Baking has never been my forte. I have made a few box cakes in the past, only to be mediocre at best. I’ve tried to bake from scratch but tend to lose focus. I’m still holding out for Hardly Homemade husband, Adam, to be the baker’s man. He definitely has more potential than I do in that area because he’s got the sweet tooth and can keep his eyes on the prize. In general, baking is really a science, and if you get one measurement wrong or leave an ingredient out, it can ruin the outcome and better luck next time. While cooking, on the other hand, is all about eye balling, taste as you go, walk away from it and come back, and that’s more my thing.
I feel so lucky to have been introduced to this Doctored Up Devil’s Food Cake from my friend Mindy who is a local baking and cooking enthusiast. Prior to this recipe my friends and family have all had my sub par, dry, out of the box cakes before, and this was NOT that. It does use the box, but it’s not just the box, making this a perfect hardly homemade recipe for your next celebration. Our birthday party guests always love this recipe. It will forever be my go to birthday party dessert, and I am eternally grateful that you came up with this, Mindy, and shared your secret recipe with us!
Mindy makes the most divine cookies, brownies and cakes I have ever tasted. She is also an impeccable cook. So if you make this cake or go for the cupcakes version, like I did for Maren’s first birthday, please let me know on Instagram and tag me @hardlyhomemade and Mindy at @mindymagic
Hacks:
- Devil’s Food Cake (from the box)
- Store-bought whipped vanilla frosting
- sour cream
- chocolate syrup
- cocoa powder
This cake will serve 6-10, and it’s enough for one 8-inch round, so I doubled the recipe and used a square cake pan to feed 16. You could also double it and use two 8-inch rounds.
Doctored Up Devil's Food Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box Devil's Food Cake prepared according to box with water
- 3 eggs
- vegetable oil
- 1/2 c sour cream
- 1/3 c chocolate syrup (about 3 big squirts)
- 1/2 c cocoa powder
- 1/3 c mini chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 container of whipped vanilla frosting (from the jar)
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven according to box instructions. Mix all the wet ingredients together: including the water, oil and eggs measurements from the back of the box with chocolate syrup and sour cream. Add the cocoa powder to the cake mix bag. Whisk the dry ingredients (cake mix + cocoa powder) into the wet ingredients. Grease and flour your pan. Pour cake mix into pan or scoop into cupcake tins and bang on the counter top a few times to get the air bubbles out.
- Step 2 Bake according to box instructions. Cake or cupcakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean. When cake is cool, you can frost it with the store-bought frosting of your choice. Enjoy!
