Chocolate WASC is the chocolate version of our popular WASC recipe that with an addition of a few ingredients, your box cake will taste almost like scratch. The texture is light and fluffy but is still sturdy enough to carve a cake or stack into for a wedding cake. Chocolate WASC is a great option if you're not quite ready to take the plunge into baking a chocolate cake recipe from scratch.
Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
One of the ingredients that makes this cake so dang good is the sour cream. It adds a nice tang to the flavor and an extra level of moistness. Sour cream is a popular ingredient used in a lot of chocolate cake recipes giving it a similar flavor that you might get from using buttermilk or mayonnaise.
Chocolate Cake With Coffee
I like to use coffee as my liquid instead of water because the coffee brings out the chocolate flavor. Your batter will smell like strong coffee but don't worry, it won't taste like coffee. You don't have to use coffee, you can use water or even milk if you want.
How To Make Chocolate WASC
Chocolate WASC starts with a nice chocolate-y box mix. I usually use Duncan Hines chocolate fudge cake but devils food cake will also do nicely. Just pour the contents of the mix into a bowl and add in your extra ingredients. Just ignore the instructions on the back of the box and use the recipe below instead.
Mix all your ingredients together until combined and then mix vigorously for two minutes. I used a stand mixer with a paddle attachment but you can also just use a bowl and a spoon.
I tweaked this recipe to contain melted butter so that when you chill it the cake is a bit firmer and easier to handle.
Why not just make it from scratch?
I get this question a lot. A LOT. I get it. If you're going to go through all this trouble of adding so many ingredients to a box mix, why not just make it from scratch? I used to think the same thing. But over the years of teaching countless bakers of all skill levels, I have learned that a lot of people are super intimidated to bake from scratch. They have little to no knowledge of how to measure, how to mix or even what a good scratch cake should taste like.
The thing about box mix is it isn't just the same ingredients as a cake from scratch. A box contains emulsifiers that basically make the cake bake up perfectly no matter what you do to it. The problem? Those emulsifiers make the cake taste a bit fake. Like eating strawberry flavored candy. It's good but doesn't exactly taste like a real strawberry right?
So adding in these extra ingredients gives you the best of both worlds. A recipe that makes the baker do more than just opening a box but the emulsifiers still ensure that the cake bakes up successfully and the added ingredients make the cake taste more like homemade. Thus giving the baker much-needed confidence and a bit of a taste of what a homemade cake tastes like so if they choose to take a leap two baking from scratch, it's not so scary.
Chocolate WASC Cake For Cupcakes
This recipe works great for cupcakes and rise up perfectly. I get about 36 cupcakes from one box.
I like using my chocolate buttercream for this recipe. The yummy flavor pairs perfectly with the chocolate cake without it being too heavy. If you're looking for other yummy chocolate cake recipes, check out my guinness beer cake which is the epitome of decadent.
Other doctored box mix recipes you might want to try!
WASC (white almond sour cream cake)
Strawberry cake mix recipe
Cake Batter and Frosting Calculator
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Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate WASC Recipe
- 1 box Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
- 5 oz Ap flour 1 cup
- 2 oz cocoa powder ½ cup
- 12 oz cold coffee 1 ½ cups
- 2 oz vegetable oil ¼ cup
- 4 oz melted butter ½ cup
- 3 large eggs
- 6 oz sour cream ¾ cup
- 7 oz sugar 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting
- 16 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- 16 ounces heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Chocolate WASC Instructions
- Preheat oven to 335℉. Prepare two 8" round cake pans. I prefer to use cake goop.
- Add all dry ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add in the rest of your ingredients and mix on low for 1 minute.
- Stop and scrape the bowl and then mix on medium for two minutes.
- Pour batter into your cake pans and bake for 30- 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out of the center with just a few sticky crumbs clinging to the toothpick.
- Let cool a few minutes in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack. Let cool fully and frost.
Chocolate Frosting
- Place the heavy whipping cream into a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Whisk occasionally to prevent burning. Do not walk away!
- Heat cream until steam is rising from the surface but it isn't boiling.
- Pour hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes
- Add in salt and whisk until smooth. If you have any un-melted lumps, you can use an immersion blender to get them out.
- Pour chocolate into a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap let cool at room temperature until a peanut butter consistency. If chocolate is too firm, you can microwave for 10 seconds and then stir with a spatula or whip with a hand mixer.
- Frost cake as desired.
Liz says
Hi Liz, I'm making an engagement cake and the bottom tier will be a tall hexagon, chocolate flavour. I have a 12 inch hexagon tin and was wondering what temperature to bake it at and for how long? Also, how many times would I need to multiply this recipe? I'll b covering the cake in fondant and putting dowels through the cake for support as it'll be 4 tier. Do you think this recipe is suitable for this?
