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UPDATE: Please visit this post for an update of this recipe using a 15.25 ounce cake mix.
Although I usually bake from scratch, I’m a firm believer that every baker needs a couple of tricks to tuck in their apron pockets.
One of my absolute favorite chocolate cake recipes comes from {gasp} a boxed cake mix. But it’s not just any boxed mix, it’s an incredibly moist and chocolatey recipe that’s perfect for layered cakes, bundt cakes and of course – cupcakes.
There are many reasons to adore this doctored up cake mix and number one on that list is that it’s super moist. I love using this recipe when I have to make cupcakes a day or so in advance because I know that they’ll still taste perfectly fresh – even after being stored for 24 hours.
The batter is also really thick, so it’s a great consistency for suspending little surprises inside cupcakes. You already know I’m kind of obsessed with nestling candy into my cupcakes, and this ultra thick batter is ideal for that technique.
Another reason that it’s one of my go-to recipes is because it’s pretty much fool-proof. Toss everything into a large mixing bowl, mix until it’s combined and it comes out perfect every single time. This makes it a great recipe for baking newbies and kids alike.
My favorite desserts using this recipe
Heath Bar Cupcakes
Oreo Cake
Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes
Take 5 Cupcakes
Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes
I’ll be the first to tell you that baking a cake from scratch can be an incredibly fun and cathartic experience. But use the tools and ingredients that give you the results you want. I’ve yet to be able to recreate the perfection of this doctored up box mix on my own (not that I don’t keep trying), and if it means a fabulous cupcake in shorter time, then give yourself a break and go for it.
[pinit]
Doctored Up Cake Mix Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil’s food cake mix (see note below)
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso granules dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water (see note below)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla and espresso water mixture. Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.
- Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes.
- Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting.
For Bundt Cakes
- Pour the batter into a well-greased, 12-cup bundt cake pan.
- Bake at 350°F for approximately 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- If desired, drizzle the cooled cake with your favorite recipe for chocolate ganache.
For 9-inch Layer Cakes:
- Pour batter evenly between 2 greased 9-inch cake pans.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Frost cooled cake with your favorite buttercream recipe.
Notes:
- My favorite Devil's Food Cake is Betty Crocker - Pudding in the mix.
- If you don't have instant espresso granules, you can sub in 1/2 cup warm coffee.
- The espresso in this recipe really just deepens the chocolate flavor, but if you aren't into the whole coffee thing, just use 1/2 cup warm water.
- UPDATE: Please visit this post for an update of this recipe using a 15.25 ounce cake mix.
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I agree, you always need to have these types of recipes in your arsenal!! I love doctored up cake mix recipes :)
Absolutely – all those scary “inorganic” ingredients somehow create a fluffiness I just cannot obtain with ANY scratch recipe. And I’ve tried DOZENS upon dozens of different combinations of ingredients and methods, from simple one-bowl dump cakes to a few requiring all my mixing bowls, whisks, the Kitchenaid, pots, pans, time-delays, refrigeration and hair-pulling. The Box is a reliable old friend, however toxic he may (or may not) be. Especially when adding a touch of booze to the mix. ;-)
I have used this recipe with a yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding and added rum instead of coffee. The combinations are endless.
These look awesome! I’m going to try this recipe but can you tell me where you get instant espresso granules from? I cannot find any for the life of me!
Annette-
I was able to find them at my local specialty market. They are also available online through King Arthur Flour and Amazon. I also listed some alternative options in the notes section of the recipe just in case you can’t find it. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
i will not use a mix. i’m sorry. i’m not being a snob, but all i have to do is turn the box over and look at the ingredients. do i really want all of that stuff going into my families bodies. i bake from scratch so that i know what is going into our food. thats why i buy alot of organics.
Terri Sue-
I completely understand and respect your stance, but I’d urge you to check these organic cake mixes from Arrowhead Mills. I’ve heard they are pretty fantastic.
-Jamie
Check out the new Stanford study and save yourself some mmoney on organic food.
I agree. When I am in a rush, my favorite is Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake mix, its perfectly moist any yummy!
Looks amazing, sometimes we all leed a shortcut!!
You can tell by the picture that these cupcakes are really moist. I don’t like coffee, but have made cakes before with just a bit of espresso powder or even with a cup of coffee that only taste chocolate with no hint of coffee flavor. Do these cupcakes have a coffee taste, or are they just more intensely chocolate?
Beth-
There is a very slight coffee note, but if you didn’t know it was is there, it may be undetectable. I left a few notes at the bottom of the recipe that will tell you what to do if you don’t want to use coffee. Thanks for stopping by.
-Jamie
This is very close to my go-to easy chocolate cake/cupcakes recipe, but I use brewed coffee and not quite so much oil. I need to try your recipe and see if I like it better than the one I have been using. Thanks for sharing! BTW … if you buy a Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate cake mix, it even has mini-chips!
I first used this recipe to make your Snickers cupcakes which were a hit. I’ve since continued to use it for cupcakes and cakes. Love it!!