With so many options for chocolate cake mix out there, where's a home baker to start?
We did the legwork for you. From the decadent chocolate cakes to those that fall a little
flat, these are some of the most popular chocolate cake mixes on the market today, all ranked.
If you want a chocolate cake that doesn't even really taste like chocolate, which you
probably don't, then this is the mix for you. Based on flavor and texture, this German Chocolate
cake mix is earning the worst spot.
But that doesn't mean that German chocolate cake itself has less flavor than other cakes.
German chocolate is typically a mild dark chocolate that's on the sweeter side, but
it's still usually packed with flavor. This cake mix is the opposite of that. From the
beginning, the mix is incredibly pale in color, developing into a light batter once the eggs,
oil, and water are mixed in.
After baking, a light-colored cake comes out of the oven, and it's underwhelming. The texture
is wonderfully moist and fluffy, which is lovely. But, without the final cake even really
tasting like chocolate, it hardly deserves any other spot on this list.
This mix is only worth it if you actually have to be on a gluten-free diet and you're
required to only consume chocolate cake without gluten. Pouring the mix into a mixing bowl,
it has the strangest smell. The mix is a fine, gritty powder that creates a just-as-gritty
batter. And the batter only has a hint of chocolate flavor, with surprising notes of
raspberry coming through.
When it's baked, it's as dry as can be, even with the eggs and oil used to add moisture.
The finished cake crumbles in your hand, carrying on the terrible texture observed in the batter.
It has a decent flavor, but it's not overly chocolatey. The flavor certainly isn't good
enough to make up for the texture. For those without any dietary issues who can eat whatever
they want, this is your warning. Skip this option.
This cake uses whole grain sorghum flour and rice flour as its replacement for traditional
flour. Once you open the bag, you add two eggs, a cup and a half of milk, and a whole
cup of oil. Cake mixes typically call for half a cup of oil, so this one is really relying
on the oil, rather than the eggs, to add moisture. It doesn't quite work.
The final baked product definitely has a good chocolate flavor, if you can get past the
flavor of the oil coming through. The texture is moist thanks to all of that oil, but once
you put a fork to it, the cake crumbles immediately. It could definitely be a gluten-free chocolate
cake mix to grab if you're in a pinch, but overall, it's tough to get over the fact that
you're adding in so much oil, which adds 1,900 calories and over 200 grams of fat.
Walmart comes through with another perfectly workable Great Value product with this Devil's
Food flavor. The cake offers up a great texture once baked. It's moist and fluffy, offering
an overall nice consistency when you take a bite. It's perfectly smooth with a lovely
crumb. But this cake is definitely one that needs a bit of frosting to help its flavor
along.
You get a bit of chocolate coming through, but overall, it falls flat on the chocolate
flavor. And with cocoa, along with natural and artificial flavors on the label, it does
make you wonder what's flavoring this mix and why the chocolate isn't shining through.
Considering you can pick this box of mix up for less than one dollar at most Walmarts,
it definitely can curb a chocolate cake craving in a pinch. But if you're looking for great
flavor, consider paying a little more.
"We splurge a bit? Spend a little money? We can afford to!"
Pillsbury is a favorite go-to for many bakers when it comes to cake mixes. But the devil's
food isn't quite up to the brand's typical standard. The mix tricks you right out of
the box, as it has the most wonderful smell coming out of the bag. It makes you think
it'll be a deliciously deep-flavored chocolate cake. But in the end, it all falls flat.
Once baked, the super fluffy and smooth batter turns into the most delightful texture with
an incredibly light crumb. But the flavor doesn't do this mix any justice. For devil's
food, there's barely any chocolate flavor, and that's definitely not something you can
just give up on when it comes to finding the best chocolate cake mix.
It seems like something is just missing from chocolate cake mixes that claim to be devil's
food. For this one, right off the bat, you get the scent of artificial chocolate when
you open the bag. The mix does contain cocoa along with artificial flavor, but it's also
surprising to see carob powder listed on the label. Perhaps the mixture of the three, rather
than just good old-fashioned cocoa powder, is what seems concerning here.
Once you add your eggs, oil, and water, the batter seems super dark and rich. Unfortunately,
that's not the same cake that pops out of the oven when all is said and done. Sure,
the cake is moist and fluffy thanks to those eggs, but the chocolate flavor is barely there.
It's almost as if all that water completely diluted the flavor of the mix along the way.
From the beginning of mixing this batter, it seems a bit off because of how much water
you add. Typically, cake mixes add half a cup of water, but this mixture calls for one
and a quarter cups water, along with three eggs and half a cup of oil. Adding so much
liquid into the mixture creates a super light and thin batter. But with surprise mini chocolate
chips in the mix and fantastic aromas of cocoa, there's still hope for it to come out perfectly
delicious.
