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Doctored Chocolate Cake Mix Cupcakes Recipe

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4 from 13 reviews

This doctored cake mix recipe transforms a boxed devil’s food cake mix into a rich, moist, and flavorful cake by adding instant chocolate pudding, sour cream, eggs, oil, vanilla, and espresso water. Perfect for cupcakes, bundt cakes, layer cakes, or sheet cakes, this method delivers from-scratch taste with minimal effort.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 box devil’s food cake mix (15.25 ounces)
  • 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix (3.4 ounces)

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso granules dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 24 standard muffin wells with paper liners or grease them with non-stick spray depending on your chosen cake form.
  2. Mix Batter: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, combine the devil’s food cake mix, instant chocolate pudding mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, lightly beaten eggs, pure vanilla extract, and espresso water. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes until the batter is smooth and thoroughly combined.
  3. Fill Muffin Wells: Using a large cookie scoop, evenly distribute about 3 tablespoons of batter into each of the prepared muffin wells.
  4. Bake Cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until the cupcake tops spring back when lightly pressed. After baking, let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tins for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  5. Bundt Cake Option: For a bundt cake, pour the batter into a well-greased 12-cup bundt pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50-55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean and the top springs back to touch. Cool the cake completely before optionally drizzling with chocolate ganache.
  6. Layer Cake Option: Pour the batter evenly into two greased 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting with your favorite buttercream.
  7. Sheet Cake Option: Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool thoroughly before frosting.
  8. Frosting: Once cooled, top any cake style with your favorite buttercream or frosting.

Notes

  • Dissolving the instant espresso granules in warm water enhances the chocolate flavor in the cake without adding a coffee taste.
  • This recipe adapts easily for multiple cake types: cupcakes, bundt, layer, and sheet cakes.
  • Cooling cakes completely before frosting ensures the frosting doesn’t melt or slide off.
  • You can substitute oil with melted butter for a richer flavor, but texture may vary slightly.
  • The sour cream addition keeps the cake moist and tender, elevating the boxed mix significantly.
  • Author: Olivia
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 22 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://iamstarved.com/doctored-chocolate-cake-mix-cupcakes-recipe/