Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix: Nutrition & Labelgrade D (50/100)
D 50 / 100 — Additive-heavy formulation (phosphate additives and maltodextrin or corn syrup), notable sugar load, and high sodium per 100g.
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Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix delivers 2g of protein and 160 calories per 1/10 package (USDA FDC 2491612). Per 100g that’s 4.7g of protein; per oz, 1.3g. The Labelgrade is D (50 / 100): Additive-heavy formulation (phosphate additives and maltodextrin or corn syrup), notable sugar load, and high sodium per 100g.
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C- | 57 / 100 | 4.7g per 100g — below the high-protein bar; not the right product for protein hunting |
| Ingredient quality | C | 60 / 100 | 23 ingredients; flagged phosphate additives + maltodextrin or corn syrup |
| Saturated fat load | A- | 85 / 100 | 1g per serving (2.3g per 100g) — very low |
| Sodium load | F | 21 / 100 | 380mg per serving (251mg per oz) — high; structural for cured/preserved foods |
| Sugar load | F | 13 / 100 | 18g sugar (17g added) — substantial added-sugar load |
| Fiber | D | 46 / 100 | 0.989g per serving — modest fiber contribution |
| Overall | D | 50 / 100 | Weighted blend: protein 23% · ingredients 21% · saturated fat 18% · sodium 15% · sugar 15% · fiber 8% |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per serving | Per 100 g | Per oz | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (this product) | 2g | 4.7g | 1.3g | 160 |
| Bisquick Original Pancake & Baking Mix | 2g | 4.8g | 1.3g | 150 |
| Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix | 2g | 5.3g | 1.5g | 160 |
| Plain cooked chicken breast (benchmark) | — | 31g | 8.8g | ~165 |
The number that surprises people: 380mg of sodium in a dessert
Most people brace for the sugar in a cake mix. Almost nobody expects the salt. One-tenth of this box carries 380mg of sodium — about 17% of a day’s limit — which is the same hit you’d get from Bisquick or a slice of bread, sitting quietly inside a chocolate cake. It comes from the leavening system: baking soda plus monocalcium phosphate and sodium aluminum phosphate, the acid-base pair that makes the cake rise. Salt is also listed outright.
This is why the sodium dimension scores an F (21/100) even though no one buys cake mix for a savory snack. The grade doesn’t care about your intent — it reads the label. And on the label, a single modest serving of “dessert” quietly spends a sixth of your sodium budget before the frosting.
”As packaged” hides where the fat really comes from
The line that flatters this product most is the one that’s least honest about the finished cake. Saturated fat scores an A- (1g per serving) — but that’s the dry mix. The box directions add eggs and roughly half a cup of vegetable oil, and that’s where the real fat lands. A baked, frosted slice is a different nutritional object than the powder USDA measured.
So read the grade with the asterisk it deserves: the sugar (18g) and sodium (380mg) are already in the box and travel straight to your plate, but the low saturated-fat mark is an artifact of grading the mix before you finish it. The honest summary is that this is a sweet, refined, salt-leavened base designed to have fat and more sugar (frosting) added — and it’s graded as exactly that. A D is the right grade for a product whose entire job is to become dessert.
Scope
This page covers Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (15.25 ONZ), UPC 00016000409897, as represented in USDA Branded Foods FDC 2491612. Betty Crocker sells multiple variants in this product line — other sizes, flavors, or fat levels may have different macros and Labelgrade scores. Manufacturers periodically reformulate; always cross-reference the actual package label, especially if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Sugar, Corn Syrup, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate). Contains 2% or less of: Corn Starch, Modified Corn Starch, Palm Oil, Propylene Glycol Mono and Diesters of Fatty Acids, Distilled Monoglycerides, Carob Powder, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Artificial Flavor.
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1/10 package
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1/10 package) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 160 |
| Protein | 2g |
| Total Fat | 1.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 1g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 35g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.989g |
| Total Sugars | 18g |
| Added Sugars | 17g |
| Sodium | 380mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Calcium | 89.9mg |
| Iron | 1.5mg |
| Potassium | 0mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (15.25 ONZ) · UPC 00016000409897. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains no listed animal products
contains no listed meat or fish
contains a gluten-bearing ingredient
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix healthy?
No, and it isn't trying to be — it's a dessert. Per 1/10 of the dry box it carries 18g of sugar (17g of it added) and 380mg of sodium, and that's before you stir in the eggs and oil the recipe calls for. Judged as a chocolate cake mix it's exactly what it should be; judged as everyday food, it earns a D (50/100) for the sugar and sodium load.
Why does Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix get a Labelgrade D?
Two dimensions fail outright: sugar (18g, an F at 32/100) and sodium (380mg per serving, an F at 21/100). Protein is negligible (2g) and the formula runs to 23 ingredients including phosphate leavening agents and corn syrup. Saturated fat is its one bright spot (1g, A-) — but that's only because the fat comes later, from the oil and eggs you add.
Are these numbers for the dry mix or the baked cake?
The dry mix, as packaged. USDA FDC 2491612 measures 43g of powder — 1/10 of the box — before preparation. The recipe then adds eggs, oil (about 1/2 cup), and water, so a slice of the finished cake has meaningfully more fat and calories than the 160 listed here. The sugar and sodium, though, are already baked in: nearly all of it comes from the mix, not what you add.
How much sugar is in Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix?
18g of total sugar per 1/10 package, 17g of it added — that's 34% of the FDA Daily Value (50g) in a single serving, and sugar is the second ingredient on the label. Frosting the cake roughly doubles it.
What's a better-graded baking mix if I want a pantry staple, not dessert?
A neutral mix grades higher because it isn't built on sugar. Bisquick Original (Labelgrade C, 64/100) carries the same 380mg sodium but only 2g of sugar; if you want protein in the batter, Birch Benders Protein Pancake & Waffle Mix (B, 77/100) is a different class. Cake mix only makes sense when you actually want cake.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-06, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2491612. We re-verify top pages monthly and update within 7 days of a reformulation.