Luckily, it will turn out pretty good. The flavor of this cake is truly a nice chocolate
and is paired with an incredibly moist texture. But if you're going into this thinking you're
getting triple the chocolate fudge, wouldn't you think that means triple the flavor? It's
a great chocolate cake mix, but it certainly doesn't pack enough of a punch to live up
to its name.
For people with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is a necessity, because the protein that's
found in grains such as rye, wheat, and barely can cause issues with nutritional absorption
that can sometimes be severe. And since most cakes use wheat flour, a delicious chocolate
cake might be out of the picture. But not with this mix.
King Arthur has come up with a great mix for those who have to cut out gluten, using rice
flour and tapioca starch. The final baked product offers a great texture, just like
a rich, moist chocolate cake. And that's probably all thanks to the four eggs called for on
the box. We do wish there was a hint more chocolate flavor to really drive this option
home, but overall, it's a great choice for those who need gluten-free cake.
If you're looking for a simple chocolate cake mix at the grocery store, this mix might just
be as basic as it gets. There aren't any grandiose labeling notes like "triple chocolate fudge"
or "double fudge." It doesn't claim to be anything it's not. It's just that cute little
Pillsbury Doughboy and a chocolate cake.
And that's what you get with this mix. Once you add in the water, oil, and three eggs
that the box calls for, you end up with a supremely moist cake. It's rich, light, and
fluffy — all characteristics a good chocolate cake should have. And the flavor doesn't miss
the mark either. With this mix, you're not expecting any too over the top. You're just
expecting a nice, balanced chocolate cake that can be paired with a delicious frosting,
and the Doughboy delivers.
"Hmm-hm-hmmmm!"
This is a solid choice if you're hoping to whip up a chocolate cake to impress all of
your friends. They don't need to know it was from a box, right? Once you dress it up and
present it, you won't even care it was a dollar more than the other options on the shelf.
This mix smells like chocolate heaven right out of the bag. Once the fine powder is poured
into a bowl and paired with two eggs, oil, and water, the texture seems a bit gritty.
But it comes out as the loveliest chocolate cake. It's totally moist, gooey, and presents
a perfectly fluffy crumb. The flavor is incredible, but given the name "double chocolate," we
do wish the flavor were a bit stronger. The surprise chocolate chips in the mix certainly
help to up the chocolate ante, but it's not as incredibly chocolatey as the words "double
chocolate" on the box indicate.
And if you're baking a larger cake, you'll probably need more than one box. One box of
this mix will produce a beautiful nine-inch square or round cake, but if you're looking
for multiple layers, you need more.
This just might be the most surprising box of cake mix on the market. From the moment
you open the bag, the chocolate cake mix has a bit of a funky smell to it, but don't let
it put you off! Putting together this cake mix is a bit different than the process you'd
expect, where all you do is add eggs and oil. For this mix, water and eggs add moisture,
but butter replaces the typical oil. Whipping the mix with softened butter, water, and eggs
creates a dark, thick mixture that resembles brownie batter more than it does cake mix.
But just wait for it. It comes out perfectly in the end.
The finished cake is the most incredibly moist treat. And we're not just saying that it's
moist for a gluten-free cake. It's legitimately moist, fluffy, gooey, and has the most delightful
crumb. Considering it's gluten-free, it's ridiculously impressive.
This is definitely another mix that just might surprise you. It comes out of the bag super
clumpy and it smells artificial, but kind of in a good way.
The color is super light, which definitely presents the question of how chocolatey it
really might be. It's certainly not that deep, rich chocolate cake color like you would imagine
devil's food to be. But once the eggs, water, and oil are mixed in, the batter is super
airy and fluffy. You can just tell the texture is going to be perfectly smooth once it's
popped into the oven.
After baking, this cake comes out of the oven with the most perfect crumb. It's slightly
gooey and deliciously moist. If you wanted, you could even skip the frosting here. We
wouldn't, but you do you. Overall, the cake has a good, rounded-out chocolate flavor.
For devil's food, it's not as jam-packed with rich chocolate flavor as one might expect,
but it's still incredibly good.
This mix, like other Ghirardelli brand options, is available at a slightly higher price point
than other brands, but it's absolutely worth it. Wouldn't you want to pay an extra dollar
for a whole cake if you knew it would rock your world?
From the get-go, the smell of this mixture is absolutely unbelievable. Pouring it out
of the bag into a bowl is an experience itself with its deep, delicious chocolate aromas.
And you'll be delighted to find some wonderful surprise chocolate chips in the mix.
Adding in water, oil, and only two eggs results in the most rich and flavorful batter. You
can tell right away that this cake is going to be a good one. And pulling it out of the
oven, it doesn't disappoint. It's not a bitter, dark chocolate flavor. Instead, it's a deep,
dark flavor with such an incredible chocolate punch in every bite. With a deliciously moist
texture, it's just about perfect in every way.
"Would you like a piece of chocolate cake?"
"OK."
"And a glass of milk?"
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