Last week I got my hands on a container of Sprinkles vanilla cupcake mix ($14). The LA-based bakery boosts a celebrity following and is famous for its rich cupcakes topped with swirled frosting and signature modern dot. Currently, there are six bakeries sprinkled throughout the Western United States, but thanks to Williams-Sonoma, you can experience the sweetness of Sprinkles in the comfort of your kitchen. The mix comes in seven flavors: chocolate, red velvet, vanilla, lemon, pumpkin, chocolate peppermint, and banana. To find out what I thought of the vanilla variation, read more.

First off, the mix is expensive. It only makes 12 cupcakes and that doesn't include the cost of frosting ingredients. The addition of the signature modern dot is fun, but, be warned, when I opened the plastic container the dots shattered on my counter. By themselves, the dots don't taste very good either: they're chalky and bitter with no apparent taste. The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow.

The final cake is extremely dense with a strong vanilla flavor. Essentially, it tastes exactly like what it is — a gourmet cupcake made from a prepackaged mix.

The frosting was my favorite part: it's thick and creamy with a delightful flavor that's not overly sweet or too buttery.

Since I prefer to make baked goods from scratch, Sprinkles boxed mix will not become a staple in my pantry. If you prefer light, fluffy, moist cupcakes, opt for a different flavor or mix altogether. Has anyone else tried Sprinkles boxed cupcake mixes? What did you think of it?

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