How to Turn Vanilla Cake Mix Into Chocolate: Tips and Tricks

Co-authored by Jessica Banh and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Fact Checked

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If you're craving chocolate cake but only have vanilla cake mix on hand, we've got lots of simple solutions to convert your cake mix! It's easy to add cocoa powder to white or yellow mix, but we'll also show you how to get a rich chocolatey flavor using ingredients you already have in your pantry. Read on for extra tips to emphasize the chocolate flavor and make your cake taste flavorful.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Cake Mix

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1
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.^{[1]
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- It's fine to use natural cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa—natural cocoa has most of its fat removed before it's ground, while Dutch-process is natural cocoa that's been treated to remove some of its acidity. This creates a stronger chocolate flavor.
- If you use natural cocoa and your mix lists baking soda or sodium bicarbonate, add yogurt or sour cream as mentioned in the next method. An acidic dairy ingredient neutralizes the acidity in natural cocoa, so it tastes more chocolatey.^{[2]
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Substitute instant chocolate pudding mix if you don’t have cocoa. If you searched the cupboard but can't find cocoa powder, it's totally fine to use a 3.9-ounce (110 g) box of instant chocolate pudding mix instead. Just whisk the pudding mix into a bowl with your dry cake mix.^{[3]
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- There's no need to blend the pudding mix with milk before you add it to the bowl with the cake mix.
- Keep in mind that your chocolate cake will be sweeter if you use instant chocolate pudding rather than cocoa powder.
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Follow the rest of the instructions on the cake mix package. Mix in the rest of the ingredients that the manufacturer calls for (or make adjustments that are recommended in the following method). Then, bake the cake as directed.
- In general, you won't need to add to the baking time unless you add ingredients like sour cream or yogurt. If the cake doesn't look done after the recommended baking time, check it again after a few minutes.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Elevating the Chocolate Flavor

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Pour chocolate syrup into the filled cake pans for an extra chocolate layer. To give your chocolate cake a little something extra, spread half of your prepared batter in the cake pans. Drizzle ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of chocolate syrup evenly over the batter. Then, spread the rest of the batter over it.^{[4]
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- Don't let the chocolate syrup touch the sides of the pan or it could stick and burn.
- When you cut into the baked cake, you'll have an extra-rich layer of chocolate in the middle.
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Mix in a handful of chocolate chips for a sweeter flavor. If you've got a bag of chocolate chips lying around, stir some into the batter just before you pour it into the pans. The chocolate chips won't melt, so your cake will be studded with little bits of chocolate!^{[5]
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- Play around with different flavors of chips. Add peanut chips or white chocolate chips to your chocolate cake batter for instance.
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Replace the water with coffee to make the chocolate flavor really pop. Substitute an equal amount of coffee for the water called for on the package. There's no need to cool the coffee before adding it to the cake mix along with the oil and eggs.^{[6]
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- Adding coffee won't make your cake taste like coffee—it just enhances and brings out the richness in the cocoa.
- If you're avoiding caffeine, it's fine to use decaf coffee instead.
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Add 1/2 cup of sour cream for an extra moist cake. Since you added cocoa powder to the cake mix, the cake could turn out dry unless you add some extra moisture. Sour cream is a fantastic way to bump up the moisture and flavor of your chocolate cake. Stir the sour cream into the batter when you add the other wet ingredients (like eggs, oil or butter, etc).^{[7]
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- It's completely fine to use low-fat sour cream or even plain yogurt.
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Substitute butter for the oil to get a richer flavor. Most cake mixes call for vegetable oil, but if you substitute the same amount of melted butter, you'll get a lot more flavor! Feel free to use unsalted or salted butter—just let it cool to room temperature before you mix it into the batter along with the eggs.^{[8]
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- If you're trying to cut back on dairy or just want a different flavor, melt coconut oil and use it instead. You'll be rewarded with a chocolate cake that's extra light and fluffy.
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Frost the cake with homemade chocolate buttercream. While you could buy a container of frosting, homemade buttercream is actually pretty easy to make and it tastes great. Whip up a fudgy chocolate buttercream for a super chocolatey cake, try strawberry buttercream for a slightly fruity taste that's great with chocolate cake, or go with the classic vanilla buttercream.
- Cream cheese frosting or peanut butter frosting also tastes wonderful on a chocolate cake.