This easy chocolate cake mix recipe works just like store bought - and can be swapped for it - but this moist chocolate cake tastes better!
Yeah, “Shrinkflation” has been a topic of conversation in the food world for a while now, with people noticing differences in the amounts of all kinds of baking ingredients.
When it comes to cake mixes, it can make things a bit chaotic.
Boxed chocolate cake mix is commonly used as a base ingredient for other recipes - upside down cakes, cookies, and more.
When a box of cake mix contributes less dry mix to the recipe than those recipes are expecting - having been based on store-bought mixes from a few years ago?
Those recipes won’t turn out well.
Whipping up your own cake mix takes just a few minutes, and turns out a delicious chocolate cake.
When you’re ready to bake up your cake, this DIY cake mix has the same convenience of a boxed cake mix - No creaming butter and sugar or anything. Just dump it in a bowl with some water, eggs, and fat... and you’re well on your way to pulling a moist chocolate cake out of your oven!
Just a really easy cake recipe.
Also, - if you’re into making food gifts - you can even put this cake mix into a Mason jar, attach a cute little tag with the directions, and give them out!
Anyway, let’s take a look at what you’ll need in order to make - and use - this simple chocolate cake mix recipe.
DIY Chocolate Cake Mix Ingredients
This easy homemade cake mix recipe uses really simple ingredients, you’ll have no problem finding what you need in any grocery store.
As always, I have a few notes for you:
Flour
I like to use cake flour, as I find that it results in a lighter cake than using all purpose flour.
That said, feel free to use all-purpose flour in this recipe. I do, when I don’t have cake flour on hand, and can’t be arsed to go buy some!
Chocolate Pudding Mix
This is my secret ingredient to making homemade cake taste and behave like a box cake mix.
First of all, it contributes the chocolate and vanilla flavor - so you don’t need to use a specialty powdered vanilla ingredient. This is key to it having the convenience of a boxed cake mix!
Beyond flavor, the pudding mix also influences the retention of moisture.
Along with choice of fat, this goes a long way to prevent you from having a dry cake.
Large Eggs
I firmly believe in adding an extra egg to box mixes, so this homemade cake mix uses 4 whole eggs.
You can use egg whites to make this a lighter cake - I’ll usually whip them a bit before adding them to the cake mix.
Fat
You can use either melted butter or oil for using your cake mix. Both work fine, it’s just a matter of your priorities.
Butter tastes a bit better, but also causes a dry cake when it’s cold. If you bake your cake with butter, you will definitely want your cake to be up to room temperature when serving, even if you’ve been storing it in the fridge.
Oil still tastes fine - just use a neutral flavoured one - vegetable oil or canola oil, rather than olive oil or peanut oil.
Everything Else
Rounding out this recipe, you will need:
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Granulated Sugar
Water
Baking Powder
Salt
... I just don’t have anything to add, as far as these last few ingredients go. Easy stuff!
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How to Make Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix
The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through:
Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix
Using a Sharpie, label a medium freezer baggie with the ingredients and as many instructions as you need to use the mix.
Combine flour, pudding mix, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Store in an airtight container in a dark, dry place until ready to use.
To Use Chocolate Cake Mix
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Liberally grease two 8" round cake pans with vegetable shortening, and/or spray with baking spray. (See baking time options below - we did a bundt this time!)
Empty cake mix into a large bowl (if using a hand mixer) - or the bowl of a stand mixer - along with eggs and water. Beat on low speed until smooth, using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Carefully add melted butter, mix on medium speed until smooth. For best results, don’t overbeat it.
Bake in preheated oven until knife or toothpick inserted into center of batter comes out clean (the “toothpick test”) and cake springs back - about 25-30 minutes.
Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before turning cakes out onto baking rack to cool fully.
Allow cake to sit overnight, make frosting & ice cake/cupcakes the following day.
Alternately, you can bake it in a 9 x 13 pan (about 25-30 minutes), in a Bundt pan (about 40-45 minutes), or as cupcakes (18-20 minutes).
More Cake Recipes!
Looking for more ridiculously delicious cake recipes? As the "Evil Cake Overlord", I've got you covered! (Ps: Check out my instructions for making Marshmallow Fondant, as well!)
Tortes:
B-52 Torte
Bahama Mama Torte
Blood Orange Truffle Torte
Citrus Splendor Torte
Cookies & Cream Cake
Raspberry Tiramisu Torte
Schmoo Torte
Spumoni Cake
Tiger Tail Cake
Bundt, Sheet, & Upside Down Cakes
Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake
Brandied Apple Upside Down Cake
Deep N Delicious Cake
French Martini Bundt Cake
French Martini Upside Down Cake
Mango Mojito Upside Down Cake
Pina Colada Bundt Cake
Strawberry Mango Marble Cake
Cupcakes:
3D Monarch Butterfly Cupcakes
Black Velvet Cupcakes
Chai Cupcakes
Easy Butterfly Cupcakes
Fat Elvis Cupcakes
Lynchburg Lemonade Cupcakes
Pink Grapefruit Daiquiri Cupcakes
Fillings, Frostings, & Misc
American Buttercream
Milk Chocolate Whipped Ganache
Stabilized Whipped Cream
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
Also: I have Cake Decorating Tutorials, and posts about previous Decorated Cakes that I've made.
Easy Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix
Equipment
- 1 Medium Ziplock Freezer Bag
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Mix:
- 2 cups Cake flour
- 3 ½ oz Instant chocolate pudding mix
- ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 ½ cups Sugar
- 4 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
To Use:
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Butter melted (or Vegetable Oil - see post for information)
Instructions
Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix:
- Combine flour, pudding mix, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Transfer to a large Ziplock freezer bag, press excess air out, and seal.
- Label bag with directions, store in a dark, dry place until ready to use.
To Use:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Liberally grease two 8" round cake pans with vegetable shortening, and/or spray with baking spray.
- Empty cake mix into a large mixing bowl, along with eggs and water. Beat until smooth.
- Carefully add melted butter, mix on medium speed until smooth.
- Divide batter among prepared cake pans.
- Bake in preheated oven until knife inserted into center of batter comes out clean and cake springs back - about 25-30 minutes.
- Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before turning cakes out onto baking rack to cool fully.
- Ideally, allow to cool to room temperature, wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Allow cake to sit overnight, make frosting & ice cake/cupcakes the following day.
Notes
Nutrition
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Marie Porter
These homemade cake mixes are super convenient to have around, hope you love it as much as we do!