Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix Recipe - The Creek Line House (2024)

FAQs

How much cocoa powder to add to cake mix? ›

Add ¼ cup (30 g) of cocoa powder to each package of mix. Just pour the unsweetened cocoa powder into a mixing bowl along with the dry white or yellow cake mix. Whisk it for about 30 seconds to blend the cocoa with the mix.

If you are in the US, a standard box of cake mix makes two round layers. So you will need 2 boxes to make 4 layers. Outside the US, I think the same applies, just read the box. I recommend 3 layers if this is among the first few cakes you have made.

To get an extra rich and moist cake, stir in two extra egg yolks along with the eggs the recipe calls for. Add sugar and flour to the dry mix. Add 1/4- 1 cup sugar and flour to your cake mix. Use coffee instead of water for chocolate cakes.

“When it comes to baking, I prefer Dutch process cocoa powder,” says former BA food editor Claire Saffitz. “The alkalizing process darkens the color and typically deepens the flavor.” Dutch process cocoa powder produces baked goods that taste more intensely chocolatey.

A small amount will be fine, but if you try to add enough to make it significantly chocolate flavored, you'll throw off both the wet/dry ratio and the acid chemistry of the mix, and probably end up with an unsatisfactory cake.

For chemically-leavened cakes — that is, cakes calling for baking powder or baking soda — it's OK if you don't remember to add the eggs until the end. Martina says, “Late in the mixing stage, eggs will incorporate better if you lightly beat them before adding to the batter.

Boxed cake mixes tend to be lighter in consistency, but if you're craving that thicker, moister, denser cake, then all you have to do is add an extra egg to your mix. The additional fat in the egg yolk helps create a more tender and moist cake that is full of flavor.

The box mix is about $1.50 cheaper and requires less effort, energy, and attention. And really, the flavor isn't that bad…just not that remarkable.

A standard cake mix will make two 9" rounds, but you don't have to follow the rules. Use a springform pan (which makes for a taller, prouder cake), a Bundt pan for instant decoration, an extra-long loaf pan or two standard ones, or a muffin tin to make cupcakes.

Most standard cake mixes are designed to make either two 8-inch or two 9-inch round cake layers or a 9x13-inch rectangular cake. If you were to use these standard cake mixes, you might need multiple boxes to create a full sheet cake. 4 and 1/2 boxes.

Can I use milk instead of water in cake mix? ›

Use milk instead of water

Most box cake recipes will tell you to add water to the mix. Instead, try adding milk using the same proportions. This will make the cake richer and creamier because it ups the fat content. You can even use buttermilk here for a pleasant tang.

Replace water with whole milk, coffee, or soda.

The result is a moister and more flavorful cupcake. Replace water with whole milk in vanilla and white cake mixes. Add coffee to bring out the richness of a chocolate cupcake. Lemon lime soda will make a citrus cupcake sing.

The box mix is about $1.50 cheaper and requires less effort, energy, and attention. And really, the flavor isn't that bad…just not that remarkable. Homemade cakes can sometimes be fussy, especially if you don't make them very often, but dang!