Cake Mix Brownies
Updated Mar 15, 2026
All you need is just 5 pantry staples and just a few minutes to prep these deliciously fudgy Cake Mix Brownies. The easiest brownie recipe!
Cake mix brownies are a quick and yummy dessert!
These rich and chocolatey brownies are a ridiculously simple dessert that you can throw together in minutes. Don’t have brownie mix on hand? Try this recipe instead!
Cake mix are a favorite dessert in our house. It’s such a great time saver for making recipes in much less time! These cake mix brownies are perfect for when you are craving brownies but don’t have any brownie mix or the time to make them from scratch.
This recipe uses dark chocolate fudge cake mix for a rich and super chocolatey brownie that tastes amazing!
⭐️Review⭐️
“This is my favorite “GoTo” brownie recipe! Everyone loves them each and every time I make them.” -Joyce
Ingredients & Notes
- Chocolate cake mix: use your favorite chocolate cake mix. I like using dark chocolate fudge.
- Oil: olive oil, vegetable oil, or any other neutral flavored cooking oil
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips: mix and match chocolate chip types for more flavor combinations!
While I love a good dessert made from scratch, sometimes you need those quick and fast recipes that you can whip up in no time!
How to make brownies from cake mix
Step 1: Add the chocolate fudge cake mix, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips to a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula to mix the batter until it is completely combined.
For this recipe, I used Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge, but any chocolate cake mix will work.
Step 2: Spray an 8X8 baking dish with cooking spray, then add the brownie batter in.
Smush it down into the edges, and flatten out any lumps using a rubber spatula.
Step 3: Bake the brownies at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow them to cool completely before cutting for easiest results. If you’re like me, this is pretty much impossible!
Share these cake mix brownies at a party, with your friends and neighbors, or just make it for yourself when you deserve a treat. You’re going to love them!
More cake mix recipes
These are a reader favorite! Here’s one of the many reader reviews you can find under the recipe!
⭐️Review⭐️
“Everyone really loved these brownies!! Definitely going to be my new go to recipe for some quick and delicious brownies!!!” -Joanne
Cake Mix Brownies
Ingredients
- 15 oz box chocolate cake mix, I used Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge
- 1/2 cup oil , olive oil, vegetable oil, or any neutral cooking oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add the chocolate cake mix, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and semi sweet chocolate chips to a bowl and use a rubber spatula to mix until well combined.
- Transfer the cake mix brownie batter to a greased 8X8 baking dish. Flatten down the batter into the pan using the rubber spatula.
- Bake the brownies at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (mine were perfect right at 25 minutes).
- Allow the cake mix brownies to cool completely before cutting.
1 Tablespoon of vanilla (as stated in the recipe) sounded like too much. I added 1 teaspoon and still feel like it’s too much. Anyone else notice this?
You are certainly welcome to use less or no vanilla if you are sensitive to it. I personally can’t taste it at all in this recipe.
I haven’t put them in the oven yet but they do look like chocolate concrete. Is this ok or have I done something wrong?
The batter is thick, you can reference the pictures in the post of the batter being spread into the pan to see.
Ummmmmmm these cake brownies are so good! This is my ideal brownie format – most brownies I’ve tried to make end up too heavy for my taste. I followed the instructions but added some mini marshmallows with the chocolate chips and used the Betty Crocker triple fudge cake mix and they turned out fluffy, but somehow still gooey, chewy and crispy along the edges. Yum!! All I have to say is – she mentioned letting it cool completely – that part is pretty important because I couldn’t wait and I took it out of the pan and it kinda fell apart…but it’s not a huge deal because I can still cut it into brownie bites and it will still be amazing. New favorite brownie recipe, thanks!!
Great idea with the marshmallows! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Made 2 batches for Game Day! One with 1/2 bag of Peanut Butter chips, for the “Reese’s” fans, and one with 1/2 bag of Caramel chips, for the “Turtles” fans. Baked 22-min in 8×8 pan. They turned out GREAT!!
Yum!
My 9 year-old granddaughter and I made these for the first time today and she said, these aren’t brownies, they’re heaven in a square. These aren’t just good for a cake mix brownie, they’re our favorite brownie ever!
Anne, I am so happy you and your granddaughter enjoyed the recipe, thank you for taking time to share a review! 🙂
I had a box of extra fudgy chocolate cake mix in my pantry and found your wonderful shortcut for brownies. I used coconut oil and added shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, and a little oatmeal to make myself feel less guilty. Delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I had been craving brownies but didn’t have a mix on hand, and didn’t want to make them homemade. This recipe was the perfect antidote! We had it for dessert tonight and loved it! The chocolate chips made it perfectly scrumptious! There is a difference overall between the boxed cake mix and the boxed brownie mix- I’m guessing it’s the flour component? But in a pinch, this recipe satisfies the decadent richness of brownie goodness! Will save this one for the recipe box! Thank you for the great recipe!
My friend wants Cakey brownies not fudgy. I have a devils food cake mix, she won’t like the chocolate chips. How do I do this?
@Therese,
Add extra egg for cake like and just leave out the chips
@Cheryl, thanks. I was out of mix and almost went to make the brownies scratch. Then I saw this, mixed and it looked a bit too thick. I almost added a bit of milk. I put a bit more chips in as we loose chocolate. And it came out PERFECT. Yum!
I made the chocolate cake and substituted orange juice for the water and added 1 tsp orange zest. Homemade whipped cream frosting. Drop dead delicious!!!
@Ronda, substitute for water? there was not water in this recipe? am i missing somthing?
Can you make this minus the chocolate chips???
@Barbara, No!
@Barbara,
Yes they will still bake just not gooey chocolate
@Ronda, Why not? What happens?