Is Funfetti the Best Confetti Cake Mix? We Tried 9 Brands to Find Out
Updated: Mar. 24, 2024
Everyone loves Funfetti, but is it really the best confetti cake mix? We did a taste test to find the sprinkle cake mixes worth buying.
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Is Funfetti the Best Confetti?
Birthday parties with confetti cakes are just better parties, aren’t they? These colorful cakes can be made from scratch using a top-rated confetti cake recipe, stirred up with tips from a pastry diva like Christina Tosi or even come right out of a box. If the latter is more your style, we get it!
There’s something so satisfying about a cake mix cake, particularly one made with Funfetti cake mix. But even though that name is synonymous with sprinkle-smattered cakes, we had to know if Pillsbury Funfetti really is the best. Enter our Test Kitchen team ready to do a taste test.
Our Confetti Cake Test
For this taste test, we did evaluated all kinds of confetti cake mix options. In the end, our Test Kitchen baked up nine different cakes including a few gluten-free options.
Each cake was sampled without revealing the brand identity and judged in these three categories:
- Appearance: For confetti cakes, our team took into account the general appearance of the cake and the vibrance of the sprinkle specks. The best confetti cakes should look evenly baked with plenty of rainbow bits inside.
- Texture: A good box cake should be light, moist and easy to dive right into with a fork.
- Flavor: Confetti cakes are essentially vanilla cakes. The best confetti cake should taste strongly of vanilla with hints of butter and a good amount of sweetness.
So is Funfetti the best? Is there another brand or two you should try?
Best Classic Confetti Cake
Pillsbury Funfetti Cake
Going into this test, we wanted to know if Funfetti, the original confetti cake, would really be a top contender. And like Nutella in our chocolate hazelnut spread test, Pillsbury Funfetti maintained its rightful spot as the queen of the category.
What sets Funfetti apart from other confetti cake cakes is, well, the confetti. “These slices are packed with colorful confetti explosions—bigger and bolder than other brands,” says Taste of Home executive culinary director Sarah Farmer.
Taking a bite of this cake, our testers agreed that it delivers all the nostalgic flavors you’d expect. Funfetti has big vanilla flavor and is incredibly moist, with a texture suitable for frosting. All the better for creative birthday cake decorating ideas.
Best Budget Confetti Cake
Great Value Deluxe Moist Confetti White Cake Mix
These days, we’re all looking to save money while grocery shopping. Sometimes that means opting for store brands over big names. Know, though, that when you pick up a box of Walmart’s Great Value Confetti Cake Mix, you won’t be sacrificing any flavor while you save (this cake mix is just $0.98 a box!).
First, let’s talk about how stunning this cake is to look at. “It’s the brightest, whitest cake with the most colorful confetti specks,” Sarah says. Vivid color is one of the most important parts of a confetti cake.
This cake also has a standout flavor. It’s sweet, “as desired and expected,” says Sarah. The texture is also satisfying: light and moist.
Cake expert Mark Neufang in our Test Kitchen says: “This one is lovely and would stand out at any kids—or adults!—birthday celebration.”
Best Gluten-Free Confetti Cake
King Arthur Baking Company Gluten-Free Confetti Cake Mix
Gluten-free bakers, you don’t have to give up the convenience and cheer that comes with a boxed confetti cake mix. For a delicious sprinkle-studded cake, pick up a box of King Arthur Baking Company Gluten-Free Confetti Cake Mix.
This packaged cake mix produces a sweet, moist cake with a delicious yellow cake flavor. It’s easy to slice and holds together well while you frost. The confetti bits in this cake are pastel, so if you want to amp up the color, just toss in a tablespoon or two of traditional jimmies.
King Arthur gaining a top spot in this test wasn’t much of a shock to our team. The brand makes other Test Kitchen-Preferred products including gluten-free chocolate cake mix, pancake mix and cornbread mix.
Best Organic Confetti Cake
Annie’s Organic Confetti Cake Mix
It’s hard to imagine that an organic brand could compete in a category like confetti cake mix, but Annie’s proves that it can hold its own when put against big names in sweets.
So what makes Annie’s stand out among the crowd of cakes? Most sprinkle cake mixes use white cake as a base. Annie’s, however, is a moist yellow cake with some buttery notes. The cake is also less sweet than its competitors, which is a plus for folks who love the festiveness of confetti but don’t enjoy overly sugary desserts.
You will notice that Annie’s confetti isn’t quite as striking. The sprinkles are muted pinks and oranges. But when you check out the ingredient list, you’ll understand why. Those sprinkles are made with all-natural food dyes like turmeric and carrot juice.
Also worth noting: Annie’s ingredient list is pretty darn short with just seven ingredients. This is definitely a treat you can feel good about stirring up.
When you make your next grocery list, be sure to check out our canned crescent roll and frozen waffle tests. Annie’s ranked well in both!
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: March 23, 2023
