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

can I replace Sour Cream with buttermilk

Hi BeBe the rum addition was a-mazing with cookies and cream filling. Tonight I am making with grand marnier instead of rum.

I made this recipe today. Added 1 tbsp of cocoa and 1 cup of strong coffee. I filled the paper cupcake liners around 1/2 full and the recipe made 36 cupcakes. They do rise, so I would not exceed 1/2 full of batter. The flavor was nice and chocolaty with a medium chocolate color. Not too dense and not too soft. Very good..I would think they would take the weight of buttercream well (I like to make mine tall..), or dipped in ganache...or filled with something wonderful..:-)

Hi Paula, thanks for making your post .........good to know.

Hi Melissa, Bebe and everyone! Just wanted to let you know that I just made a double batch of this recipe and it turned out fantastic! I simply doubled everything using coffee instead of water and I added 1/4 c. cocoa powder. I got 1-9x3" round, 1-9x2 round and 48 mini cupcakes out of the double batch. The cakes came out more level than ever and the texture is wonderful. Thanks for the recipe!

Great, Brenda! Thanks so much for your feedback!

Hi Melissa, I can replace the all purpose flour with cake flour, and what is the difference with the texture, Thank you!

Hi Analia, I have not tried that in this recipe but I think it would be fine. Cake flour has less gluten so it will make your cake more tender.

what size cake mix box? there are some that are 15oz, 16.5oz, and 18.25oz
does it matter?

Hi Amber, when we posted this recipe we used Pillsbury mix that was 18.25 oz. The same mix is now 15.25 oz. We contacted customer service at Pillsbury and was told that the mix had been reformulated and should still work with most recipes. I think for this particular brand the batter is thicker so sometimes I add a bit more water (1/4 cup), otherwise I don't make any changes. You should use whichever brand cake mix that is your favorite.

Great thanks so much!! I have found an 18.25 oz mix that is Kroger brand and it's only $1.00 per box!! It has worked very well with my other doctored cake mix and it's delicious!!