Betty Crocker Warm Delights Cinnamon Swirl Cake

March 16, 2007 | Reviewer: Abi

Price: $1.50 (sale)
Serving: 1 bowl, 3.3 oz. plus water
Calories: 400
Fat: 18%, 12g
Sodium: 18%, 420mg
Protein: 4g
Carbohydrates: 23%, 70g
Fiber: 6%, 1g

Betty says: Simply add water, stir, microwave and in minutes you’ll be enjoying a warm, delicious bowl of Molten Chocolate Cake. With Betty Crocker Warm Delights, you are just three minutes from heaven!

Abi says: Cinnamon is the taste of autumn as it transitions into winter. It is the warming tingle in a cookie and the necessary addition to steamy cup of spiced apple cider. Sadly, cinnamon is not enough to save this cake from the depths of my disappointment. At first I wasn’t sure why this cake made me so sad. It contained plenty of cinnamon, was easy to make, and did not burn my mouth. While I couldn’t say that it was a four star item, at least it was a solid three stars.

Then it hit me. From a health standpoint, this cake is a nightmare: 400 calories for less than four ounces of food? 12 grams of fat in the miniature (and I mean miniature) cake? Ugh. The frosing is a horrible mess of sickly stickiness and does nothing to rescue this dessert from the chasm of ‘yuck’.

The only reason I can see to purchase this is if you live and/or work more than 50 miles from a bakery or Starbucks and your house does not contain an oven.

So, if you live in a tent in Caribou, Maine (The most northeastern city in the US!), Sweetgrass, Montana (Duty Free Shopping), or Elko, Nevada. Oh wait, there is a Starbucks in Elko, Nevada. It is inside the Red Lion Inn and Casino on Idaho Street.

And that Starbucks reduced-fat coffee cake that I so enjoy? Here’s the competing nutritional info. Starbucks wins on every point, even price.

Starbucks Reduced-Fat Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Price: $1.75 (every day)
Serving: 1 cake, 3.7 oz.
Calories: 330
Fat: 10g
Sodium: 390mg
Protein: 4g
Carbohydrates: 62g
Fiber: 1g

The Starbucks coffee cake is bigger, has fewer calories, less fat, and less sodium. It is also moist and fluffy AND has a cinnamon swirl and a crunchy streusely topping. Now, this is what I called a Cinnamon Swirl Cake.

Photo by Scuzzi at flickr.

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comments

5 Responses to “Betty Crocker Warm Delights Cinnamon Swirl Cake”

Ace N. on March 16th, 2007

I’ve been traumatized by Starbucks baked goods since they handed me a cinnamon roll that I could break windows with. Sure it was good for wanton car theft, but what about my hunger pains?

That swirl cake looks good, though.
Crow on March 17th, 2007

Will throw out for no reason in particular, except they are both dessert foods, I am currently baking NoPudge Mint Fudge Fat Free Brownie Mix. The mix expired on May 22nd, 2006. The plain yogurt (I added imitation/fake vanilla extract to the batter) had a sell by of “Jul 05 F,” which I think was July 5th of 2006. I am very proud of myself, and will do anything to avoid working on a final paper for a course.
kelly on March 17th, 2007

Hmm.. That is dissapointing. I have heard good things about the other warm delight flavors, like chocolate.
Abi Jones on March 19th, 2007

Ace – So long as you eat the Starbucks Cinnamon Swirl Cake before 1pm, it is awesome. I worked at Starbucks in college, and while the baked goods arrive fresh each morning, they’re definitely stale by the afternoon.

Crow – Please comment on a future post so that I know you’re still alive.

Kelly – I’ve tried the Fudge Chocolate Chip Cookie and the Molten Chocolate Cake, too. I think that the Molten Chocolate Cake will definitely do in a pinch.
Starving in DC on March 19th, 2007

Dear Abi,

I recognize that Warm Delights package from somewhere. Oh yeah–it’s the package you’re holding in your About The Editor photo.