Oh how I love this Chocolate Sour Cream Cake (doctored cake mix) recipe! It is super easy, amazingly moist, and delicious! Nobody would guess that it started with a cake mix!

This decadent Chocolate Sour Cream Cake has a slightly dense and velvety texture which I absolutely love. This is probably why it tastes and looks so much like a scratch chocolate cake recipe. (By the way, you can find two of our favorite scratch chocolate cakes linked below!)

If you've been searching for the perfect doctored cake mix recipe for Chocolate Cake, you just cannot top this one! I've made it countless times and it always gets rave reviews!

This decadent Chocolate Sour Cream Cake not only tastes amazing, but it is versatile also. It has a nice density for holding up to fondant, and can even be used for designs that call for light carving.

Chocolate cupcakes can be made from this recipe also, but if you are looking for a fluffier cupcake with more of a dome, I highly recommend our other tried and true Doctored Chocolate Cake recipe.

Enjoy this Chocolate Sour Cream Cake recipe, I think you'll come back to it again and again!

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake- Doctored Mix

Nobody would believe that this decadent chocolate cake all starts with a simple mix!

Ingredients

** For a deeper chocolate taste you can add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and replace the water with 1 cup hot strong brewed or instant coffee.
1 Devil's Food Cake Mix ( I sift the cake mix, but it is optional)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup water (We usually replace the water with 1 cup of hot brewed or instant coffee, it enhances the chocolate flavor.)
3 whole eggs
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ cup (108g) vegetable oil

Instructions

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir or whisk to blend. In your mixing bowl, combine sour cream, oil, water, eggs, & flavorings. Add about ½ of the dry ingredients and blend together, then add the rest of the dry ingredients & mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Pour into three 8 x 2 inch round pans that have been greased and floured. Bake at 325 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until the middle of cake springs back when touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
*This also works well for cupcakes! Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan immediately and cool on a baking rack.

Looking for a Scratch Version of Chocolate Sour Cream Cake?

Guess what? We have a fantastic homemade version of this Chocolate Sour Cream Cake too! It is soft, moist, and works great for both cakes and cupcakes! You can find it here!: Chocolate Sour Cream Cake from scratch. (The frosting used in the photo below is our Seven Minute Frosting- so light and fluffy!)

We have another scratch chocolate cake recipe to share. This classic chocolate cake has been a favorite over the years!

Classic Chocolate Cake from Scratch.

Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to check out our Recipes Section for a full listing of our FAVORITE tried and true cake and frosting recipes!!

If you love this Chocolate Sour Cream Cake, don't miss it's sister recipe, the fabulous White Almond Sour Cream Cake (doctored cake mix recipe)! So many cakes to try, so little time! I think that you will love them both!

Thanks for stopping by! Don't miss our full collection of FAVORITE Cake and Frosting Recipes in our Recipes section!

177 Comments

Hi Lataisha, I'm not quite sure but it is more than 2 dozen

I am making a topsy turvy marigras cake for my daughter's 21st Birthday and made 2 layers using the White sour cream cake and 1 layer using the Chocolate sour cream cake. They came out great! I had enough batter left to make a few cupcakes to taste test with and it was amazing. Can't wait to make your Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream recipe. I am tinting it green, gold and purple for the marigras theme. Fun, Fun. I really love your site.

Does this cake rise much? Should I fill cupcake papers 2/3 full, more of less? Thanks, can't wait to try it.

I just made this recipe into cupcakes. I filled them half full and I got three dozen out of them. My kitchen smells amazing and I can't wait to pump these babies full of peanut butter buttercream tomorrow!

What would be the total weight of the cake using this mix?

Hi Leera, I'm not sure I am understanding your question, but we have never weighed the cake.

i love the white almond sour cream cake...just looked in my pantry and realised I only have betty crocker vanilla mix...but I need to make chocolate...could I just add some cacoa powder to the vanilla mix to make the chocolate ????

thanks

Hi Genelle, we have added cocoa powder to make a marbled effect, but not for a whole cake, so I'm not sure. There are recipes that add cho. pudding mix and sour cream to a white or yellow mix. That recipe is not in our recipe section and I'm sorry we are away from our recipe box this week (annual family vacation). You might want to post in the forum to see if a member has an answer.

en la receta al traducirla al español me sale 1 tza de azucar granulada guion generosa de sal. me confundi es una tza de azucar granulada mas una cuchara de sal o es azucar con apariencia de sal?