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Home » Cakes and cupcakes

Published on February 10, 2023 Updated on March 29, 2023. Published by Megan

Brownie Cake

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This brownie cake is the ultimate chocolate dessert. From the decadently fudgy brownie cake made with chocolate brownie and chocolate cake mix, to the layer of silky chocolate ganache, there’s fudge flavor in every bite. What I love most about this chocolate brownie cake is how quickly and easily it comes together with just a handful of ingredients.

Brownie Cake
Jump to:
  • Why Should You Make This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • How To Make
  • How To Store, Freeze and Thaw 
  • M's Expert Tips
  • FAQs
  • More Bundt Cakes To Try
  • More Cake Mix Recipes to Try
  • Brownie Cake Recipe

Why Should You Make This Recipe

I absolutely adore brownies and chocolate cake. My favorite chocolate layer cake is my Matilda’s Chocolate Cake and my favorite fudge brownies are my Espresso Brownies. I am so excited to share this brownie cake recipe, which combines two of my favorite chocolate desserts. I know you’ll love it because: 

  • It has the perfect dense, moist and tender texture.  This chocolate brownie cake is similar in taste and texture to a chocolate fudge cake or cakey brownie . 
  • Easy to make with simple ingredients.  This chocolate cake comes together quickly thanks to using chocolate cake and brownie mixes. Just add five more ingredients to make this easy one bowl chocolate cake. Make this brownie mix cake even easier, by baking it in a bundt pan.

Ingredients

This brownie bundt cake requires only a handful of ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your house!

Brownie Cake

Dry Ingredients:  Gather chocolate fudge cake mix and brownie mix.

Wet Ingredients: Gather oil, eggs, sour cream, water and chocolate chips.

Chocolate Ganache

Gather heavy cream and chocolate chips.

Substitutions 

Here are my recommended substitutions to make this cake recipe as easy as possible. 

  • Chocolate Cake Mix: I personally love using the Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Mix. Choose a brand you know and love. Use a gluten free chocolate cake mix to make this gluten free. 
  • Box Brownie Mix: I absolutely adore using Ghirardelli Brownie Mix. Choose a brand you like and is available to you. Use a gluten free brownie mix to make this chocolate brownie cake gluten free. 
  • Oil: Use any neutral tasting oil you prefer. 
  • Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs. 
  • Sour Cream: This is technically optional, but I love the moisture boost and fudgy texture sour cream brings to a chocolate cake. Substitute with an equal amount of greek yogurt or buttermilk. 
  • Water: For even more chocolate flavor in this, use freshly brewed coffee. Just make sure the coffee is room temperature. 
  • Chocolate Chips: This is a completely optional mix-in for the cake. Choose a brand you love or omit. To make the chocolate ganache, you will need to have chocolate chips or chopped chocolate of your choice. 
  • Heavy Cream: This is an essential ingredient to make the chocolate ganache. Use full fat coconut cream for a dairy free option.
Brownie Cake

Variations

  • Brownie Layer Cake: To make this chocolate brownie cake into a 2 or 3 layer cake, simply prepare the recipe as written and bake in (3) 6-inch, (3) 8-inch pans or (2) 9-inch pans. Bake the 6-inch layers for about 35-40 minutes. The 8-inch or 9-inch layers will need about 30-35 minutes. Chill each cake layer before frosting, right after assembling and applying the crumb coat and before applying the ganache. Layer this cake with my favorite chocolate frosting, brown butter cream cheese frosting or use a store bought variety. Top the cake with chocolate ganache. Use half of the amount listed in this recipe.  
  • Single Layer Brownie Cake: Prepare the batter according to the recipe directions. Pour the cake batter into a lightly greased and lined 9x13 cake pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

How To Make

Learn how to make the best brownie cake. This recipe also happens to be the fastest and easiest, so grab your ingredients and let’s get baking!

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Grease a 10- inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan). Whisk the eggs, oil, sour cream and water together until well combined. 
  2. Whisk in the fudge chocolate cake mix and chocolate brownie mix into the wet ingredients until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. 
  3. Bake the chocolate brownie bundt cake for about 50-55 minutes. Remove the fudge cake from the oven to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for about 10 -15 minutes. To remove: Place a serving plate or even another cooling rack on top of the bundt pan. Invert the pan so the top of the bundt cake is now on the bottom (on the serving plate or second cooling rack). Gently tap all around the pan to help loosen any pieces of cake that may be stuck. Gently lift up the pan. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before applying the chocolate ganache.
  1. Make the chocolate ganache by pouring chocolate chips and heavy cream into a microwave safe bowl. Heat the bowl for 20 seconds, remove from the microwave and gently mix the chocolate and heavy cream together. Repeat until all the chocolate has melted. Stir around the bowl in one direction until the mixture becomes thick and glossy. 
  2. Pour or spoon the ganache over the cooled brownie bundt. The ganache will remain “wet” for a long time. Allow about 1 hour for the it to set enough to slice the cake cleanly. Slice and enjoy!

How To Store, Freeze and Thaw 

Store leftover unglazed cake at room temperature: Wrap the fudge cake in plastic wrap, keep it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. 

