In the mood for homemade brownies, but there's no brownie mix in sight? Chocolate cake mix will do the trick! Cake mix brownies are made with only a few simple ingredients you probably already have at home, and no one will know you used cake mix instead of brownie mix!
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Chocolate cake mix is a great replacement for brownie mix! When you need to give into that sweet tooth craving and want to make chewy brownies but don't have a box of brownie mix, it's ok to use a box of cake mix.
These delicious brownies still come out super fudgy and are so simple to make! If you like cakey brownies, these are great for you too! Just bake them a little longer and they are perfectly cakey!
Cake mix is something I always have on hand because you can make simple desserts FAST! Don't forget to check out these other delicious cake mix recipes! Peach cobbler with cake mix, angel food cake mix cookies, pumpkin bread with cake mix, brownies cookies with cream cheese, or peanut butter cookies with cake mix!
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Ingredients to Gather
- Chocolate cake mix. Devil's food cake mix is a good choice, but any rich, chocolate boxed cake mix will do the trick. Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker both have great mixes, but store brand works well too.
- Two large eggs. The eggs will provide the fat and hold the brownie batter together.
- Melted butter. One stick. You can also use ½ cup vegetable oil, coconut oil, or even olive oil in place of the melted butter.
- 1 ½ cup of chocolate chips. Plus more for scattering on top, if you would like.
Chocolate Cake Mix vs Brownie Mix
The great thing about cake mixes and brownie mixes are that they have the dry ingredients, cocoa powder, leavening agents, and sugar all in one.
To make brownies instead of cake mix, we are simply adding more fat to the recipe. Usually, for cakes, you would add a ¾ cup water and fat, but to make these fudgy brownies, we are simply adding melted butter and eggs to the recipe.
Equipment You'll Need
Let's Make Cake Mix Brownies!
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grab an 8x8 inch baking dish and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper to make sure the brownies do not stick to the pan.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, butter, and eggs. With an electric mixer, mix on medium speed until the batter comes together. With a rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread the batter so it is one even layer in the pan. The batter is very thick, and it is easiest to use a rubber spatula to spread the batter around.
Bake the pan of brownies for 18-20 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and let the brownies cool on a cooling rack before serving.
Step By Step Photos
Tips and Tricks
- The brownies are done when they have that signature crispy brownie crust. You want them just a little under baked, so they are ooey, gooey inside.
- Allow the brownies to cool on a wire rack before you cut them, that way they do not fall apart when cut.
- The parchment paper makes it very easy to lift the brownies right out of the pan once they are cooled. It's a great hack when making any type of bars in a baking dish.
Variations
- Make blondies! Use yellow cake mix with these same ingredients and you'll have amazing blondies!
- Change up the chocolate chips! Use white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips for even more flavor!
- Make them swirl! Add a dollop of peanut butter, Nutella, or caramel sauce and swirl it into the cake batter. Then cut them into squares once they are baked for an ooey gooey chocolate brownie!
How To Store Cake Mix Brownies
Once the brownies have cooled to room temperature, store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze these chocolate brownies, cool the brownies completely and place them in an airtight container or a gallon freezer bag. Freeze them for up to 3 months. Place the bag on the counter to defrost the brownies completely before serving them.
Frequently Asked Questions
My favorite dessert of all time is a brownie sundae! Place a warm brownie in a bowl with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, hot fudge, and a cherry! So good! These would be perfect at a baby shower, a bridal shower, or as an easy dessert for an unexpected guest.
Yes! You can use dark chocolate, Devil's food cake, spice cake mix, or even strawberry cake mix! Depending on if you are giving into your chocolate craving or just want a delicious dessert, you can use any flavor of cake mix you would like. That's the great thing about this recipe, it's super versatile!
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📖 Recipe
Brownies with Chocolate Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix 15.25 ounces
- ½ cup Butter Melted
- 2 Eggs
- 1 ½ cups Chocolate Chips Semi-Sweet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Set that aside.
- In a large bowl, add the chocolate cake mix, eggs, and melted butter.
- With a hand mixer, mix for 1 minutes until all the ingredients are combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips, if you would like.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. The edges should be crisp and the center still a little fudgy. Allow the brownies to cool before cutting.
Notes
- The brownies are done when they have that signature crispy brownie crust. You want them just a little under baked, so they are ooey, gooey inside.
- Allow the brownies to cool on a wire rack before you cut them, that way they do not fall apart when cut.
- The parchment paper makes it very easy to lift the brownies right out of the pan once they are cooled. It's a great hack when making any type of bars in a baking dish.
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