Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (15.25 oz) Red Velvet or Chocolate Cake Mix
- 1 cup Buttermilk (replaces the water for a richer flavor)
- 1/2 cup Melted Butter (replaces the oil for a bakery texture)
- 3 Large Eggs (use 4 for extra richness)
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- Optional: 1/2 cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your cake pan or line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Using butter and a light dusting of cocoa powder instead of flour prevents those unsightly white streaks on your finished chocolate or red velvet cakes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs. Add the vanilla extract. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. The batter should be thick, glossy, and smooth. If you are making a “dump cake” version, you would simply layer these ingredients in a baking dish without mixing, but for that true bakery style, a thorough mix is essential.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake! Once finished, let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. For the no-bake variation, you can crumble the baked cake and mix it with frosting to form truffles.
- Cook Time: 40 minutes