When Ina Garten declared during an interview that her new line of Barefoot Contessa packaged mixes were "exactly like the original recipe," we decided to find out.

We purchased the boxed mixes for Coconut Cupcakes and Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing at A Southern Season in Chapel Hill. Then, we bought the ingredients to make the corresponding recipes from her new cookbook, "Barefoot Contessa at Home." After a marathon baking session, we brought both the mix and the scratch versions to the office for taste testing. (These testers may not be experts, but they have eaten their share of desserts, trust us.)

Of the 31 testers who tasted both versions of the Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing, 20 correctly identified which sample was made from the packaged mix. All but two of these preferred the cupcakes made from scratch. Of the 11 testers who guessed incorrectly about the packaged mix, six preferred the cupcakes made from the mix and four preferred the scratch cupcakes (one expressed no preference).

One tester identified the scratch cupcake as "very fluffy and moist" with "the right amount of sweetness." Many noted that the cupcakes from the mix tasted slightly drier and had a tougher texture.

The coconut category was a little more complicated. The packaged mix was for making cupcakes, while the scratch version was a layer cake recipe, developed by Garten for the new cookbook and based on her earlier recipe for coconut cupcakes.

Of the 24 people who tried both, 17 correctly picked the cupcake as the one made from a mix. All but three of these preferred the cake made from scratch. Of the seven who guessed incorrectly, all but one preferred the cupcake made from the mix.

Most who preferred the cake said that it was moister and more flavorful. A few even correctly identified that it contained almond as well as vanilla flavoring.

"The cake has a more buttery taste," one tester wrote on the comments sheet. "There's a hint of almond in that buttery taste."

To put all this in perspective, many testers commented that all the baked goods were delicious, and samples disappeared quickly.

The most any of the testers was willing to pay for a package mix, however, was $8. Most said they would pay $2 to $4. The two Barefoot Contessa cupcake mixes we bought cost $10.95 each at A Southern Season.

Concerning those mixes, here are a few notes from the cook: While they do save time, especially compared to the scratch recipes, these are not your typical dump and cook mixes. Instead of just oil, water and an egg, both called for more expensive items like unsalted butter and heavy cream. And while most regular mixes yield two dozen cupcakes, these mixes make only 10 to 12, although they do include the frosting mix.

Both mixes call for creaming the butter together with part of the batter mix. So you have to measure out a cup of the mix and add the rest later. You also have to divide the coconut packaged in the cupcake mix and add some to the batter and some to the frosting.

Both cupcake batters were fairly thick when mixed together. The batter for the scratch chocolate cupcakes, by comparison, was light and fluffy -- almost like a mousse. The batter for the scratch coconut cake had a strong aroma from the flavorings, while the cupcake batter had almost no smell at all.

The bottom line: For the price, it hardly seems worth it to buy these cupcake mixes. If you want the true Barefoot Contessa flavor and texture, make them from scratch from the recipes in her books. If you're that pressed for time, you can buy a dozen cupcakes for the price of a mix and the extra ingredients.