These cake mix brownies are the easiest brownie recipe made with 4 ingredients in under 30 minutes. Rich, fudgy and chewy, using a cake mix means you can whip up this crowd pleasing dessert anytime!

Stack of cake mix brownies.

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Best Fudgy Cake Mix Brownies

Cake mix brownies are one of the easiest desserts you can make because all you need is a box of chocolate cake mix! Brownies are my go-to dessert when a chocolate craving hits, and while brownies from scratch are fantastic, they aren’t as quick as this shortcut/

This recipe makes delicious fudgy brownies from cake mix, but if you only have a vanilla mix on hand, try my cake mix cookie bars instead!

Recipe Ingredients

This cake mix brownie recipe only has 4 ingredients which is part of the reason why they’re so easy to make!

Cake mix brownie ingredients.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Box devil’s food cake mix: Devil’s food flavor is darker than regular chocolate cake, but use whatever chocolate cake mix you have in your pantry.
  • Salted butter: I use melted salted butter for its rich and delicious flavor, plus the salty butter balances the chocolate. If using unsalted, add a pinch of salt. The melted butter also helps to give the brownies a chewy, fudgy texture. 
  • Large eggs: If you’re baking a cake from a box, you’ll usually add 3 eggs, but we don’t want to make super cakey brownies, so I’ve reduced the number of eggs to 2.
  • Chocolate chips: Adding semi-sweet chocolate chips gives brownies from cake mix a fudgier texture.

Substitutions and Variations

Customize these cake mix brownies with different cake flavors and mix-ins:

  • M&M: Mix in 1 cup M&M’s or do half chocolate chips.
  • Different chips: Think toffee bits, peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips.
  • Nuts: Add about 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, peanuts, or pecans. 
  • Oreo: Add half the batter and press a layer of Oreos then spread the remaining batter on top. 
  • Caramel or Nutella: Add a layer of melted caramel like in my fudge caramel brownies or a swirl of chocolate hazelnut spread like in my brownies made with Nutella.

How to Make Brownies from Cake Mix

This is a fool-proof one-bowl recipe that you can make in a matter of minutes. Grab a bowl and spoon and let me show you how making brownies from chocolate cake mix is done.

Showing how to make brownies out of a cake mix in a 4 step collage.
  • Mix. Line a 9×9″ or 8×12″ pan with parchment paper. Whisk the eggs then pour the cake mix and melted butter on top and stir together lightly until just combined. Over mixing the dough can result in dry brownies. Stir in chocolate chips.
  • Spread the dough. Press the thick brownie batter dough into the prepared pan until it covers the surface. Sprinkle on a few extra chocolate chips if you want your brownies to be extra chocolatey.
  • Bake. Bake brownies at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean. Keep an eye on them as they are baking as you don’t want them to brown.
  • Cool. Remove from the oven and let your cake mix brownies cool for 15 minutes then remove them from the pan and slice them into 12 squares.

Expert Tips

  • You can use a glass baking dish or metal baking pan to bake your cake mix brownies. Metal pans will give you slightly crispier edges.
  • Lightly spray your hands or a rubber spatula with cooking spray to help spread the thick batter over the pan.
  • Avoid over baking cake mix brownies by checking them before the finish time. They should look baked around the edges with the center looking slightly undone. They’ll continue to bake from residual heat in the pan after removing from the oven.
  • Let the brownies cool completely before slicing them into squares. Running your knife under hot water before making the slices will give you cleaner edges.

Serving Suggestions

I’m all for enjoying these rich, chocolatey, and chewy brownies from cake mix as is, but they’re also amazing when they’re dressed up!

Top them with a scoop of no-churn vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of hot fudge sauce and you have yourself a mouth-watering dessert! I’ve also served them with a dollop of whipped cream and some homemade caramel sauce as a sweet end to dinner. Delicious!

Do you like your brownies frosted? Try spreading on some chocolate buttercream or caramel cream cheese frosting to make them just a bit more decadent.

Cake mix brownie slice.

Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between cake and brownie mix?

Both mixes contain flour, flavor, and sweetener. Cake mix contains more leavening agent than brownie mix, so the cake will rise up more, but in this recipe, we reduce the number of eggs required for making a cake to help counteract the rise.

Is it better to use butter or oil in these brownies?

Using oil makes brownies fudgier while butter adds a richer flavor and gives them a touch more cakey texture. Because we add chocolate chips though, these brownies from a cake mix still turn out fudgy even when using butter!

Stack of cake mix brownies.

I love cake mix recipes for making cake mix cookies, strawberry cake mix brownies or chocolate cupcakes from cake mix in a fraction of the time!

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Stack of cake mix brownies.

Cake Mix Brownies

4.97 from 54 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 12
These cake mix brownies are the easiest brownie recipe made with 4 ingredients in under 30 minutes. Rich, fudgy and chewy, this is a crowd pleasing dessert anytime!
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Video

Ingredients 

  • 15.25 ounce box devils food cake mix
  • 7 Tablespoons salted butter , melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup chocolate chips , more for top if desired

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9" or 8×12" pan with parchment paper and set aside. For a thinner brownie you can use a 9×13" pan.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the 2 eggs. Then pour the cake mix and butter on top. Add a dash of vanilla if desired. Stir together slightly. Then add in the chocolate chips and mix just until combined.
  • Scoop the dough into the prepared pan. The dough will be thick, so press down evenly with a piece of parchment paper, a spatula or the palm of your hand. Top with additional chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean. You don’t want them to brown.
  • Allow to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then remove and slice into 12 squares.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Cake mix size: Double check your cake mix size! Some brands have decreased the size of their mix. To ensure success, use a mix that is the correct size.
Pan size: If using a 9×13 pan, baking time will likely decrease. Start checking for doneness at 12 minutes. 
Variations: Feel free to add in your favorite mix-ins.
  • M&M: Mix in 1 cup M&M’s or do half chocolate chips.
  • Nuts: Add in about 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. 
  • Oreo: Add half the batter and the press a layer of oreos. The spread the remaining batter on top. 
  • Caramel: Add in a layer of melted caramel like I do with my fudge caramel brownies. 
Storage: Store in a covered container for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 370mg, Potassium: 131mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 278IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.