The world of boxed cake, cookie, muffin, and brownie mixes is confusing at best, debilitatingly overwhelming at worst. Spend more than 45 seconds in any grocery store baking aisle and you’ll see what I mean: The shelves are lined top to bottom with brightly colored boxes, all covered in tiny font, bombastic claims (The gooiest! The fluffiest! Just like Grandma’s!) and edge-to-edge photos of piping hot baked goods beckoning to hungry shoppers like Sirens taunting Odysseus with their bewitching songs.
OK, I’m being dramatic, but the point stands: When you’re pressed for time and a premade mix is your only option, sifting through the din to find a box not teeming with hydrogenated oils and unpronounceable preservatives is a real needle-in-the-haystack situation. A word to the wise? Stick to these six vetted and approved numbers and you’re sure to be the belle of the bake sale ball.