Oh how I love this Chocolate Sour Cream Cake (doctored cake mix) recipe! It is super easy, amazingly moist, and delicious! Nobody would guess that it started with a cake mix!
This decadent Chocolate Sour Cream Cake has a slightly dense and velvety texture which I absolutely love. This is probably why it tastes and looks so much like a scratch chocolate cake recipe. (By the way, you can find our favorite scratch Classic Chocolate Cake linked below!)
If you’ve been searching for the perfect doctored cake mix recipe for Chocolate Cake, you just cannot top this one! I’ve made it countless times and it always gets rave reviews!
This decadent Chocolate Sour Cream Cake not only tastes amazing, but it is versatile also. It has a nice density for holding up to fondant, and can even be used for designs that call for light carving.
Chocolate cupcakes can be made from this recipe also, but if you are looking for a fluffier cupcake with more of a dome, I highly recommend our other tried and true Doctored Chocolate Cake recipe.
Enjoy this Chocolate Sour Cream Cake recipe, I think you’ll come back to it again and again!
Chocolate Sour Cream Cake - A Doctored Cake Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- ** For a deeper chocolate taste you can add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and replace the water with 1 cup hot strong brewed or instant coffee.
- 1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup water (We usually replace the water with 1 cup of hot brewed or instant coffee, it enhances the chocolate flavor.)
- 3 whole eggs
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions
- Combine dry ingredients and stir. In mixing bowl, combine sour cream, water, eggs, & flavorings. Add about 1/2 of the dry ingredients and blend together, then add the rest of the dry ingredients & mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake as at 325 degrees until middle of cake springs back when touched.
- *This also works well for cupcakes!
Guess what? We have a fantastic homemade version of this Chocolate Sour Cream Cake too! It is soft, moist, and works great for both cakes and cupcakes! You can find it here!: Chocolate Sour Cream Cake from scratch
We have another scratch chocolate cake recipe to share. This classic chocolate cake has been a favorite over the years. Classic Chocolate Cake from Scratch.
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If you love this Chocolate Sour Cream Cake, don’t miss it’s sister recipe, the fabulous White Almond Sour Cream Cake (doctored cake mix recipe)! So many cakes to try, so little time! I think that you will love them both!
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Hi Bebe and Melissa,
I️ just have a quick question and would love your opinion. I️ am baking a 2 layer, 9x13x2 birthday cake with an edible image on top for a friends son. Was thinking of using the other chocolate doctored cake recipe, which I’ve used for cupcakes recently (and they were to die for by the way…yum) but because I’m going to be making two layers one vanilla, one chocolate with lemons curd filling in between I️ thought a little denser cake may hold up with the filling in between. So I’m thinking of using this one and the WASC doctored recipe. What do you think? And should I️ torte the layers so the cake absorbs the filling better? Since it’s for his children, I️ would like a moist cake but don’t want to end up with a mess with the filling inside. Also, which buttercream would be best to use for an edible image that will be going on top? TIA and happy Sunday!
Hi Jessica, Either recipe would be fine to use with the filling. Yes, the sour cream would make the cake a bit more dense and that would be good if you torte the layers. Since this is for children and lemon slides a bit, I think you are right to worry that it could be a bit messy with 4 thin layers. Another thought, the cake will need to be refrigerated because of the lemon curd so the chilled cake with lemon curd might not be a problem when cutting. Your choice, you will be fine either way. The Classic Vanilla (all butter) Buttercream or the Fluffy Buttercream recipe will be good. You will need to work quickly with the Classic all butter and add the edible image before it crusts ( otherwise you will need to mist lightly). The Fluffy Buttercream crust more slowly, so you will have more time with that recipe for adding the image. Hope all goes well.
Thank you so much!! Appreciate the help and tips. 🙂
Will this cake be too sweet if filled with ganache? Granny
Hi Mona, I think it would be delicious filled with ganache.
I just provided 162 cupcakes for an event. I had 7 different flavors. The “Doctored”cake mix recipes were so helpful with time but were amazingly tasty. So many good comments. All were decorated with modeling chocolate flowers and small bumblebees. Made all of those silly characters. Thanks for these recipes, great tools and supplies.
Hi Mona, glad everything went so well!