I have made a lot of cakes! But I will tell you a little secret – I usually start with a box cake mix and make it taste homemade! If you are looking for chocolate cake mix recipes with sour cream – this will be your go to recipe! It’s so moist and delicious.

If you want to know how to make a box cake taste homemade – you have to read this recipe! It’s so easy, moist, and delicious!

This is also a cake mix with pudding recipe – all these extras will make this the best cake ever!

Need a single serve dessert recipe? Check out this quick and easy 3 minute vanilla mug cake recipe. 

 

This blog post is going to show you how to make chocolate box cake better and how it will make the best chocolate cake that is moist and delicious and tastes homemade. No one will ever have to know that you started with a box cake mix! 

 

How To Make A Box Cake Better

 

I usually start with a cake mix when I make chocolate and white cake mixes.  I’m usually the one that gets to bring desserts to family parties so it’s a toss-up between a chocolate layer cake or a white chocolate strawberry cake. 

This recipe for a better white cake mix recipe with a box mix is so fluffy and yummy! This is one of our favorite recipes and I usually bring it to parties when they ask me to bring dessert. This recipe will make a boxed cake taste like a wedding cake. 

 

 

 

 

My son asked for a chocolate cake for his birthday with my delicious chocolate frosting recipe – so that is what he got! I have used this chocolate buttercream frosting to make peanut butter sandwich cookies – it is so good!  This Chocolate Icing With Cocoa Powder is my favorite icing recipe. 

 

 

If you are looking for a yummy birthday cake recipe or need a  chocolaty dessert to make for your friends – this is your recipe! 

 

How To Make Box Chocolate Cake Better

 

 

How To Make A Chocolate Box Cake Better Recipe Notes:

• You can also make these into cupcakes. There is plenty of frosting so that you can be generous with the frosting. Or you can cut the recipe in half if you want to lightly frost the cupcakes. Follow the box instructions for cooking times. 
• This recipe is still going to use the ingredients that are on the box instructions. But you will do some substitution. You will change the water to milk and add an extra egg. You will also use the oil that is on the package instruction. But it’s the addition of the pudding powder and sour cream that makes the cake extra moist! 
• If you really want to up the flavor of the chocolate you can add chocolate milk instead of plain milk. 
• Add parchment paper to the bottom of the 9-inch cake pans to make sure they can easily be removed from the cake pans. 

 

If you are looking for a recipe about how to make a chocolate box cake taste homemade – you have to try this. It is very easy!

 

 

 

 

Scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe. Or Pin it for later! 

Best Chocolate Cake Recipe – How To Make A Box Chocolate Cake Better

 

• 1 – box of chocolate cake mix ( I used Devils Food Chocolate)
• 1 – 1.4 box instant chocolate pudding
• 1 cup sour cream
• Change the water for milk according to the box instructions
• Add 1 extra egg according to the box instructions
• Add oil according to the box instructions

 

Instructions for the Best Chocolate Cake – How To Make Box Cake Mix Better 

1. Preheat your oven to 325*. Add parchment paper to 9-inch pans and spray the pans with cooking spray. Set aside. 
2. Mix together the cake mix and pudding powder until combined. 
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. You should scrape down the sides to everything is mixed well. Mix for about 1 minute. 
4. Split the batter between the 2 cake pans. Tap them on the counter to spread out the cake mix and get out air bubbles. 
5. Bake for about 25 minutes. Poke a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean – it’s done. Add 2 – 3 minutes and check it again until it’s cooked completely. 
6. Let cool completely before you add the icing. 

 

 

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

• 2 sticks of butter, softened (1 cup)
• 1  cup of cocoa powder
• 2/3  cup hot water
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 8 cups powdered sugar

 

Instructions

1. In a standing mixer add the butter, cocoa, hot water, vanilla. Mix for about 1 minute until well combined. 
2. Add all the powdered sugar and set the mixer to low. 
3. Once all the powdered sugar is mixed in let it whip on high for about 30 seconds until light and fluffy. 
4. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and add it to your cake!

 

 

Assembling the cake

1. Add 1 layer of the cake to a plate. Add the chocolate frosting  – be generous! 
2. Add the second layer. I like to spoon the icing on top of the cake and spread it around with a butter knife or mini frosting spatula. 
3. Pull the frosting down the sides of the cake to cover the sides. 
4. Finish the top of the cake and add more frosting. 
5. I added some frosting to a piping bag with a Wilton 402 open star piping tip and I swirled them around the top of the cake. I also put a bunch of stars around the bottom of the cake. But you don’t have to do this – it’s perfect without the extra icing decorations! 

 

This is my little secret about How To Make A Box Cake Better – it’s really easy and you can apply it to all box cake mixes to make them taste like they are homemade! These box cake hacks can be our secret! If you are looking for how to make a box cake moist  – this is a recipe you must try!

 

And don’t let all the instructions make it look difficult. It’s just adding a few extra ingredients to a box of cake mix so it’s really simple. And it’s totally worth it to make homemade buttercream icing. It’s really not that difficult;t and tastes so much better than a jar of icing. 

 

Here are some of the products I used from Amazon. These are my affiliate links so I will earn a small commission when you use my links. 

If you want to make a bundt cake, this is the best bundt cake recipe and it also starts with a boxed cake mix. 

 

 

 

Yield: 16

Best Chocolate Cake Recipe - How To Make A Box Cake Better

Print

This is the best chocolate cake recipe ever. It is so easy! It starts with a mix and is moist and yummy! With a few adjustments, you will have a cake that tastes like it came from a bakery.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 - box of chocolate cake mix ( I used Devils Food Chocolate)
• 1 - 1.4 box instant chocolate pudding
• 1 cup sour cream
• Change the water for milk according to the box instructions
• Add 1 extra egg according to the box instructions
• Add oil according to the box instructions

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 2 sticks of butter, softened (1 cup)
• 1  cup of cocoa powder
• 2/3  cup hot water
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 8 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Instructions for the Best Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 325*. Add parchment paper to 9-inch pans and spray the pans with cooking spray. Set aside. 
2. Mix together the cake mix and pudding powder until combined. 
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. You should scrape down the sides to everything is mixed well. Mix for about 1 minute. 
4. Split the batter between the 2 cake pans. Tap them on the counter to spread out the cake mix and get out air bubbles. 
5. Bake for about 25 minutes. Poke a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean - it's done. Add 2 - 3 minutes and check it again until it's cooked completely. 
6. Let cool completely before you add the icing. 

Instructions for the chocolate frosting

1. In a standing mixer add the butter, cocoa, hot water, vanilla. Mix for about 1 minute until well combined. 
2. Add all the powdered sugar and set the mixer to low. 
3. Once all the powdered sugar is mixed in let it whip on high for about 30 seconds until light and fluffy. 
4. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and add it to your cake!

Assembling the cake

1. Add 1 layer of the cake to a plate. Add the chocolate frosting  - be generous! 
2. Add the second layer. I like to spoon the icing on top of the cake and spread it around with a butter knife or mini frosting spatula. 
3. Pull the frosting down the sides of the cake to cover the sides. 
4. Finish the top of the cake and add more frosting. 

I added some frosting to a piping bag with a Wilton 402 open star piping tip and I swirled them around the top of the cake. I also put a bunch of stars around the bottom of the cake. But you don't have to do this - it's perfect without the extra icing decorations! 

Did you make this recipe?

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Check out this list of 9 Easy Cake Filling Recipes