US protein powder praised for cake-like taste allegedly turns out to be cake batter, sparks health concerns
An American nutrition company is facing backlash after its highly praised protein powder was allegedly found to be little more than cake batter, a controversy that has reignited warnings about online fitness scams.
Customers who once raved about the taste of the cake-flavoured mixes were left stunned after claims surfaced that the product was not protein powder at all, but a sugar-heavy cake mix that may have caused adverse health effects.
Source: @markiewmurphy on TikTok
What was once touted as a “too-good-to-be-true” protein supplement has now become a full-blown scandal.
Holmes Nutrition, a California-based company, came under fire after lab tests allegedly revealed that its products bore little resemblance to what was stated on their nutritional labels.
Customers even baked the ‘protein powder’ into cakes
Holmes Nutrition gained popularity for its flavoured protein powders, which retailed at around S$75 per bag and promised a guilt-free way to indulge in dessert-like treats.
Source: @madelinee.fitness on TikTok
According to its packaging, each serving contained 22g of protein and just 4g of carbohydrates.
For years, fitness enthusiasts and influencers praised not only its macros, but its taste.
“It’s literally the best thing in the entire world. It literally tastes like you’re eating dessert every day,” TikToker Madeline Rose said in a February 2023 video.
She later demonstrated baking the powder into cupcakes, promoting it as a versatile protein supplement.
Source: @madelinee.fitness on TikTok
Lab tests suggest product was mostly carbohydrates
The controversy erupted on 3 March 2025, when Reddit user u/Sufficient_Letter175 shared lab test results for three Holmes Nutrition flavours — chocolate cake, lemon cake, and cinnamon crumb cake — conducted by Certified Laboratories.
Source: u/Sufficient_Letter175 on Reddit
The findings allegedly showed that each serving contained roughly 21g of carbohydrates and only about 3.4g of protein, a stark contrast to the claims on the label.
Netizens expressed disbelief in the comments, with one user saying the cake batter and brownie batter flavours had them “in a chokehold”.
The original poster (OP) said they decided to send the powder for testing because “it tasted way too good to be legit”.
“Cake batter protein shouldn’t actually taste like cake batter unless it’s hiding something,” they added.
Source: Reddit
In another reply, the OP alleged that the product was essentially cake mix with a protein powder label, noting that genuine protein powder typically cannot be baked into actual cakes.
Source: Sufficient_Letter175 on Reddit
Several users also claimed that diabetic family members experienced negative health effects after consuming the product.
Source: Reddit
Controversy resurfaces in January 2026 after YouTube coverage
The issue resurfaced on 31 Dec 2025, when YouTuber Folphin released a video scrutinising Holmes Nutrition’s labelling practices.
She pointed out apparent errors such as “Dietaty Fiber” being misspelt on the nutrition label, suggesting the labels may have been self-generated.
Source: Folphin on YouTube
She also highlighted that cane sugar appeared in the ingredients list, yet was not declared as added sugar, a potentially serious concern for diabetics.
The controversy gained wider attention after popular YouTuber penguinz0, who has 17.7 million subscribers, released a summary video on 6 Jan 2026.
The video has since garnered over 3 million views at the time of writing.
Company claims harassment, pulls products without addressing lab results
Sometime in March 2025, Holmes Nutrition removed all protein powders from its online store.
As of January 2026, the products remain unavailable, with no direct acknowledgement of the lab test findings.
The company cited prolonged manufacturing issues as the reason for the removal. It later claimed to have received “racial hate threats” and has since taken its website offline.
Source: Holmes Nutrition
While the controversy does not involve Singapore directly, it serves as a reminder for consumers to exercise caution, even when it comes to fitness supplements.
In the age of influencer marketing and viral recommendations, some products may simply be too good to be true.
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Featured image adapted from @madelinee.fitness on TikTok and @markiewmurphy on TikTok.
