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Easy Chocolate Cake
Yield: 16 servings
Easy chocolate cake is a perfect recipe for beginner bakers who may feel intimidated with baking. The secret ingredient is a store-bought boxed cake mix! Using the cake mix as a base, several ingredients are added to make it taste just like homemade!
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
- Three 6-inch or 7-inch round cake pans or two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans
Ingredients
- 1 (1) chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (29 g) dark cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ cup (305 g) milk room temperature
- ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup (55 g) vegetable oil
- ¾ cup (173 g) sour cream room temperature
- 3 (3) eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp (8 g) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and prepare your pans. For cake pans, spray with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment circles. For cupcakes, line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, add chocolate cake mix, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark cocoa powder, milk, melted butter, vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Using an electric hand mixer, mix on low speed until the ingredients come together.
- Once the ingredients are combined, turn the speed on the mixer to medium and mix for a full 2 minutes.
- Portion the cake batter into your cake pans or cupcake liners.
- Baking times will vary depending on the size of your pans or if you are making cupcakes. For cupcakes, baking time is approximately 20 minutes. For 6-inch or 7-inch cakes, baking time is approximately 30 minutes and for 8-inch or 9-inch cakes, baking time is approximately 35 minutes. When the cakes are perfectly baked, they will bounce back when gently touched or an inserted toothpick will come out clean.
- Remove the pans from the oven. Allow cakes to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes and cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes.
- Remove the cake/cupcakes from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Once frosted, the cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Be sure to cover any exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out.
The cupcakes can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Check out my recipes for chocolate buttercream, vanilla buttercream, swiss meringue buttercream, and shortcut swiss meringue buttercream for ideas for frosting!
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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