Cake Mix Brownies – Only 4 Ingredients!
Cake Mix Brownies are super easy to make, perfectly rich, fudgy and over-the-top delicious. And you only need 4 simple ingredients to make them! You’re going to want these on repeat!
Looking for more ooey-gooey, incredible tasting brownies? Try my Best Brownies recipe next!
EMAIL ME THE RECIPE!
Enter your email below and we'll send this recipe to your inbox. Plus, enjoy exclusive content!
This super easy 4-ingredient Cake Mix Brownies recipe is the only one you’ll ever need! These brownies are rich and fudgy, the perfect solution for when you’re craving chocolate! You will be shocked at what a delicious treat you can make with a cake mix! So irresistible and simple to make, too!
I absolutely LOVE homemade brownies but when a brownie craving hits, I want them right away and don’t necessarily feel like taking the extra time to make them from scratch.
So how do you go from box cake mix to brownies? Read on for all of the delicious details!
I made these brownies with butter pecan cake mix and added butterscotch morsels. They were delicious!
— Diane
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Only 4 basic ingredients. Chances are you have all of the ingredients needed in your pantry right now!
- One bowl. The four ingredients get stirred all together at the same time in one bowl. Super easy!
- Customizable. You don’t have to just stick with chocolate brownies. Experiment and try strawberry or even lemon bars. Yum!
- Delicious. These are irresistible chewy brownies. They are the perfect balance of cakey and fudgy. Everyone who tries these, absolutely loves them!
Ingredients you’ll need
This recipe for cake mix brownies has a super short ingredient list. Just 4 simple ingredients is all you need! How awesome is that?!
- Chocolate cake mix. You’ll need a 15.25 ounce box of chocolate cake mix. My go-to brand for this recipe is Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate. Betty Crocker works great, too.
- Oil. Either light olive oil or vegetable oil will yield brownies with the perfect moist texture.
- Eggs. Two eggs will add structure, stability, and richness.
- Chocolate chips. For best results, I recommend splurging on a quality brand. I always use Ghirardelli chocolate chips. We love semi-sweet chocolate chips in these brownies, but feel free to use any favorite baking chips like dark chocolate chips or even peanut butter chips..
Variations and substitutions
You can use your favorite flavor of cake mix to create any type of delicious brownies with just a few ingredients. Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- Red velvet. Make these cake mix brownies red velvet flavored by using a red velvet cake mix.
- German chocolate with caramel. For major decadence!
- Yellow cake mix. A super easy way to make blondies! Or use a strawberry cake mix to make strawberry blondies!
- Nuts. Finely chopped nuts, like pecans, peanuts or walnuts, can easily be added to this recipe. I recommend 1/2 to 2/3 cup of chopped nuts. You can simply sprinkle them over the top or stir them into the batter.
- With cream cheese. Add a swirl of softened or whipped cream cheese over the top.
- Candy. M&M’s, Reece’s Pieces, peanut butter chips, or toffee bits are fun additions.
- Frosting: If you love iced brownies, try this frosting recipe to frost cooled brownies.
How to make this recipe
Turning cake mix into brownies is incredibly easy! Here’s how:
- Prepare oven and baking pan. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
- Combine all ingredients. In one large bowl, stir all of the ingredients together.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and evenly smooth out the top. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top for a little extra chocolate goodness. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean. I know some people enjoy their brownies undercooked, so feel free to remove the pan a little early.
- Cool and serve. Let the brownies cool in the pan (on a wire rack) for about 10 minutes, then cut into squares and enjoy! Delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Helpful tips
Cake mix brownies could not be easier to make, but here are a few tips to make sure they turn out perfect every time.
- Pan size. Be sure that you use an 8×8-inch baking dish or pan for this brownie recipe. Many cake mix brownie recipes use a 9×13-inch pan, like my chocolate chip brownie bars, but this one turns out best using a smaller pan.
- Spreading batter. It is normal for this brownie batter to be very thick. Grease your baking dish well or line it with parchment paper. I use a rubber spatula that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to spread the batter. Makes this step a cinch!
- Pan type. Either a metal or glass pan will work fine for baking brownies. For crispier crusts and edges, use a metal pan. If you use a glass dish, you may need to add up to 5 minutes of baking time, but be sure to check on your brownies at the time suggested.
Frequently asked questions
Typically, you’ll find that brownie mixes and cake mixes have the same ingredients. Brownie mix will have less leavening agents and possibly more sugar. So, with a little added baking powder and oil or butter, you could turn your fudgy brownies into a chocolate cake!
Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat, in this case, we’re adding more oil and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether the batch turns out fudgy or cakey.
Using a cake mix is such a great shortcut to your next amazing dessert! Try my cake mix cookies and cake mix mug cake!
Storage recommendations
- Storing leftovers. Leftover cake mix brownies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, but I would be very surprised if they last that long.
- To freeze. Cool completely then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature. I can attest to the fact that these are possibly even better once frozen and then microwaved (think melty chocolate chips and rich, fudgy center).
There are many cake mix brownie recipes out there. I’m sure this very one is floating around on the internet, so I definitely can’t take credit for this great idea. This is the recipe my mom would always make when I was a child. Hope you enjoy as much as I do!
If you try this, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Cake Mix Brownies
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz box chocolate cake mix (I like Duncan Hines Triple Chocolate)
- 1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and spray a 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and spread so it evenly fills the dish.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow brownies to cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @kimscravings on Instagram and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy and delicious recipes straight to your inbox!
I saw this recipe and had to make them today. I used Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate cake mix, added chopped Walnuts and some mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Turned out great. Will be making this often. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Love the addition of walnuts! So glad you enjoyed!
I did exactly this. Turned out perfectly!
I learned a trick for cutting brownies. Use a plastic serrated knife like you get at a fast food restaurant. They cut clean and never ragged.
Great idea! Thanks for the tip!
These are so incredibly delicious! I can’t stay out of the pan.
In an effort to eat less sweets, I have dipped Tuesdays treat Tuesday 🙂 all week I’ve been dreaming about brownies. I even made an extra trip to buy gluten-free brownie mix. imagine my shock and dismay when I got home with a cake mix. thankfully, your recipe will hopefully save the day! my cake mix was greater in weight therefore I ended up adding some coffee creamer that I had. my brain was also not working and I did a mix of butter and olive oil because I missed the vegetable oil that I had laid out for myself already. I hope these brownies work well. even if they don’t, the recipe gave me hope that I could still have a brownie today on treat tuesday!
thanks for sharing!!
I made these brownies with butter pecan cake mix and added butterscotch morsels. They were delicious!
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for your feedback!
thank you for the suggestion!!! I have no chocolate cake so I’m going to use cinnamon cake with butterscotch! thank you
I am eager to try these today.
sounds delicious, can I substitute melted butter for the oil?
I think that would work fine. Enjoy!
So good!
Can you adjust recipe to fit 9×13 pan?
Yum! These brownies were delicious!
Fantastic. Cheaper than brownie mix. I used no name that I had at home. 8X8 made a larger batch that brownie mis as it come 3/4 way up the pan. Going to try lemon with white chocolate chip. Passed recipe onto three people so far and I just made the today
Yay! This makes me so happy!!
Can you adjust recipe to fit 9×13 pan?
Doubling the recipe should work.
Oh my goodness… these are so good! So easy too! Will definitely be a new go-to recipe that I’ll make often.
Just want to make sure..the batter is supposed to be more like a wet cookie dough, right? It came out delicious.. but I didn’t expect it to be *that* thick lol
Glad they turned out delicious! Yes, the batter is quite thick.