Brownie Chocolate Cake

Brownie Chocolate Cake is rich and indulgent, made with a combo of gluten free devil’s food cake mix and gluten free brownie mix with cinnamon, espresso, and sour cream, ready in an hour!

This recipe is perfect because it’s quick and easy to throw together, but still indulgent just like a bakery cake! For more easy cakes, check out this Pineapple Dump Cake, and Chocolate Coffee Cake!

Brownie Chocolate Cake is the perfect cake every time! It’s quick and easy, combining rich chocolate cake mix with fudgy brownies for an indulgent treat on the holidays, birthdays, or special dinner nights.

I like to use gluten free devil’s food cake mix to make this extra indulgent. I’m also adding sour cream and vegetable oil to give it a really moist crumb, and a small amount of espresso powder to really bring out those chocolate notes (without tasting like coffee). 

I use gluten free cake mix and gluten free brownie mix, but if you’re not gluten free you can use the regular versions. This cake is really a chocolate lover’s dream, and will quickly become your new favorite cake! Serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Gluten Free Devil’s Food Cake Mix. I use gluten free cake mix, but you can use regular if you’re not gluten free. Choose a brand that you already like, because the flavor can vary depending on which brand you choose. 

You can use gluten free chocolate cake mix if you don’t have devil’s food. Devil’s food will have a richer more indulgent chocolate taste. 

Gluten Free Brownie Mix. The same is true for the brownie mix. Pick a brand that you already like the flavor of, or a well known brand.

Eggs. The protein in the eggs acts as a binder and helps hold everything together.

Vegetable Oil. This adds a lot of moisture to the brownie cake, and the fat gives the cake a rich texture.

You can substitute this with applesauce to reduce the fat in the recipe. Or unsalted butter, which will also add some flavor (but won’t reduce fat).

Sour Cream. This is the key ingredient for a really soft gluten free cake. This adds moisture and fat, which means the cake will have a really rich and soft texture.

Milk. You can use regular milk, half and half, or heavy cream. You can also use warm water for a lighter cake.

Espresso Powder. This helps bring out the chocolate notes, without adding coffee flavor. If you don’t have espresso powder, you can replace the milk in the recipe with strong brewed coffee.

Cinnamon. This is added for flavor, and also brings out the chocolate notes in the cake.

Salt. A pinch of salt helps balance out the sweetness of the cake without adding a salty flavor.

Heavy Whipping Cream. This helps thin out the melted chocolate chips and adds some fat to make the chocolate ganache really creamy.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. We’re making a simple ganache made of regular chocolate chips and heavy cream. Wait until the ganache cools for about 10 minutes before pouring it on the brownie cake.

How to Make Brownie Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl whisk together both cake mixes, cinnamon, espresso powder, and salt.
2. Add eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream, and milk to the mixing bowl. Whisk until everything is well-combined and no big lumps remain in the batter. You can use an electric mixer on medium speed for this step.
3. Grease a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter, and pour the cake batter into the pan evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake before flipping the bundt pan over onto a plate. 
4. While the brownie cake is cooling, add the chocolate chips to a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring heavy whipping cream to a simmer. As soon as you see a simmer, remove it from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Place a piece of tinfoil on top of the bowl and let the warm cream sit on the chocolate chips for about 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate chips and cream together until smooth. Wait an additional 10-15 minutes before pouring over the cake. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Delicious Dessert Recipes

• Strawberry Chocolate Cake
• Red Velvet Cake
• Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies (Classic Brownies)
• Lemon Cake
• Double Chocolate Cake

Storage

Refrigerate brownie chocolate cake for up to a week in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving. 

Freeze brownie cake wrapped tightly with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn for 2-3 months. You can also freeze leftover brownie cake pieces this way to defrost when needed.  

Recipe Variations

• If you’d like to make this chocolate brownie cake recipe for a birthday, try making the ganache with white chocolate chips and add fun food coloring and sprinkles!
• Bake this for 25-30 minutes in two 9-inch round cake pans if you want to make a layer cake. I usually make a double batch for an extra cake layer or two, because the brownie mix in the cake batter won’t get as much of a rise as a regular cake. You can also fill the cake tins up more for a thicker layer of cake. 
• Use dark chocolate chips for an even deeper chocolate flavor. Or milk chocolate for a sweeter ganache. 
• If you want something less sweet, just dust the top of the bundt cake with powdered sugar and fresh berries instead of adding ganache. 
• Instead of ganache, try buttercream or chocolate cream cheese frosting. Check out the chocolate frosting instructions in my Gluten Free Chocolate Cake recipe. 
• For even more indulgence, add a cup of chocolate chips to the cake batter!

Cooking Tips

• If you pour the ganache on top of the brownie cake too early, the chocolate will be too thin and pour off of the cake. For a thicker layer, let the chocolate cool enough to still be creamy, but not thin when you dip a spoon into it. 
• After greasing the bundt pan, you can sift some unsweetened cocoa powder into the pan to help prevent the cake from sticking. Turn the pan upside down and lightly tap it to remove any excess cocoa.
• Make sure you heat the cream before adding to the chocolate chips, or the melted chocolate won’t turn out right. Pour the cream over chocolate chips and let them sit so they start melting before whisking together.
• Tap the bundt pan gently on the counter a few times to release air bubbles in the brownie cake batter.
• If your cake batter is too thin, add a small amount of 1:1 gluten-free flour. Try adding a tablespoon and whisk together, then add more as-needed.

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

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