The Sugar Geek Show says
1 1/2 batch of batter will be enough to fill a 12" cake pan. I would use a flower nail or baking spike in the center. Can't say exactly how long it will take but I would start with 40 minutes.
Lor says
Can you tell me how many cups of batter I need for 2 round 6” x 2” cake pans? I tried this recipe in a 13 x 9 and used all the batter and got a PERFECT CARVING cake. Today I tried to make 2 6x2 round Wilton pans and filled each pan with 2 1/4 cup batter, per Wilton pan directions and had two volcanos in my oven. Can you please help! Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Cake mix tends to dome so that is normal. Just cut it off after it's cooled.
Holly says
Try Wilton baking strips. Will produce a flat cake! I also weigh my batter rather than using cups. Try filling your pans only half full (that always works for me)
Delores Gipson says
Hi‼ thank you so much for sharing these life saving cakes!!!! Omg!!! Usually I try something from YouTube or pinterest it usually be a little off or not tasty! I have tried the white cake recipe it's so perfect! Thank you so much ‼
Shirl says
I just made this doctored box cake and it is good! Everyone loved it. I’m now confident I can use a box cake in a hurry. Thank you so much, Liz!
Kim says
I'm new to your site and your cakes look AWESOME!!! I so want to make this cake. After reading the comments I am a little scared and I've been baking a long time. I am new to measuring in ounces utilizing a scale, assuming that you're using a scale to measure. I recently purchased a small scale for this purpose but am unsure how to accurately measure. What do I use as the "vehicle" to measure the ingredients and do I weigh that "vehicle" first and then remove it from the total to get my measurements accurate? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Kim
The Sugar Geek Show says
What is scaring you? Maybe I can help? Using a scale is very simple and really helps a recipe turn out better the first time. To measure your ingredients using a scale you put the bowl or measuring cup on the scale and push the "tare" or "zero" button to remove the weight of the container. Then you add in your ingredients until you reach the correct measurement. Thats it!
Karla Yahu says
I made this cake with your chocolate butter cream for a school staff and they loved it. Words like 'amazing','best cake I ever tasted', etc. were said. I got to try the trimmings with a bit of the butter cream and I love it, so moist and not to sweet. I am a chocolate cake lover and these recipes you shared just got put to the top of my list. Thank you!
Stacy c says
I needed an easy quick recipe and made this. It was amazing! Super moist. Everyone loved it. Thanks Liz for sharing this, I will definitely be using this recipe again. I was wondering though, can I add more cocoa powder and if so how much do you think?
Patra says
Excellent! Very moist! Thank you for the recipe!
Shawn says
Alrighty, then. Who wants to decipher WASC for me?! Thank you, it's driving me crazy!
The Sugar Geek Show says
White Almond Sour Cream Cake
Shipra S says
Thank you so much,Liz for sharing your wonderful tried and tested recipes with us and taking all the hard work from our caking lives .. I can't wait to try this one, I always spend hours googling before I make a cake from a box mix on how to make it better ... tried instant pudding mix and what not but was never happy.. never knew that you have posted a recipe for this,now I can try this with out any stress and I am sure it would be great...
Just wanted to ask you if we can tweak the recipe other flavour box mixes like .. vanilla, toffee , carrot or red velvet .. any suggestions Liz
Many thanks ??
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you totally can use the same process to tweak other flavors of box mix 🙂
Amy says
Do you recommend this for cupcakes? If so temp and time?? ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it works fine for cupcakes, same temp, usually about 18 mins
Jacqueline Pearson says
Hello Lis, thank you for sharing your yummy recipes 🙂 ... I am confused in the measurements in the flour and sugar says 4 oz and next to that 1 cup and the sugar says 5 oz -1cup ... are both a cup or is a 1/2 cup? I am not a pro but I thought 4 oz are more close to 1/2 cup ... thank you so much I tried already two of your recipes and are AMAZING!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Hi there. Flour and sugar have different volumes (cups) which is why I have listed the weight for accuracy. Example: 1 cup of water (8oz) is not the same as 1 cup of flour (4oz) because one is light and fluffy and one is liquid. Hope that makes sense.
Michelle P. says
I must know, why the cold coffee?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Coffee makes the chocolate taste stronger and more flavorful
Fran says
What size cake mix are you using? 18.25 or 15.25??? Some recipes are older and they're using the 18.25 oz box mix. Cake mixes are 15.25 oz now.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't think it makes a difference. Funny how these cake box mixes are so full proof! I have even accidentally left out the eggs and it magically still baked up!
Carolina says
I had the best chocolate recipe that I used for years.... until I tried this one!! This IS THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER !! The texture, moisture and taste are divine and it's very easy to make.. perfect for carving, sturdy enough to stack and the best one to eat! ?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Thank you so much! If you wouldn't mind leaving a star review I would super appreciate it!