Some days just call for chocolate. And when that craving hits, I don’t settle for ordinary. I make this chocolate brownie cake recipe. It’s rich, fudgy, and impossibly simple, perfect for Sunday gatherings or that 8PM sweet tooth. I discovered it years ago when I needed a no-fail dessert for my daughter’s bake sale.
The kids? Obsessed. The parents? Begging for the recipe. This cake tastes like a decadent bakery treat but starts with cake mix and brownie mix. Magic, right? Stick with me, and I’ll show you how to create the most irresistible dessert your kitchen’s ever turned out.
🍫 What Makes This Chocolate Brownie Cake Recipe So Special?
This chocolate brownie cake recipe blends the rich decadence of a brownie with the light, fluffy texture of a cake. You’ll start with a classic box of chocolate cake mix and rich fudge brownie mix, meaning the hard part is already done for you. What sets this recipe apart is how it balances density with moistness, offering a slice that’s rich without being heavy.
You only need one bowl to mix the batter, no electric mixer necessary. Just whisk, pour, and bake. It’s like the easier cousin of my brookie cookie recipe, with all the chocolate drama but none of the fuss. Top it with ganache for an irresistible glossy finish.
Wondering how this differs from brownies alone? Traditional brownies are typically denser, flatter, and baked in square pans. This cake, by contrast, rises beautifully in a Bundt pan, making it a showstopper. It’s like a mash-up between a fancy biscoff cake and your favorite boxed brownies—minus the fancy stress.
If you’re craving more quick dessert wins, try my eggless chocolate chip cookies or rice krispie treats with marshmallow fluff. But honestly, once you’ve tried this cake, everything else might taste second-best.
Print
Chocolate Brownie Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Description
Chocolate Brownie Cake recipe is one of the easiest chocolate cakes I have ever made, but also one of the most delectable!
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix
- 1 box (18.3 ounces) fudge brownie mix
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups water, room temperature
- 1 cup (218 g) vegetable oil
Ganache
- 1 cup (238 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 bag (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Cake
-
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch Bundt Pan with nonstick cooking spray.
-
To a large bowl, add cake mix, brownie mix, eggs, water, and oil. Whisk for 2 minutes, or until lumps are mostly gone.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs, but no wet batter.
-
When done baking, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for up to 10 minutes. Then, carefully turn the cake out onto a cooling rack and cool for about 30 more minutes.
Ganache
- To a microwave-safe bowl, add whipping cream. Heat for 45 seconds to a minute, or until the cream is simmering.
- Carefully pour the chocolate chips into the boiling cream.
- Let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream until shiny and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour over cooled cake and serve.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 662.2 kcal
- Sugar: 50.0 g
- Sodium: 358.3 mg
- Fat: 35.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 14.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.1 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 5.0 g
- Cholesterol: 61.7 mg
🧁 Ingredients & How to Make It
To make this chocolate brownie cake recipe, you’ll need just seven pantry staples:
Cake Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
- 1 box (18.3 oz) fudge brownie mix
- 4 large eggs (room temp)
- 1¼ cups water
- 1 cup (218g) vegetable oil
Ganache
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan generously.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, brownie mix, eggs, water, and oil.
- Whisk for 2 minutes until smooth. Expect a thick, rich batter.
- Pour into the pan. Bake 50–55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
- Let it cool 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a rack. Cool completely.
- Meanwhile, heat the cream in the microwave for 45 seconds or until it starts to simmer.
- Pour in chocolate chips. Let it rest for five minutes before whisking into a smooth, glossy ganache.
- Drizzle over the cooled cake generously. Serve with ice cream or coffee!
The texture? A fudgy dream. Think of it as what would happen if your favorite moist carrot cake and dense brownies had a delicious dessert baby.
This recipe stores well, too. Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze individual slices. Bonus tip? Warm a slice and top it with a scoop of rice krispies ice cream.
🎂 Brownie vs. Brownie Cake: What’s the Real Difference?
The terms may sound interchangeable, but there are crucial distinctions between a traditional brownie and a chocolate brownie cake recipe.
Brownies are denser, chewier, and baked in shallow pans. They rely on a higher fat-to-flour ratio and often exclude leavening agents like baking powder. This gives them their signature gooey center and crisp edges.
Brownie cakes, on the other hand, bridge that gap. They rise like a cake but maintain brownie richness. Thanks to the inclusion of cake mix in this chocolate brownie cake recipe, the final product is fluffier than a brownie, yet far denser than a sponge cake. That’s the sweet spot.
Can you make brownies into cake? Technically, yes but you’d need to tweak the structure. Add more liquid (like milk or water) and a leavening agent to soften the crumb. But honestly, it’s simpler to follow this chocolate brownie cake recipe. You get the best of both worlds without playing baking roulette.
For more dessert hybrids, check out my boston cream cupcakes, they bring the same cake-meets-decadence energy.
This cake’s appeal also lies in its ganache. Traditional brownies are rarely topped. But this one? It’s drenched. The shiny chocolate layer elevates it to celebration status, perfect for birthdays, potlucks, or just-because-it’s-Tuesday nights.
Still curious about brownie cakes? Picture the texture of your favorite moist biscoff cake, but double the chocolate. That’s what we’re working with here.
If you’re hooked on minimal-ingredient bakes, my peanut butter oatmeal balls might be your next go-to.
And yes, this chocolate brownie cake recipe is kid-approved, holiday-friendly, and practically mistake-proof.
🍽️ Final Thoughts & Serving Tips
Let’s wrap this up: If you’re only baking one chocolate dessert this month, make it this chocolate brownie cake recipe. It’s quick, reliable, and always a showstopper on the dessert table.
You can dress it up or down. Add crushed peppermint in winter, chopped nuts for crunch, or even a caramel drizzle to mix things up. I sometimes sneak in espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor. And if you love variety, pair it with lemon lavender cookies for a sweet contrast.
Serving a crowd? Slice this cake into generous portions and serve with whipped cream. For an intimate setting, warm a slice and share it à la mode—just like a cozy diner dessert, but better.
And don’t forget—this recipe freezes beautifully. Wrap individual slices for emergency chocolate situations (which, let’s face it, happen often).
This chocolate brownie cake recipe has been in my baking rotation for years, and it never lets me down. From birthdays to bake sales to just-because evenings, it’s always a hit.
If you’re craving more like this, be sure to browse my quick & easy desserts. Happy baking, from my Santa Rosa kitchen to yours! 💕
For more recipes like Chocolate Brownie Cake recipe, make sure to follow me on Pinterest
🍪 FAQs Answered: Everything You Wanted to Know
What’s the difference between a brownie and a brownie cake?
A brownie is dense, chewy, and flat. A brownie cake, like this chocolate brownie cake recipe, is taller, softer, and more structured. Think of it as a dessert fusion: all the bold flavor of a brownie with the rise of a cake.
Can you make brownies into cake?
Yes, you can adapt it, but you’ll need to tweak the liquids and leavening agents. Or skip the guesswork and make this chocolate brownie cake recipe, it uses both mixes to hit the sweet spot effortlessly.
What are the 5 ingredients for chocolate brownies?
Typically: cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, butter, and flour. But this recipe combines two mixes for ultimate convenience and flavor depth. A shortcut, but make it gourmet.
What are brownie cakes made of?
In this version: chocolate cake mix, brownie mix, eggs, water, oil, and ganache. It’s simple, yet utterly indulgent.
