten-free cakes should look appetizing with plenty of rise. No chalky colors or greasy appearances welcome in this taste test.
- Texture: Getting a similar texture to a classic bake can be a challenge when working with gluten-free ingredients. Our team wanted to find a cake that had a nice cakey texture—not overly dense or grainy.
- Flavor: Chocolate is the name of the game here! These GF mixes should taste rich, chocolaty and delightful—similar to our favorite scratch-made gluten-free chocolate cake recipe.
Now, check out what brands we call Test Kitchen-Preferred.
Best Almost-Homemade Gluten-Free Cake Mix
King Arthur Baking Company Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Mix
King Arthur Baking Company, the maker of one the best traditional chocolate cake mixes, does it again with its Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Mix.
“This cake is delightfully rich with a deep chocolate flavor and tender crumb,” says Ellie Martin Cliffe, Taste of Home Content Director and gluten-free eater. This is the type of deliciousness our Test Kitchen expects from a homemade cake.
Before slicing, you’ll find that this cake has a pleasantly shiny top. Cut a slice of this King Arthur mix and you’ll notice it’s light and airy, particularly for a GF dessert. The sponge itself is moist but not greasy or damp. The sweetness of the sugar is balanced with the rich chocolate. Overall, it’s a winner—even if you don’t typically subscribe to a gluten-free diet.
While you could layer this cake up with frosting, Ellie says, “I think this would be lovely even without it as a snack cake!”
Fluffiest Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Mix
Simple Mills Almond Flour Chocolate Muffin & Cake Baking Mix
Getting a light, spongy texture in gluten-free bakes can be a challenge, especially when reaching for a box mix. You’ll get that just-right lofty texture with Simple Mills Almond Flour Chocolate Muffin & Cake Baking Mix.
This mix bakes up “tall and fluffy with a nice crumb,” according to Ellie Crowley in the Taste of Home Test Kitchen. It can be tricky to get the right rise on a gluten-free bake, but the Simple Mills mix makes it easy. Use this as a shortcut when creating and frosting a layer cake.
Beyond the spot-on texture, the cake also has a moist and chewy texture that our team enjoyed, with plenty of moisture and milk chocolate flavor. Ellie Crowley sums up this cake mix perfectly: “It’s sweet and tastes just the way a box mix should.”
Best Dark Chocolate Gluten-Free Cake Mix
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix
Dark chocolate fanatics, this is the GF cake mix for you. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix has a wonderfully deep dark chocolate flavor that many testers couldn’t resist.
“This is a super dark chocolate cake with tons of chocolate flavor,” says Sarah Fischer in our Test Kitchen. The dark chocolate base makes this gluten-free cake mix exceptionally rich. It’s a great candidate for topping with homemade whipped cream, or you could cut it into cubes and add it to a creamy trifle.
Like many gluten-free cakes, the texture of this one is rather dense. But in this case, the density lends to the appeal. According to Sarah, the Bob’s Red Mill cake is “extremely moist and extremely delicious.”
Fudgiest Gluten-Free Cake Mix
Krusteaz Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix
Krusteaz Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix walks the line between chocolate cake and fudgy brownie—and that’s just fine if you ask our Test Kitchen! In fact, it’s very similar to a flourless chocolate cake, which is a naturally gluten-free dessert.
This cake has a dense yet very tender crumb, with a brownie-like texture that makes it rich enough to enjoy without frosting. Our team would recommend topping a slice of this gluten-free cake with some vanilla ice cream, though!
The taste of this Krusteaz mix is also satisfying. “This one has a fudgy, balanced chocolate flavor,” according to the Test Kitchen’s Josh Rink. If you want to go even further on the fudgy spectrum, our team suggests trying some homemade fudge recipes—many of which are gluten-free!
Check Out More Test Kitchen-Preferred Products
Our Test Kitchen is constantly testing food, kitchen gadgets and cleaning gear looking for brands that deserve the right to be called Test Kitchen-Preferred.
If you want to fill your pantry and fridge with the best products, check out these tests:
Originally Published: December 19, 2022
