Uploaded June 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Betty Crocker turns 100 this year! To celebrate, I'm covering the history of Betty Crocker and her famous cake mix. We'll talk about Betty Crocker's origins, how she transitioned from the voice of a flour company to her own brand, and how she popularized cake mixes.
Sources:
“The Story of Betty Crocker,” Betty Crocker Kitchens, Jan 10, 2017, bettycrocker.com/menus-holidays-parties/mhplibrary/parties-and-get-togethers/vintage-betty/the-story-of-betty-crocker
“Betty Crocker Cake Mix,” Emma Dill, MNOPEDIA, Jan 23, 2019 (mnopedia.org/thing/betty-crocker-cake-mix#:~:text=General%20Mills%20did%20not%20invent,staple%20of%20the%20American%20pantry.&text=Duff%20and%20Sons%2C%20a%20Pittsburgh,%2C%20eggs%2C%20and%20other%20ingredients)
Finding Betty Crocker, Susan Marks, 2005 (via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/findingbettycroc00mark/mode/2up)
“Betty’s Roots in Radio,” Betty Crocker Kitchens, Jan 10, 2017 (bettycrocker.com/menus-holidays-parties/mhplibrary/parties-and-get-togethers/vintage-betty/bettys-roots-in-radio#:~:text=Betty%20Crocker%20has%20always%20worn,that's%20Betty%20manning%20the%20mic)
“William G. Crocker Funeral Tomorrow,” Star Tribune, Apr 18, 1922 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker Radio School,” Henryetta Daily Free-Lance, Jan 18, 1926 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker’s Radio Cooking School to Begin Spring Term,” Press and Sun-Bulletin, Jan 25, 1929 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker to Tell Culinary Secrets to Listeners of WBAP,” Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Sep 29, 1929 (via newspapers.com)
Betty Crocker Ginger Cake ad, The Kansas City Star, Oct 24, 1948 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker Day,” The Minneapolis Star, Sep 12, 1949 (via newspapers.com)
“Ad. Club to Hear Vice President of General Mills, Inc.,” The Boston Globe, Dec 9, 1951 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker’s Help to Homes Called Sales Aid,” The Boston Globe, Dec 12, 1952 (via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/sim_advertising-age_1952-11-03_23_44/page/74/mode/2up?q=%22betty+crocker%22)
“General Mills Adds Three More Mixes to Betty Crocker Line,” Advertising Age, Nov 3, 1952
“Betty Crocker Turned Down Marriage Proposals for Career,” The Kokomo Tribune, Nov 18, 1954 (via newspapers.com)
“The Amazing Lady Who Ran Away With a Company,” Norman Carlisle, Coronet, Dec 1956 (via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/sim_coronet_1956-12_41_2/page/142/mode/2up?q=betty+crocker)
The Strategy of Desire, Ernest Dichter, 1960 (via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/strategyofdesire0000dich)
“The Grande Dame of American Kitchens Earns her Fifth Facelift,” Lawrence Ingrassia, Chicago Tribune, Nov 6, 1980 (via newspapers.com)
“Pillsbury Acquisition a Done Deal,” Ann Merrill, Star Tribune, Oct 24, 2001 (via newspapers.com)
“A Lot to Digest,” Ann Merrill, Star Tribune, Oct 26, 2001 (via newspapers.com)
“Smucker to Acquire International Multifoods Corp.,” Progressive Grocer, Mar 8, 2004 (progressivegrocer.com/smucker-acquire-international-multifoods-corp)
“History of Nutrition Labeling,” Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Systems, Ellen A. Wartella, Alice H. Lichtenstein, and Caitlin S. Boon, 2010 (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209859/)
“General Mills’ Betty Crocker, Pillsbury Cope with Baking Slump,” Mike Hughlett, Star Tribune, Jan 30, 2016 (startribune.com/general-mills-betty-crocker-pillsbury-cope-with-baking-slump/367032771/)
“Private Equity Firm Buys Pillsbury, Sets Up HQ in Chicago for New Food Company,” Heather Hartel, Chicago Business Journal, Jul 10, 2018 (bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2018/07/10/private-equity-firm-buys-pillsbury.html)
“General Mills’ Bottom Line Boosted by 75% Hike in Flour, Baking Mix Sales as Americans Release Inner Baker During Lockdown,” Gill Hyslop, Bakeryandsnacks.com, Jul 3, 2020 (bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2020/07/03/General-Mills-bottom-line-boosted-by-75-hike-in-flour-baking-mix-sales-as-Americans-release-inner-baker-during-lockdown)
“Lockdown Baking Boom Boosts General Mills Sales,” Reuters Staff, Reuters, Sep 23, 2020 (reuters.com/article/general-mills-results/lockdown-baking-boom-boosts-general-mills-sales-idUSKCN26E2SP)
Betty Crocker turns 100 this year! To celebrate, I'm covering the history of Betty Crocker and her famous cake mix. We'll talk about Betty Crocker's origins, how she transitioned from the voice of a flour company to her own brand, and how she popularized cake mixes.
