I've been experiementing with jazzing up cake mixes and I've been buying whatever cake mixes are on sale. So sometimes my cupboard is full of Ducan Hines or other times it's full of Betty Crocker ect. Last night I mixed up two different brands of yellow/butter cake mixes and boy was there a difference!

The question I have for you is what cake mix brands do you love best and why? (Also mix with pudding? or add your own?)

I have always preferred BC. Yes, I have tried the others (Pil & DH) but keep going back to BC.

What differences did you find? Tell us more.

You know, I live in colorado so baking cakes is something of a challenge for me. I follow the High Altitude mix to a Tee and with both BC and DH its hit or miss. Sometime I have no problems at all and other times my cake gets a big dip in the center. I have found that Pil works best for me.

As a side note, coating the pan in shortening and then flouring seems to work best when you go to get it out. I have used sprays but again, its a hit or miss.

I prefer BC, not sure why I just do. I have used others, but I fill like I get more consist results with BC.

Depending on which flavor I add different things. For my white I still add 1/2 a box of vanilla pudding, for my chocolate I actually add about 3/4 a container of store brand chocolate frosting. My yellow or butter cakes doesn't get anything added.

Now, having said all this I do use DH Red Velvet. BC doesn't have a Red Velvet. I mix it accoring to the package an add a pudding to it as well. I also soak my Red Velvet.

Talking about coating a pan, I prefer and love the homemade coating like the Wilton. It works so good!! I use it for all kinds of things!!

Definitely BC. I really don't like Pillsuby, tastes funny. With DH, it has a tendency to break more and some mixes of a chemical aftertaste.

I prefer PB. My second choice is DH. I bought BC because it was on sale and had one of my worst cake disasters!!!

Another vote for Betty Crocker! I used Dh for years but it seemed as though I could not get my cakes to rise like I use to, I believe it had something to do with the type of flour they changed to. I switched to BC and won't go back. I really like using Bakers Joy to spray my pans with. I have NEVER had a cake stick when I use it.
JMO
Joy

This may seem odd but when I doctor a cake mix I shop at Aldi! For some reason I always get more compliments. I use the same doctored-up method for DH, Pil, and BC, and it's just not the same.

Well that's my 2 cents worth!

taste-wise, I prefer DH. I HATE the tase of PB. I haven't tried BC in a while maybe my next cake will be with BC.
Side note- I just tried the Darn Good Chocolate Cake (with DH dark choc fudge cake mix) and it was AWESOME!!! Everyone at the party was raving about it! If you haven't tried it yet, I highly reccomend it!

Betty Crocker for me - Duncan Hines seems to fall apart on me.
I usually use a packet of pudding mix with any cake I make. But, the really awesome cake I make - I also add about 1-1 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon vanilla seasoning (that I get from Tupperware). It adds a little taste that makes people wonder what's in the cake. That's my little 'trade' secret!

i love dh! everyone raves on how moist they are and i dont add pudding! just an extra egg

I use DH when I doctor a mix. I don't care for PB taste and I can't seem to get BC to work for me like DH.
I cook and bake mainly from scratch, but I prefer DH when I do use a mix.

I did find that I liked the Ducan Hills Butter Cake compared to others. It seems to be richer and taste like real butter compared to the others that seems a little bit artifical.

So funny how everyone is across the board!! I personally prefer DH - doctored mix and always receive rave reviews!!
~ Jaime

I love BC....I add pudding to the mix. Makes it even yummier!

I have to agree with whisperingmadcow about cake mixes being useless for high-altitude baking. Mexico City is a lot higher than anywhere in Colorado, and cakes from mixes are definitely hit or miss (mostly miss). I've decided to make only scratch cakes from now on. However, when I've made mix cakes at sea level (when I go home to Texas or to see my daughters in Cancún), I have to say that my favorite mixes are DH.

Edited once for a typo.