Cake Mix Brownies
Need a quick and easy dessert recipe? These Cake Mix Brownies are ready in less than 30 minutes!
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I love baking from scratch. Breads, cakes, brownies…you name it. There is just something rewarding and relaxing about pulling out the flour, baking powder, sugar, etc. A short time later, all of those basic pantry ingredients have transformed into something magical. It’s fun…and delicious!
But then there are times when boxed cake mixes come in handy. One of my all-time favorite desserts is blackberry cobbler topped with a cake mix crust. It’s an insanely easy recipe involving blackberries, a ½ box of yellow cake mix and a stick of butter. (The blackberries can be substituted for peaches or apples depending on the season, too.)
Cake Mix Brownies
As much as I love baking from scratch, there is absolutely a time and place for boxed cake mix! Take this Cake Mix Brownies recipe for example. Friends just called and invited you over to dinner tonight? And they asked you to bring dessert? No problem!
These brownies take about 5 minutes to mix together and 20 minutes to bake. Yup, dessert will be done (and dishes washed) 30 minutes later. You can’t argue with that!
This recipe is insanely easy. Great! But what do Cake Mix Brownies taste like? Well, they taste like brownies. They’re yummy! They’re not entirely fudgy brownies, but they’re not entirely cake-like brownies either. The texture lands somewhere in between on that chewy-cakey spectrum.
These brownies are very good, and I enjoy them every time I make a batch. But I’m not gonna lie. I prefer my go-to brownie recipe. However, that go-to brownie recipe involves melting chocolate and sifting flour. It’s not difficult, but it takes longer than 5 minutes. (On a side note, if you are Team Chewy when it comes to brownies, then go grab that brownie recipe. It’s a really, really good one!)
Variations
Back to these brownies made with cake mix, though. The cool thing about this recipe is that it’s easy to change up the flavors. For this version, I added chocolate chips and chopped walnuts to this boxed chocolate cake mix – classic brownie add-ins! Vanilla cake mix can be used to make blondies. Lemon cake mix, strawberry cake mix or even red velvet cake mix are all options, too!
- Chocolate Cake Mix
- Think nuts, peanut butter baking chips, toffee bits, semisweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips. Chopped candy bars would also be fun mix-ins!
- Vanilla Cake Mix
- Peanut butter baking chips, caramel chips, butterscotch chips or mini marshmallows would all be good options for vanilla cake mix brownies.
- Lemon or Strawberry Cake Mix
- White chocolate chips would go really well with a fruit flavored cake mix.
- Red Velvet Cake Mix
- Red Velvet Brownies sound pretty fantastic, right? White chocolate chips would be a good choice. If you want to get fancy, you could add a cream cheese frosting on top of the brownies, too.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover Cake Mix Brownies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Of course, these will taste best when freshly baked. These brownies also freeze well! Just wrap each brownie in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, and let thaw at room temperature for an hour or two before servig.
These brownies made from cake mix are perfect for when you need a super easy, super quick dessert recipe! Happy baking!
Did you make a batch of these Cake Mix Brownies at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Cake Mix Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 13.25-oz. box cake mix, any flavor, see note
- ½ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- {optional} 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips see note
- {optional} ½ cup chopped nuts see note
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8”x8” baking pan with parchment paper (or spray pan with nonstick cooking spray); set pan aside.
- Using a large bowl, add cake mix, oil, eggs and vanilla; stir until well combined.
- {Optional} Add in any chocolate chips, walnuts, etc; stir until well combined.
- Transfer the brownie batter into the prepared baking dish. (Note: The batter will be thick, so use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly into the dish.)
- Bake brownies for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out mostly clean.
- Let brownies cool fully in pan before slicing and serving.
Notes
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I need to try this soon for me and I love brownies and chocolate BTW cant wait to make your recipes soon for me
I hope you enjoy these brownies, Ramya – they’re super easy to make and super tasty!
I’ve always been a bit sceptical about cake mixes – at least I haven’t used any in years. But these brownies surprisingly look fantastic and so appetizing – please let me steal a few squares! 🙂
Oh I totally understand, Ben. Most of the baking in this house is done from scratch, but I gotta say that these brownies are the one reason to keep a box of cake mix in the pantry!
I think my husband would like these brownies . I might add hazelnuts, my favorite nut or maybe pecans.
Oh hazelnuts would be a great option here, Gerlinde! I always feel like hazelnuts get left out…but they’re delicious! 🙂
I know exactly what to do with the half box of cake mix I have in the pantry! These look so good, a hybrid of cakey and fudgy brownies sounds like something the boys would devour in no time!
That half box of cake mix won’t stand a chance! These brownies are SO good…and SO easy!
Cake Mix Brownies sound like the ultimate quick fix when dessert is needed in a pinch! I love how easy they are to whip up, but it’s great to know that they can still taste delicious.
Exactly – these brownies are super easy to make when that sweet tooth craving hits. I hope you enjoy the recipe, Raymund!