This is the most RIDICULOUS Chocolate Cake recipe I’ve ever made. It’s a seriously delicious cake, a super EASY cake, AND it’s topped with creamy chocolate frosting. Everyone goes crazy for this moist chocolate cake recipe!
The Easiest and BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe EVER!
You all know I am not opposed to using a cake mix from time to time. I, personally, look at cake mixes like any other ingredient. I don’t use them all the time, as I find making a cake from scratch is just as easy, but there are times when there is no substitute. Today is an example of that.
The base for this stupid-good cake is a chocolate cake mix. It’s not negotiable. There is a time and place for “from scratch” cakes, I totally agree, but not today. I mean, have you ever tried my Earthquake Cake?
Now that we are all on the same cake mix page, let’s talk a little more about this slice of perfection. The texture of this chocolate cake is so soft…I mean we add pudding mix, sour cream and a whole load of chocolate chips. You honestly could skip the frosting and dust it with a little powdered sugar if you feel so inclined, but since frosting-skipping is against my religion I won’t press the issue.
It’s the perfect little chocolate bundt cake to take to any party, or even whip up on a weeknight. And certainly you could make it in a sheet pan, or as a layer cake, just adjust your bake times accordingly.
Why is this the BEST chocolate cake?
The chocolate cake batter is really really easy. Please note, though, I add a box of chocolate pudding to the cake mix, so don’t buy the cake mix with pudding “in the mix”. I know this is confusing…like why couldn’t you omit the pudding and just buy the cake mix with it already added? Great question…
It’s not the same. I’ve tried it both ways and adding your own pudding mix is just BETTER. I don’t make the rules, folks.
Also add in 2 whole cups of chocolate chips to the cake. Seriously good.
Since the batter is fairly thick, the chocolate chips don’t sink at all!
The chocolate cake batter is so dreamy.
Just spread it into a heavily greased bundt pan…
And the cake is baked it will look like this…
Just invert the chocolate cake onto a cake pan and allow it to cool. OR if you aren’t frosting it (blasphemy) try it warm and die at how good it is.
But if you’re a rule follower, go ahead and make some super creamy chocolate frosting…
And spread it on top of your gorgeous chocolate cake.
AND if you’re feeling fancy add a few chocolate chips on top. I mean why not at this point!
And then EAT!
I can’t WAIT for you to try this Ridiculous Chocolate Cake recipe. It is the BEST chocolate cake and easiest chocolate cake recipe I have ever made!
Ridiculous Chocolate Cake
-
Prep Time: 10 minutes -
Cook Time: 60 minutes
-
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
-
Yield: serves 12 1x -
Category: Cake
-
Method: Baking
-
Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:
Cuisine:
Print Recipe
PinDescription:
Ridiculous Chocolate Cake is the easiest and best chocolate cake recipe ever!
Ingredients:
Cake
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box chocolate cake mix
- 1 (3.9 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding
- 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally grease a 10- inch bundt pan with butter or shortening and lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine all the cake ingredients. Mix on low for 30 seconds until combined and then on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, until the cake is set. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert the pan onto a cake plate. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed beat the butter, cocoa powder and powdered sugar until combined. Add in the vanilla and cream and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Frost the top of the cake and garnish with more chocolate chips if desired.
Keywords:: chocolate cake recipe, chocolate cake, cake mix, chocolate frosting
Want To Save This Recipe?
Helpful tip… Out of sour cream?
and ps… if you’re wondering if you can make Ridiculous Chocolate Cake into a Ridiculous Vanilla Cake t, the answer is YES! I did it for you… CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE!
Hi! I’m Shelly and I’m an addict. Of the buttercream sort. I started this site a few years ago as a way to justify my sugary, buttery obsession with desserts. It has worked out well for me so far, because as it turns out you guys all love sugary, buttery desserts too! It feels good to know you're not alone, doesn’t it?
Get 5 Baking Secrets That Will Change Your Life!
I made cupcakes following the recipe and they rose in the oven and then collapsed when they cooled. Did I do something wrong? The flavor is great, but they look sad – nothing frosting can’t cover up – but just wondering why?
I made this cake following recipe to a tee. Took it out of oven ,it was beautiful, in about 8 minutes it had fallen flat. Why?
I just did in bundt pan too and same thing happened 🙁 At least it will still taste good. Afraid to flip over though!
Most of the time I bake from scratch, but sometimes, with the right doctoring, a box mix works great. I love this recipe. I’m a little weird, so I made some chocolate mousse and spread it over the frosting to add to the decadence, because I can’t get enough chocolate. YUM!
★★★★★
This recipe sounds absolutely delicious… do you think it would work to make it a 3 layer with round pans?