Sources:
“The Story of Betty Crocker,” Betty Crocker Kitchens, Jan 10, 2017, bettycrocker.com/menus-holidays-parties/mhplibrary/parties-and-get-togethers/vintage-betty/the-story-of-betty-crocker
“Betty Crocker Cake Mix,” Emma Dill, MNOPEDIA, Jan 23, 2019 (mnopedia.org/thing/betty-crocker-cake-mix#:~:text=General%20Mills%20did%20not%20invent,staple%20of%20the%20American%20pantry.&text=Duff%20and%20Sons%2C%20a%20Pittsburgh,%2C%20eggs%2C%20and%20other%20ingredients)
Finding Betty Crocker, Susan Marks, 2005 (via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/findingbettycroc00mark/mode/2up)
“Betty’s Roots in Radio,” Betty Crocker Kitchens, Jan 10, 2017 (bettycrocker.com/menus-holidays-parties/mhplibrary/parties-and-get-togethers/vintage-betty/bettys-roots-in-radio#:~:text=Betty%20Crocker%20has%20always%20worn,that's%20Betty%20manning%20the%20mic)
“William G. Crocker Funeral Tomorrow,” Star Tribune, Apr 18, 1922 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker Radio School,” Henryetta Daily Free-Lance, Jan 18, 1926 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker’s Radio Cooking School to Begin Spring Term,” Press and Sun-Bulletin, Jan 25, 1929 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker to Tell Culinary Secrets to Listeners of WBAP,” Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, Sep 29, 1929 (via newspapers.com)
Betty Crocker Ginger Cake ad, The Kansas City Star, Oct 24, 1948 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker Day,” The Minneapolis Star, Sep 12, 1949 (via newspapers.com)
“Ad. Club to Hear Vice President of General Mills, Inc.,” The Boston Globe, Dec 9, 1951 (via newspapers.com)
“Betty Crocker’s Help to Homes Called Sales Aid,” The Boston Globe, Dec 12, 1952 (via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/sim_advertising-age_1952-11-03_23_44/page/74/mode/2up?q=%22betty+crocker%22)
“General Mills Adds Three More Mixes to Betty Crocker Line,” Advertising Age, Nov 3, 1952
“Betty Crocker Turned Down Marriage Proposals for Career,” The Kokomo Tribune, Nov 18, 1954 (via newspapers.com)
“The Amazing Lady Who Ran Away With a Company,” Norman Carlisle, Coronet, Dec 1956 (via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/sim_coronet_1956-12_41_2/page/142/mode/2up?q=betty+crocker)
The Strategy of Desire, Ernest Dichter, 1960 (via the Internet Archive, archive.org/details/strategyofdesire0000dich)
“The Grande Dame of American Kitchens Earns her Fifth Facelift,” Lawrence Ingrassia, Chicago Tribune, Nov 6, 1980 (via newspapers.com)
“Pillsbury Acquisition a Done Deal,” Ann Merrill, Star Tribune, Oct 24, 2001 (via newspapers.com)
“A Lot to Digest,” Ann Merrill, Star Tribune, Oct 26, 2001 (via newspapers.com)
“Smucker to Acquire International Multifoods Corp.,” Progressive Grocer, Mar 8, 2004 (progressivegrocer.com/smucker-acquire-international-multifoods-corp)
“History of Nutrition Labeling,” Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Systems, Ellen A. Wartella, Alice H. Lichtenstein, and Caitlin S. Boon, 2010 (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209859/)
“General Mills’ Betty Crocker, Pillsbury Cope with Baking Slump,” Mike Hughlett, Star Tribune, Jan 30, 2016 (startribune.com/general-mills-betty-crocker-pillsbury-cope-with-baking-slump/367032771/)
“Private Equity Firm Buys Pillsbury, Sets Up HQ in Chicago for New Food Company,” Heather Hartel, Chicago Business Journal, Jul 10, 2018 (bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2018/07/10/private-equity-firm-buys-pillsbury.html)
“General Mills’ Bottom Line Boosted by 75% Hike in Flour, Baking Mix Sales as Americans Release Inner Baker During Lockdown,” Gill Hyslop, Bakeryandsnacks.com, Jul 3, 2020 (bakeryandsnacks.com/Article/2020/07/03/General-Mills-bottom-line-boosted-by-75-hike-in-flour-baking-mix-sales-as-Americans-release-inner-baker-during-lockdown)
“Lockdown Baking Boom Boosts General Mills Sales,” Reuters Staff, Reuters, Sep 23, 2020 (reuters.com/article/general-mills-results/lockdown-baking-boom-boosts-general-mills-sales-idUSKCN26E2SP)
