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Chocolate Cake Mix Substitute

ByLizzy Mae Early

Chocolate Cake Mix substitute

The Story:

When I first started this blog in 2011, I didn’t have a defined goal or idea of what I wanted to do with it.  At first, it was just for me.  A place to put my recipes and organize everything I made.  But now, it’s not for me anymore.  It’s for you.  I want to make it possible for every person to learn how to bake something delicious and beautiful.  Baking doesn’t have to be going to pastry school, using fancy language and take hours to do.  It can be simple, inexpensive, and not overwhelming.  That’s why most of my recipes use cake mixes.  In 5 minutes, your cupcakes can be in the oven!  I love that!  But I also know that a lot of people have been asking for cake mix substitutes.  I posted my White Cake Mix Substitute  a while back, and here is the chocolate version that can be used in place of any recipe calling for chocolate or Devil’s Food cake mix.

Chocolate Cake Mix Substitute

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Ingredients
  

  • 2 C. flour
  • 1 3/4 C. sugar
  • 3/4 C. cocoa unsweetened
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 5 Tbsp. shortening

Instructions
 

  • 1. Combine all ingredients using a food processor (the blades cut up the shortening and help to blend it in).
  • 2. Store and plastic bags or jars until ready to use. (I had to pack it into my jar to make it all fit.)
  • 3. Use in place of any cake mix recipe!

Cake Mix Substitute Recipe

chocolate cake mix substitute recipe

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51 Comments

  1. Lizzy, what do you mean with “shortening”? is it lard?
    many thanks for your answer,
    Francesca

  2. Ok so what additional ingredients do you add. Each box cake is different with eggs and water and cooking time thanks

  3. Kathleen, I think she means that with any of her recipes posted here that calls for cake mix, you can substitute this mix, then add the other ingredients she lists in the recipe. 🙂
    And Francesca, shortening is the vegetable-based version of lard.

  4. Yes, Luarel below is right it’s a vegetable-based version of lard. The common brand people see on the shelf is “crisco.”

  5. 3 eggs
    1/2 C. oil
    1 C. milk
    1/2 C. sour cream, optional but I always add it
    1 tsp. vanilla extract, optional but I always add it
    bake for 17-20 minutes @350 degrees!

  8. Use a blender then! It’s very hard to evenly mix in the shortening by hand. The shelf life is 1 year! So you can make a big batch!

  10. Thanks for the recipe!! This is probably how our mothers made cakes, using these ingredients. Nowadays, it’s so easy to grab a cake mix off the shelf. I like this version because I KNOW what’s going into my cake:) And a question, too: does using cake flour improve this cake at all or can I use standard bleached flour? Thanks, again, I use your site more than weekly! Cupcakes are my new favorite “gift”!

  13. My mother actually used cake mix! Ha! But yes, it’s nice to make it from scratch sometimes. Cake flour… you can use it, but it shouldn’t make much of a difference.

  17. I’ve made a pumpkin pie cupcake, look for it on my recipes! Today I made two more pumpkin cupcake flavors that will be coming soon!

  22. Honestly, I don’t know for SURE. But if you can use butter, then just add in the extra butter when you make the actual cake, that way you don’t have to refrigerate it.

  23. I’ve made a yellow cake substitute before, now I’ll have to try chocolate! Great to have on hand instead of relying on packages baking mixes. Not that I have anything against them, but homemade is alwaysa plus!

  24. So, I have to tell you that you totally saved my night with this recipe! I was using a scratch recipe this evening that is so stinking finicky about whether or not it decides to turn out right. I should add that these were for a wedding tomorrow! I made my cupcakes and it was a major fail! I panicked and then remembered the email I had gotten a few days ago (or whenever it was lol) about this new cake mix/scratch recipe. I rushed to my computer, printed off your recipe and thankfully had all the ingredients. Put it together, popped them in the oven and paced and prayed while they baked LOL! They came out BEAUTIFUL and DELICIOUS!!!!! Thank you a million times again for this recipe! Pretty sure this will be my chocolate cupcake recipe from now on. =) I love smart people like you that make baking so much easier, for people like me!

  27. The same amount of shortening the recipe calls for, PLUS the 1/2 C. butter (or you can use oil) the cupcake/cake recipe calls for

  28. Hi. Are butter and shortening the same thing? If yes, can I just substitute it 1 for 1? Thanks.

  30. Hi Lizzie
    Loving your blog.. Totally drool worthy 🙂
    Can you tell me what changes I might have to do to make an eggless version of the white n Chocolate cake mix..

  31. I lot of people will use applesauce when baking in place of eggs! You can give that a shot!

  36. What would you change to make it a GERMAN chocolate cake mix?
    AND…can I use butter or margarine instead of shortening?
    I live in a country that doesn’t have cake mixes or shortening.

  37. You can just add the additional butter when you make the cake! Butter and oil don’t keep on the shelf well mixed with the other stuff.

  38. Lizzie, i tried making your Oreo cookie using your “chocolate cake mix substitute”
    but it weighed a lot more than a boxed cake mix. Did I understand that I could use
    this substitute mix in all your recipes? A boxed cake mix weighs between 486 grams and 517 depending on which cake mix I used. This mixture weighs 730 grams. I have made your oreo’s using the cake mix and so I knew what the consistency of the batter
    should be like and this was wayyyyyy too dry, So I added another egg and some more oil. They are baking right now, so I will let you know how they turn out. I do Love your recipes and your site.

  39. Lizzy, I just finished making the Oreo’s with both recipes. The one using a boxed mix and the chocolate cake mix substitute here. The boxed mix made 30 individual cookies (15 Oreo’s) and your mix made 50 (25 Oreo’s) After all was said and done with the changes I made, (above) I would say they were equal . Although I might add just a tad bit more oil. I only added 1/4 cup and maybe i would add just a Tbsp. more. I am one of those who grew up in the day when we were not allowed (by my father) to use cake mixes, however they have come a long way since then. Though I am a die hard and still shy away from them. I must say however that your recipes are winning me over. 🙂

    Keep up the good work.

  41. I tried it this weekend but they came out super dry (probably because I left out shortening). They were really good when I took them out of the oven but in few hours they got very dry. Could it be just the shortening thing or maybe something else as well?

  47. This was really helpful to me i hate using atore bought mixes thank you.

  48. Can I use this for recipes calling for “18.25 oz chocolate cake mix”, or would this make closer to 15.25?

  49. I’m wondering the same about making it a GERMAN chocolate cake!! Please respond if you are still active!!

  51. What’s the true amount of this, because average cake mix boxes have about 16-18.25 ounces in them

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