Cake Mix Brownies (4 Ingredients)

Once you try these easy cake mix brownies, you might never use a boxed brownie mix again!

With just four ingredients, they take little to no effort. But they deliver on flavor!

Cake mix brownies are just as sweet, rich, fudgy, and decadent as “regular” brownies. And they’re the perfect way to use up a boxed mix that’s been on your shelf for a while.

Cake Mix Brownies 

Ever since I was a child, brownies have been one of my favorite sweet treats. They’re just so rich and chocolatey, and they have the fudgiest texture. 

Unfortunately, homemade brownies take a little time and effort to prepare.

Cake mix brownies, on the other hand, come together in minutes with only four ingredients. 

You put in about 5 to 7 minutes of work. Then, the oven does the rest!

With a recipe this simple, you can enjoy ooey-gooey brownies every night of the week. 

Ingredients 

Here are the four simple ingredients you need to make these irresistible brownies:

• Boxed cake mix – The recipe calls for chocolate cake mix, which is pretty common for making brownies. However, you can use whatever brand and flavor of cake mix you want. Triple chocolate, German chocolate, strawberry, etc. 

• Eggs – You need two large eggs for the recipe. They help bind the ingredients and hold everything together.  

• Vegetable oil – Olive oil will suffice if you don’t have vegetable oil. You can also use butter, though the brownies won’t be as fudgy. 

• Chocolate chips – Select high-quality chocolate chips from a brand you enjoy. You can use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, etc. 

How to Make Cake Mix Brownies 

Making brownies with a cake mix is super simple.

1. Prep. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with butter. (Or line it with parchment paper if you prefer.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Make the batter. Combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil in a large bowl. Then, whisk until the mixture is smooth and batter-like. Gently stir the chocolate chips into the mixture. 

3. Bake. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake it for 20 to 25 minutes. Then, remove the brownies from the oven and let them cool before slicing them. 

Serve and enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Brownies 

This recipe comes together quickly with little trouble. Still, you can do a few things to ensure the brownies come out just right.

• Adjust your time accordingly. Alter the baking time slightly to get your desired level of gooeyness. A shorter bake time will result in more gooey brownies. A longer bake time will make them more set and cake-like.

• Warm ’em up. You need to let your brownies cool before cutting them. However, they taste best when served warm. So pop them in the microwave for about 20 seconds before serving them to warm them up again.

• Sprinkle some chocolate chips. For a prettier presentation, reserve some chocolate chips. Sprinkle them over the batter before baking.

• Don’t overbake. Don’t wait until the toothpick is clean before removing the brownies from the oven. Instead, remove them from the oven when there are still a few crumbs of moist batter sticking to it. 

• Go for plastic. This tip may sound strange, but hear me out. Plastic knives are non-stick and will cut through brownies better than metal. Also, be sure the brownies are cool before cutting them. 

• Baking dish bliss. These work best for baking brownies. Opt for metal if you prefer crispier edges. 

Variations 

The easiest way to vary this recipe is by swapping out the cake mix flavor or using add-ins. Here are some examples: 

• Experiment with mix-ins. Swap out the chocolate chips for other mix-ins. M&Ms, peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips are all good options. You can also add nuts, dried fruit, or various candy pieces. 

• Switch up the cake mix flavors. We always think of chocolate when we think of brownies. But you don’t have to limit yourself to chocolate at all. Try making red velvet or Funfetti brownies instead.

• Add some Oreo crunch. Layer half the batter in the baking pan. Then, place a layer of Oreos on top before adding the other half of the batter. The cookies give the brownies a wonderful crunch in the center. 

• Ooey, gooey, and chewy. Add mini marshmallows into the batter for gooier brownies. You can also top the brownies with marshmallow creme!

• Frost them. Brownies taste delicious without frosting. But if you want to up the indulgence factor, frost them anyway! It’s also a great way to mix and match flavors. Try icing chocolate brownies with strawberry icing. Yum!

What’s the Difference Between Cake Mix and Brownie Mix? 

The primary difference between cake mix and brownie mix is how much leavening agent is in each. 

Cake mix includes more leavening agent than brownie mix. (Which is why cakes typically rise more than brownies.) 

Also, brownies made with cake mix are usually a bit lighter than traditional brownies.

However, both mixes contain similar ingredients: flour, sugar, and some type of flavor additive. 

Is It Better to Use Oil or Butter in These Brownies? 

You can use either butter or oil in these brownies. Which one is better depends on the texture you’re looking for. 

Butter is better if you want a more cake-like texture. Oil is better if you want a fudgier texture. 

Although, these brownies have added chocolate chips. So they’re pretty fudgy either way. 

How to Store & Freeze

Chances are, you won’t have too many leftovers because these brownies rock. But here’s how to keep them fresh.

To Store: Place them in an air-tight container at room temperature for 5 days. 

To Freeze: Simply let them cool first. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe, air-tight container. They’ll keep for 3 months. Placing parchment paper between them will keep them from freezing together. 

To Serve: When you want to serve them, let them thaw at room temperature for about an hour. Then, enjoy them as they are, or pop them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. 

More Cake Mix Recipes To Try

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
Pumpkin Dessert With Yellow Cake Mix
Cake Mix Cookie Bars
Cherry Cobbler with Cake Mix

Cake Mix Brownies (4 Ingredients)

Servings

16

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

These 4-ingredient cake mix brownies will be your new favorite treat! They’re quick, easy, fudgy, and delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 (15.25-ounce) box chocolate cake mix (or any flavor of your choice)

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
• Combine the cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Mix with a whisk until smooth and combined. Very gently stir in the chocolate chips.
• Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• For a more indulgent dessert: Serve the brownies warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel or chocolate sauce on top.

NaTaya Hastings

NaTaya Hastings is a food and recipe writer for Insanely Good Recipes. She’s an educator, boy mom, dog mom, and whatever-stray-enters-the-yard mom. As a result, she's constantly cooking for both humans and animals.

Luckily, she enjoys it!

Though born, raised, and still living in Alabama, her specialty is NOT down-home Southern cooking. Instead, she loves to experiment with Asian, Mexican, Italian, and other ethnic cuisines. She has two mottos when it comes to cooking. “The more spice, the better!” and “There’s no such thing as too much garlic!”

She’s also pretty good with desserts. Especially the easy, no-bake ones.

Her favorite things are cuddling with her four giant dogs, traveling, reading, writing, and hanging out in nature. She’s also pretty excellent at Dominoes.

See Full Bio

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