Chocolate brownie cake is what you get when you stop choosing between cake and brownies: a box of chocolate cake mix and a box of fudge brownie mix stirred into one batter, baked in a Bundt pan and covered with a glossy chocolate ganache. The cake mix keeps it light enough to slice, while the brownie mix makes it dense, moist and fudgy. It takes 15 minutes of prep and cuts into 12 slices.
How to make a brownie cake: Sift the two mixes together, whisk in the eggs, water and oil, and bake in a greased and floured Bundt pan at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool it completely, then pour over a two-ingredient ganache of hot heavy cream and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Why You’ll Love It
- Two boxes, one cake: cake mix and brownie mix do the measuring for you.
- Fudgy but sliceable: richer than a plain chocolate cake, lighter than a pan of brownies.
- Two-ingredient ganache: cream and chocolate chips make a shiny, bakery-style topping.
- Party-sized: one Bundt cake serves 12, ready for birthdays and potlucks.
Ingredient Notes
Chocolate cake mix: one box, dry. It brings the leavening that gives the cake its rise.
Fudge brownie mix: one box, dry. It adds the dense, fudgy texture and deep chocolate flavor.
Eggs, water and oil: 4 large eggs, 1 1/4 cups of water and 1 cup of oil replace the amounts printed on both boxes. Use these, not the box directions.
Heavy whipping cream: 1 cup, heated for the ganache.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: 12 ounces. They melt into the hot cream for a smooth, pourable glaze.
More recipes you might like
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 1 box fudge brownie mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup oil
For the ganache
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate morsels
How to Make Chocolate Brownie Cake
1. Heat the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare the pan. Coat a bundt pan with baker’s spray or butter and flour it to prevent sticking.
3. Sift the mixes. In a large mixing bowl, sift together chocolate cake mix and fudge brownie mix.
4. Make the batter. Add eggs, water, and oil to the dry ingredients. Whisk for about 2 minutes until smooth.
5. Fill the pan. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and spread evenly.
6. Bake. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
7. Cool. Let cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes.
8. Heat the cream. Heat heavy whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl for about 2 minutes until it just starts to boil.
9. Make the ganache. Add chocolate morsels to hot cream and let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
10. Glaze. Once cake is fully cooled, pour ganache over top, using a spatula to spread if needed.
Brownie Cake vs. Brownies: What’s the Difference?
Brownies are dense and fudgy, with little rise, and they’re baked as a thin layer in a square or rectangular pan. A brownie cake is taller and lighter, with enough lift to slice like cake but more richness than a regular chocolate cake. In this recipe, the cake mix supplies the rise and the brownie mix supplies the fudgy texture, so each slice is somewhere in between.
Can You Turn a Brownie Mix Into a Cake?
Yes, and this recipe is the easiest way to do it. Brownie mix on its own bakes up too dense and heavy to hold a tall Bundt shape. Mixing it with a box of chocolate cake mix, plus extra eggs, water and oil, gives the batter enough structure to rise while keeping the brownie flavor. For a plain pan of cakey brownies, check your brownie box, which usually lists a cake-like version with an extra egg.
Tips for a Perfect Bundt Cake
- Grease every groove. Baker’s spray, or butter and flour, keeps the cake from sticking in the pan’s ridges.
- Sift the mixes. Brownie mix can have lumps of sugar and cocoa; sifting gives a smooth batter.
- Don’t overbake. A toothpick with a few moist crumbs is fine; this is a fudgy cake.
- Turn it out on time. After the short rest in the pan, invert it while it’s still warm so it releases cleanly.
- Cool completely before glazing. Ganache on a warm cake slides off and soaks in.
- Let the ganache sit. Waiting before you whisk lets the chips melt evenly for a glossy finish.
Variations
- Birthday cake: top the ganache with sprinkles or a few candles.
- Mocha: use cooled brewed coffee in place of the water.
- Extra chips: fold a handful of chocolate chips into the batter.
- Dark chocolate ganache: use dark chocolate chips for a less sweet topping.
- Layer cake: bake the batter in round cake pans and fill the layers with ganache or frosting, baking until a toothpick comes out clean.
If you’re baking for a crowd, German Chocolate Sheet Cake is a one-pan cocoa cake that serves 24.
If you like chocolate brownie cake, my Chocolate Skillet Cake is another fudgy dessert to enjoy with vanilla ice cream.
Storage
Keep the cake covered so it stays moist. Because the ganache is made with cream, store it in the refrigerator if your kitchen is warm. Let cold slices sit out for a few minutes before serving so the ganache softens.
What to Serve With It
A scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream or fresh raspberries cut the richness.
More chocolate desserts: chocolate turtle cake, Texas sheet cake, homemade German chocolate cake and chocolate cobbler. For more brownie treats, try hot fudge brownie bread or pecan pie brownie bombs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a brownie cake made of?
This one is made from a box of chocolate cake mix and a box of fudge brownie mix, with eggs, water and oil, topped with a cream and chocolate chip ganache.
Can you bake brownies like a cake?
Brownie mix alone is too dense for a tall cake. Combine it with cake mix, as here, for a cake with a brownie texture.
What size Bundt pan do I need?
A standard full-size Bundt pan. Fill it no more than two-thirds full.
How do I know when it’s done?
A toothpick in the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Why did my cake stick to the pan?
The pan wasn’t fully greased and floured, or the cake sat too long before turning out.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Bake the cake a day ahead, keep it covered, and add the ganache before serving.
Can I use a different cake mix?
Devil’s food or dark chocolate cake mix both work.
Final Notes
Grease the pan well, cool the cake completely and pour the ganache slowly. If you try the mocha version or bake it as a layer cake, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Chocolate Brownie Cake
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 1 box fudge brownie mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup oil
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate morsels
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Coat a bundt pan with baker’s spray or butter and flour it to prevent sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together chocolate cake mix and fudge brownie mix.
- Add eggs, water, and oil to the dry ingredients. Whisk for about 2 minutes until smooth.
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Let cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat heavy whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl for about 2 minutes until it just starts to boil.
- Add chocolate morsels to hot cream and let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Once cake is fully cooled, pour ganache over top, using a spatula to spread if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Made this recipe? Tap a star to rate it.
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
