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Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe with Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

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Five years ago, I don’t think it would have occurred to me to use a cake mix in a chocolate cake recipe. Apparently, having two kids has me scurrying for shortcuts. In my family, the dads request this chocolate cake often. Well, who am I to deny them? Now, I have made this semi-homemade chocolate cake 10-12 times. Each time, people highly praise this cake. I think the key to a good doctored box mix cake is in making a homemade frosting.

 
 
overhead image of semi-homemade chocolate cake with sprinkles on top of chocolate buttercream frosting
 
The doctored cake mix recipe I use is from All Recipes (though the chocolate buttercream frosting is one that I have tinkered around with for years). The call for a Devil’s Food cake mix has led to much discussion in our home as to what is the difference between a Devil’s Food cake and a chocolate cake. According to Google, Devil’s Food is a richer version of chocolate cake.
 
What helps doctor box mix cake recipes involves mixing the cake with pudding and with sour cream. And what really puts it over the top is making a homemade buttercream frosting for the cake rather than using a canned icing. 
 

Making This Semi-Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe

 
First, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Next, I mix all ingredients starting with the devil’s food cake mix and stirring in the chocolate chips last. (As I mentioned above, I don’t always use the chocolate chips. The cake comes out great without them, but does have an extra chocolate punch with them. Personally, I find the cake plenty rich without the chocolate chips.)
 
Then, I grease two nine-inch round pans really well with Baker’s Joy. Dividing the batter evenly, I pour it into the two pans. I set the oven for 24 minutes but usually leave the pans in for around 26 minutes. The batter is quite thick. I use a silicon spatula to guide the batter into the pans. 
 
two round pans of uncooked chocolate cake mix
 
As soon as the cakes have slightly pulled away from the edges, a toothpick or knife comes out clean, and the tops spring up when touched, they are ready.
 
Afterward, the cakes cool in the pans set on wire racks for about an hour. After an hour, I invert them onto a cooling rack for another 30 min or so.

Elevating Box Mix Cake with Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

While the cakes are cooling, I begin making the homemade chocolate buttercream frosting. The hardest part for me is waiting for my cakes to cool all the way before I start frosting them. Trust me, you want them to cool completely first or you are asking for trouble! 

In my mixer, I beat the butter. To that, I add the cocoa and sugar alternately with a little milk, beating after each addition. Next, I toss in the vanilla and run the mixer again. The frosting should look firm but not dry. If dry, I add just a wee bit of milk until the frosting comes to the right consistency. If not firm enough, I add a bit of sugar until everything is like I want it.

three measuring scoops of ingredients on counter beside plant

mixing bowl of fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting with bake layers of cake to the left

 

I will spare you the misery of showing you how I frost the cake.  If you are an inept cake decorator like me, check out The Hummingbird Bakery’s tutorial on how to frost a round layer cake.  Very helpful! 

 

 

 

frosted semi homemade chocolate cake on white cake stand

Semi-Homemade Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

This delicious semi-homemade cake is made from a doctored cake mix. It uses Devil's food cake mix and a homemade fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting. The rich chocolate in this cake is out of this world!
4.04 from 27 votes
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 servings
Calories 561 kcal

Ingredients
  

Semi Homemade Chocolate Cake

  • 15 oz Cake Mix Devil Food
  • 5.9 oz Instant chocolate pudding mix
  • 1 cup Sour cream
  • 1 cup Vegetable oil
  • 4 Eggs
  • ½ cup Water warm
  • 1 ½ cups Mini chocolate chips optional

Fluffy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 6 tbsp Butter softened
  • ½ cup Cocoa Powder unsweetened
  • 2 ⅔ cups Powdered sugar may need a bit more
  • ⅓ to ½ cup Milk may need a bit more
  • 1 tsp Vanilla

Instructions
 

Making Semi-Homemade Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients for the cake batter, stirring in the chocolate chips last (if using).
  • Grease two nine-inch pans really well with Baker's Joy.
  • Dividing the batter evenly, pour it into the two pans.
  • Set the pans in the oven for 24 - 28 minutes.
  • As soon as the cakes have slightly pulled away from the edges, a toothpick or knife comes out clean, and the tops spring up when touched, they are ready.
  • Allow cakes to cool in pans for one hour before turning out onto wire racks.

Making Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • While cakes cool completely on wire racks (another 30 minutes or so), prepare the frosting.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter.
  • To that, add the cocoa and sugar alternately with a little milk, beating after each addition.
  • Add vanilla and mix for another 10 seconds.
  • If frosting looks dry, add a bit of milk until the frosting comes to the right consistency. Or if not firm enough, add a bit of sugar until frosting is thick enough for spreading.

Frosting the Chocolate Cake (See notes)

  • With an offset spatula, frost the top of the first layer by putting ¼ cup of frosting in the center of the cake and spreading evenly out toward the edges of the cake.
  • Place the second layer (bottom side up) on top of the bottom layer. Follow the same method for spreading the frosting over the top layer.
  • Add a small amount of frosting to the sides of your cake, rotating cake often to cover all the sides of the cake.
  • Using the spatula do a scraping method of the frosting, removing excess as you rotate the cake. Save the frosting. Do the same with the top. (This is the base layer - the crumb layer.)
  • Chill cake for about 30 minutes or so.
  • Add remaining frosting to cake, starting with the top of the cake first and then the sides. Create swirl patterns in the top of the cake and a diagonal line pattern on the sides. Add sprinkles, if desired.
  • Keep leftover cake in the fridge, but serve at room temperature.

Notes

  • Make sure cake layers are completely cool before adding frosting.
  • Place cake on top of cardboard cake board or small plate that fits the cake as perfectly as possible. (It is a good idea to put a small drop of frosting on the cardboard or cake under the bottom layer to act as a sort of glue.)
  • Place a piece of foil under the cardboard or plate so you can rotate the cake easily while decorating (unless you have a rotating cake decorating stand). 
  • For best results, frost a "crumb layer" first which involves 30 minutes of chill time afterward.
  • For a tutorial on frosting the cake, consult the video I linked in the post. 

Nutrition

Calories: 561kcalCarbohydrates: 132gProtein: 10gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 748mgPotassium: 261mgFiber: 4gSugar: 60gVitamin A: 409IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 232mgIron: 3mg
Keyword cake, chocolate, chocolate buttercream
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

At one point over the last few years, I asked my dad if he thought this semi-homemade chocolate cake was worthy of going on the blog (which is comical since I don’t think my dad really understands what a blog is). He said, “This cake is worthy of going anywhere!”

slice of semi homemade chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting on stack of Fiesta plates with full cake in back

Well, there ya go, folks. I hope you enjoy this chocolate cake as much as we do! Be sure to check out another favorite cake mix recipe cake on this little bloggity-blog – my butter pecan praline poke cake.

 

 

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About Amy

Amy is a wife, mom, teacher, and content creator/owner of Planted in Arkansas. She loves creating recipes, travel plans, party ideas, and outfits. And she believes in celebrating all things - big and small.

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Comments

  1. Ronda B

    5 stars
    This recipe is awesome. Everyone loved it. It’s definitely going into my recipe book. I’ll be making this again!

    Reply

  2. Ashley

    This is my FAVORITE chocolate cake recipe!! Just made again the other day and tried actually making the frosting instead of cheating. Granted, I don’t have an actual mixer, so hand mixing with a fork I do not recommend, however the taste waste 100% still! (The little butter chunks that I couldn’t mix that great weren’t the best visual, but who cares!) This cake is always my go to!

    Reply
4.04 from 27 votes (25 ratings without comment)

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