Hi. I made this twice. I didn’t have a bundt pan so I used two round pans. The first time this cake came out perfect! I was moist and I liked how the whole chocolate chips were still there and not melted in the cake. However, the second time (I used the same pans) the chocolate chips were all melted into the cake and you I didn’t bite down on them. It was still good I just prefer the chocolate not to melt. I also added some cinnamon in the batter. Made a more chocolaty taste. I’m going to try… Read more »
How long did you bake in the round cake pans? Mine are 9″ pans.
Does anyone know the time/temp for cupcakes? I want to make some for Valentine’s day for my neighbors. Can you make cupcakes from this recipe? I see the advantage to a bundt cake pan, but I have cute cupcake papers and decorations and I want to use them! Thanks for your input.
Has anyone made this into cupcakes? If so what is the cooking time?
I made this today as a test cake for a party coming up. Followed the recipe. Used Bundt pan at 350. I took it out just before 50 min. Let cool in pan for a bit. It is GREAT! I will frost with whipped peanut butter frosting.
Question. It did get a bit crusty on the bottom of the pan (now the top). Did I over cook it?? Could I have let it in the pan too long?
Thank you!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Possibly baked a little long, or you could raise the oven rack up a level. OR you could place your bundt pan on a baking sheet…possibly your pan just conducts the heat a little unevenly!
Thank you so much !!❤️
Can you use toll house choc morsels instead of semi sweet. And sugar free cake mix.
Yep! Toll House morsels are semi-sweet, so you’re all good!
Why do you cut the sour cream in half on the yellow cake formula?
Because a lot of folks were finding the recipe to be too wet for their liking…beyond just moist. So cutting back on it a little bit helped that a lot. If you preferred the original, stick with the full 16 ounces!
I like cakes to be dense and moist, not light and fluffy, and this nailed it—totally delicious (I can’t wait to have another slice for breakfast!). And with the sour cream undertones, it tastes almost like a chocolate cheesecake! My sister and I both put this in our “keeper” file.
I made this in a Bundt cake pan (definitely needed the full time to bake). The frosting is delicious too—not greasy like many buttercream frostings. I added more whipping cream to make it fluffier and more spreadable.
★★★★★
Hello Shelly! I’m looking forward to making this for my girlfriend, but was wondering, I have a 7 Inch Springform pan that I like to bake with, as it’s just the two of us and we try to keep dessert portions a little smaller. If I were to adjust the recipe for that sized pan would you recommend cutting everything in half? Or is there another formula you recommend?
Safe to assume baking would be the same temp, but check it after 20 minutes and bake until a toothpick come out clean?
Thank you!
Daniel
★★★★★
You could cut the recipe in half and bake it in a 7- inch round pan, sure! That should work fine. I have never done it this way, but would guess that the bake time would be about 20-25 minutes! Good luck!
Awesome! I’ll let you know how it goes! Thank you!
I made this today. Maybe it’s the semi sweet chips. I don’t know. It’s thick, it’s heavy, it’s bitter. I tried a cake with pudding before, didn’t like it either. I don’t care for it.
★
I made this in a 9×13 baking pan because I don’t own a bundt cake pan yet. Initially, when I first tasted the cake I thought it was way too sweet. I did add extra butter to the frosting and drizzled homemade hot fudge sauce over that instead of adding more chocolate chips to the top. I wanted a different kind of flavor rather than a repeated layer of what was already used. The hot fudge was made with condensed milk which lends a buttery sweetness to the chocolate chips I swirled in and the butter too. While it was… Read more »
Thanks for the 9 x 13 baking time tip–mine is in the oven! I usually use two round 9 inch pans but didn’t remember the time I use for that. I don’t add frosting to this cake but your ideas sound good for a less sweet cake. I’m using a 10 oz bag of peanut butter chips today…I think it will be good but the usual semi-sweet chocolate is a favorite.
★★★★★
Oh my gosh! I just made this and it was delicious. I didn’t have a bundt tin or round tins so I used a 9 x 13 metal pan. 35 minutes at 350 degrees and it was perfect. So tasty! Thanks!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it! Thanks for your feedback on baking it in different pans!
Shelly (or others?): I want to make this cake dairy free. Should I sub in a non-dairy sour cream or just omit it? Thanks!!
I’ve never tried making this non-dairy, but I would imagine that dairy free sour cream will work fine! Cake mix recipes are generally pretty forgiving!
Ok, thx! I was also thinking maybe coconut milk (the thick kind in a can with the fat layer) or coconut cream. I’m making it this week, so I’ll try to remember to post the results!
Maybe try pumpkin?