Store leftover glazed cake in the fridge: Store the cake slices in an airtight container to the fridge for up to 5 days. Once the cake has the chocolate ganache, it’s best to store it in the fridge.  

Freeze the chocolate cake: Slice your cake into your preferred size and number of pieces. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place the pieces in a freezer safe, airtight container for up to 1 month. To thaw the cake: Transfer your desired amount of cake slices out of the freezer. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge.

Brownie Cake

M's Expert Tips

  • Use a non-stick spray to prevent the cake from sticking to the bundt pan. If needed, take a pastry brush or even a clean paper towel and work the spray into all the grooves of the pan. 
  • Bring cold or hot ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly.
  • Look for the signs the cake is done baking. As the cake gets close to the minimum baking time, look for cracks across the surface, a non jiggly center and a toothpick that yields a few moist crumbs when inserted into the center of the cake. 
  • Cool the cake in the pan for no longer than 10 -15 minutes. If you try to remove the cake before 10 minutes, the cake may still be too hot to remove without falling apart. Removing the cake after 15 minutes may cause the cake to stick to the pan more easily. 
  • Fully cool the cake before applying the ganache. This usually takes about 45-60 minutes after the cake has been removed from the pan. 
  • Keep this cake cool until it’s time to serve. The ganache can easily melt and slide off the cake if it gets too hot.

FAQs

What is brownie cake?

It’s the best of both worlds! The chocolate brownie cake is dense, moist and chewy, while also retaining that cake like fluff found in fudgy chocolate cake.

What is the difference between brownies and brownie cake?

Chocolate cakes are soft and fluffy, even when they are also moist and slightly fudgy. Brownies are dense, fudgy and chewy with crackle tops.

What makes brownies fudgy vs. cakey?

This has to do with the ratio of fat to flour. Fudgy brownies use more fat than flour. Typically this is achieved using butter, oil or more chocolate. Cakey brownies have more flour than fat.

More Bundt Cakes To Try

  • Red Velvet Bundt Cakes
  • Pecan Upside Down Cake
  • Lemonade Bundt Cake 

More Cake Mix Recipes to Try

  • Strawberry Brownies
  • Brownies from Cake Mix

If you try this Brownie Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M

Brownie Cake Recipe

Megan
This brownie cake is the ultimate chocolate dessert. From the decadently fudgy brownie cake made with chocolate brownie and chocolate cake mix, to the layer of silky chocolate ganache, there’s fudge flavor in every bite. What I love most about this chocolate brownie cake is how quickly and easily it comes together with just a handful of ingredients.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Cooling Time 10 mins
Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
Course Celebrations, Dessert, Holiday
Cuisine American
Servings 12 slices

Equipment

  • 1 10 inch (12 cup) capacity bundt pan
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 whisk

Ingredients
  

Brownie Cake

  • 4 large eggs (US), room temperature
  • 1¼ cups (296 ml) water, room temperature
  • 1 cup (237 ml) oil
  • ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 15.25 oz. box fudge cake mix
  • 1 18 oz. box brownie mix
  • ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips, optional

Chocolate Ganache

  • 1½ cups (255 g) chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup (177 ml) heavy cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Generously grease a 10- inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan).
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, sour cream and water together until well combined.
  • Whisk in the fudge chocolate cake mix and chocolate brownie mix into the wet ingredients until well combined.
  • Pour the brownie cake batter into the prepared pan.
  • Bake the chocolate brownie bundt cake for about 50-55 minutes. Remove the fudge cake from the oven to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for about 10 -15 minutes.
  • To remove, place a serving plate or even another cooling rack on top of the bundt pan. Invert the pan so the top of the brownie bundt cake is now on the bottom (on the serving plate or second cooling rack). Gently tap all around the pan to help loosen any pieces of cake that may be stuck. Gently lift up the pan.
    Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before applying the chocolate ganache.
  • Make the chocolate ganache by pouring chocolate chips and heavy cream into a microwave safe bowl. Heat the bowl for 20 seconds, remove from the microwave and gently mix the chocolate and heavy cream together. Repeat until all the chocolate has melted. Stir around the bowl in one direction until the mixture becomes thick and glossy.
  • Pour or spoon the ganache over the cooled brownie cake. The ganache will remain “wet” for a long time. Allow about 1 hour for the it to set enough to slice the cake cleanly. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

Look for the signs the brownie cake is done baking. As the cake gets close to the minimum baking time, look for cracks across the surface, a non jiggly center and a toothpick that yields a few moist crumbs when inserted into the center of the cake. 
Store leftover unglazed cake at room temperature: Wrap the fudge brownie bundt cake in plastic wrap, keep it under a cake dome or in an airtight container for up to 2 days. 
Store leftover glazed brownie cake in the fridge: Store the cake slices in an airtight container to the fridge for up to 5 days. Once the cake has the chocolate ganache, it’s best to store it in the fridge.
See Variations section in the blog post to make this brownie cake in different sized pans.
Keyword Brownie Cake, Brownie Cake Recipe, Brownie Mix Cake, Chocolate Brownie Cake
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram

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Hi friends, I'm Megan!

Welcome to my blog, Olives + Thyme. I am a food photographer and blogger with a love of all things sweet.

Here you'll find mostly sweet recipes that are simple to make and full of flavor.

Learn more about me

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