Betty Crocker, RM7.41
Packaging
The only baking mix of the three to come in a plastic envelope instead of a box, Betty Crocker’s packaging looks comparatively cheaper and less classy. Then again, it’s half the price of the other two brands.
Nutrition
Home bakers are forewarned: ‘Imitation blueberries, artificially flavoured’. We dread to imagine what manner of cloned fruit has infiltrated the market. Each muffin contains approximately 120 calories.
User-friendliness
We only had to add water to Betty Crocker’s muffin mix and stir it all up before scooping the batter into a lined muffin tray and popping the lot into the oven. Each packet produces six muffins.
Taste and texture
The batter failed to rise by much, resulting in flat-top muffins. A single bite drew baffled expressions all around. The imitation blueberries carried an unpleasant tinge of bitterness that’s almost insulting to real blueberries.
Verdict
Despite being the most internationally recognised brand, Betty Crocker was a huge let down. The artificial flavours were all too perceptible and put us off.
Krusteaz, RM16.99
Packaging
The image of two gigantic muffins plus the slogan ‘Supreme Muffin Mix’ gives us high hopes for delicious things to come.
Nutrition
Fat-free with a melange of natural and artificial flavours. Each muffin contains 120 calories.
User-friendliness
The provided can of blueberries might prove challenging for a child to open without parental supervision. Simply add water to the batter and blueberries. Each box produces twelve muffins.
Taste and texture
Identical to Betty Crocker’s muffins at first glance but a world of difference when it comes down to taste. These had just the right chew and level of sweetness. The only perplexing problem was the difficulty of removing them from the paper muffin cups. Use non-stick baking spray if buying this brand.
Verdict
If only these muffins weren’t so stubborn about leaving their paper casings... They would otherwise be the blueberry muffins of our dreams. We called it a tie between Krusteaz and Farmers Mill.
Farmers Mill, RM17.99
Packaging
Our only gluten-free option depicts a bowlful of fresh blueberries, blueberry muffins with a dusting of powdered sugar and a farm landscape, presumably shot in New Zealand where the brand was born.
Nutrition
Potato, tapioca and rice starches stand in for wheat flour, thus making this a safe option for gluten-intolerant families. Each muffin contains about 130 calories.
User-friendliness
Farmers Mill’s mix calls for a slew of extra ingredients (water, oil, eggs and fresh blueberries), but we like to think that most responsible adults should already have these ingredients in their pantry. Each box produces twelve muffins.
Taste and texture
These pretty muffins with rounded tops tasted even better than they looked, but had the airiness of a cupcake rather than the denseness of a muffin.
Verdict
A little more work to prepare, but delicious enough to debunk the myth that gluten-free goods are inferior. We called it a tie between Krusteaz and Farmers Mill.