Vintage Cake Mixes & Desserts
Instructions: Remember when baking a cake was as easy as adding an egg and water? Test your knowledge of classic dessert brands!
- 1.
Which brand introduced one of the first commercially successful cake mixes in 1947?
ASwans DownBPillsburyCBetty CrockerDDuncan Hines - 2.
What famous Pillsbury Bake-Off winning recipe from 1966 featured a chocolate cake with a gooey fudge tunnel inside?
AInside-Out CakeBTunnel of Fudge CakeCChocolate VolcanoDLava Cake - 3.
What type of cake pan surged in popularity after the Tunnel of Fudge Cake appeared at the Pillsbury Bake-Off?
AAngel food panBBundt panCTube panDSpring form pan - 4.
What pineapple-topped cake, made by inverting a skillet cake, became one of the most popular American desserts of the 1950s?
ATropical Skillet CakeBHawaiian CakeCPineapple Cream CakeDPineapple Upside-Down Cake - 5.
Which frosting product, sold in a can, was introduced in 1966 and eliminated the need to make frosting from scratch?
AWilton Canned FrostingBDuncan Hines Ready-Made FrostingCPillsbury Frosting SupremeDBetty Crocker Ready-to-Spread - 6.
What iconic pudding brand used the slogan 'There's always room for...' in its commercials?
ARoyalBMy-T-FineCJell-O PuddingDSwiss Miss - 7.
What was the name of the popular dessert made by poking holes in a white cake and pouring two colors of Jell-O over it?
ARainbow CakeBPoke CakeCMarble Jell-O CakeDJell-O Surprise Cake - 8.
Which chocolate dessert brand was known for its 'Ding Dongs,' 'Ho Hos,' and 'Twinkies'?
ALittle DebbieBHostessCDrake'sDTastykake - 9.
What was a 'Dump Cake,' the popular easy-bake dessert of the 1970s?
AA cake where you dump ingredients in a pan without mixingBA cake made from leftover ingredientsCA layered cake with fruit fillingDA very dense chocolate cake - 10.
What was the name of the popular frozen chocolate pudding pops that became a hit in the 1980s?
AJell-O Pudding PopsBChocolate Cool PopsCSwiss Miss PopsDFudgsicles - 11.
What classic Southern layer cake features coconut frosting and is traditionally served at Easter and Christmas?
ACoconut Layer CakeBHummingbird CakeCLane CakeDGerman Chocolate Cake - 12.
What was the popular dessert trend in the 1950s that involved using packaged instant pudding to make a no-bake pie?
AQuick custard pieBInstant cream pieCPudding pieDJell-O No-Bake Pie - 13.
Which boxed brownie mix brand, introduced in 1954, became the best-selling brownie mix in America?
ADuncan HinesBGhirardelliCBetty CrockerDPillsbury - 14.
What dessert, popular at 1960s and 1970s dinner parties, consisted of meringue topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit?
ABaked AlaskaBFloating IslandCPavlovaDAngel Pie - 15.
What Easy-Bake product, introduced by Kenner in 1963, allowed children to bake real miniature cakes and cookies using a light bulb for heat?
AKid KitchenBLittle BakerCEasy-Bake OvenDMini Chef Oven
Answer Key
Betty Crocker (General Mills) introduced its 'Ginger Cake' mix in 1947, followed by 'Devils Food' and 'Party Cake' mixes. It became one of the leading cake mix brands.
The Tunnel of Fudge Cake won second place at the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off. It was so popular it saved the Bundt pan from discontinuation and became one of the most iconic cake recipes ever.
Nordic Ware's Bundt pan had been a slow seller until the Tunnel of Fudge Cake made it famous. After the Bake-Off, they sold over 60 million Bundt pans.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake was made by placing pineapple rings and maraschino cherries in butter and brown sugar in a skillet, then pouring cake batter on top and flipping it after baking.
Betty Crocker Ready-to-Spread Frosting was one of the first widely successful canned frostings, making cake decoration accessible to everyone.
Jell-O's famous tagline 'There's always room for Jell-O' applied to both their gelatin and pudding products and became one of the most recognizable food slogans in advertising history.
Poke Cake became hugely popular in the 1970s. You'd poke holes in a baked white cake with a fork, then pour dissolved Jell-O over it. The gelatin would seep into the holes creating colorful stripes.
Hostess produced iconic snack cakes including Twinkies (1930), Ding Dongs (1967), and Ho Hos (1967). These treats were lunchbox staples for generations.
A Dump Cake was made by 'dumping' canned fruit, dry cake mix, and butter in a pan and baking without mixing. The simplicity made it one of the most popular potluck desserts of the era.
Jell-O Pudding Pops, promoted by Bill Cosby, were a massive hit in the 1980s. Their creamy pudding texture set them apart from traditional ice cream pops.
Coconut Layer Cake, with its fluffy white frosting covered in shredded coconut, was a showpiece dessert at holiday gatherings throughout the South for generations.
Pudding pies made with instant pudding mix poured into a pre-made graham cracker crust were a quick and easy dessert that became a 1950s household staple.
Betty Crocker introduced their brownie mix in 1954, and it quickly became the go-to brownie mix for home bakers. The fudge brownie variety was especially beloved.
Pavlova, a meringue-based dessert with a crisp crust and soft marshmallow center, topped with whipped cream and fruit, was a glamorous dinner party dessert in the 1960s and 1970s.
The Easy-Bake Oven debuted in 1963 and used a 100-watt light bulb to bake small cakes and cookies. It was one of the most popular toys of the decade and introduced millions of children to baking.