Last Updated on February 28, 2023
Our luscious Betty Crocker devil’s food cake recipe incorporates the ease of using a premix with some traditional elements like strong black coffee.
So, indulge in these rich complex chocolate and coffee flavors! The recipe is incredibly easy to make and will take you less than an hour. We guarantee that you won’t regret it!
What is a Devil’s Food Cake?
If you love baking, you have likely come across a devil’s food cake recipe or two. But do you actually know what it is? Other than of course a delicious cake everybody raves about!
This cake is a type of chocolate cake, but that is a lot richer in flavor and texture. It differs from regular chocolate cakes because of the addition of baking soda to the recipe. The baking soda makes the cake slightly more acidic and tart, just like red velvet cakes are. It also gives the cake a much deeper and darker color than regular cocoa does.
Furthermore, it is traditionally made with unsweetened cocoa powder. It also often gets coffee added to it for additional rich flavor and color.
What is Our Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Cake Recipe Made Of?
Betty Crocker has a delicious devil’s food cake box mix. However, we have made some adjustments to their recommended recipe and elevated it to a whole new level!
Our Betty Crocker devil’s food cake recipe is made using strong black coffee, to give it that much-needed traditional richness. Too many recipes these days have been watered down, but not this one!
Furthermore, we have made our own fudgy chocolate frosting from scratch. But of course, to save yourself some more time, you can simply use the Betty Crocker premix.
What Do You Need: Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Cake Recipe
Ingredients for the Cake
- 1 box (15 ounces) Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Cake Mix
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup water, room temperature
- 1/2 cup strong black coffee, room temperature
- 3 medium eggs, room temperature
Ingredients for the Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate shavings, optional garnish
Equipment
- 2 8-inch cake pans
- Non-stick baking paper
- Non-stick baking or cooking spray
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric or hand whisk
- Cooling rack
- Medium saucepan
- Pallet knife or piping bag
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Devil’s Food Cake Batter
To start, first line your cake pans with non-stick baking paper. For added protection, line the sides with non-stick baking or cooking spray. Then, preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Once you have prepared your equipment, you can make the cake batter. Place the cake mix inside a large mixing bowl. Make sure it is lump-free.
Create a well on the inside and add the oil, water, coffee, and eggs. Whisk together the ingredients until you have a completely smooth and uniform batter.
Step 2: Bake Your Cake
Carefully pour the cake batter into the prepared lined baking pans. Then, bake the cake for roughly 25-30 minutes. Do not overbake these! They have finished baking once the testing needle or toothpick comes out completely clean. You can test the cakes after 20 minutes.
Once they are fully baked, remove them from the oven and cool them inside their pans for 15-20 minutes. Once cooled, carefully loosen the sides and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 3: Make the Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Meanwhile, start making your frosting. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and allow it to melt completely. Then, add the cocoa powder and whisk it until you get a thick paste. Then, transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Start whisking the paste at low speed while adding powdered sugar and milk in intervals. You can add a third of each at a time, alternating between each addition. Reserve some of the milk to use after all the powdered sugar has been added. This milk will be used to adjust the consistency to your liking. And finally, add the vanilla extract.
Then, beat the frosting for roughly 5 minutes at a medium-high speed or until the frosting becomes creamy.
Step 4: Decorate the Cake
Once your layers are completely cooled, you can level them if you want to. Then, place the first layer onto a cake board or stand. Top it with a thick layer of chocolate fudge frosting. Then, add the other layer of cake.
To decorate the cake, you can add frosting to the top, give it a naked-cake look, or completely smother it in icing! However, you like your cakes! There is no wrong method!
Finally, garnish your cake with chocolate shavings and serve within 4 days.
Tips and Tricks
- If you don’t like the flavor of coffee in your cakes, you can substitute it with regular water instead. However, if you want to give it more of a punch, then substitute the water with more black coffee.
- For this recipe, you can also substitute the eggs with applesauce or flax eggs. Don’t use bananas or any other egg substitute that has an overly strong flavor. This cake should be rich and chocolate-flavored.
- To level the cakes, simply measure out the needed height around the entire cake. You can mark the height by inserting toothpicks into the sides. Then, slice the cake using a sharp bread knife. You don’t have to level both cakes, but we do recommend at least doing one. This will ensure your cake doesn’t turn out lopsided.
What Are the Devil’s Food Cake Mix Ingredients?
Many ingredients are used in Betty Crocker’s Super Moist Devil’s Food Cake Mix. The ingredients consist of:
- enriched bleached flour
- sugar
- cocoa processed with alkali
- corn syrup
- leavening (baking soda)
- corn starch
- modified corn starch
- palm oil
- carob powder
- propylene glycol mono and diesters of fatty acids
- distilled monoglycerides
- salt
- dicalcium phosphate
- sodium stearoyl lactylate
- xanthan gum
- cellulose gum
- artificial flavor
When making this cake using the cake mix, you’ll typically only need to add the following ingredients: water, vegetable oil, and eggs.
Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake Mix Recipe
To make a devil’s food chocolate cake using cake mix, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 box of devil’s food cake mix, preferably Betty Crocker
- 1 packet of instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 cup of sour cream
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup of water
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup of chocolate chips
Now all you need to do is:
- Gather all of the ingredients you need for this recipe and preheat your oven to 350F. You’ll also need to grease a baking pan with butter, and dust with flour.
- Grab a bowl and add the following ingredients: cake mix, chocolate pudding mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, and water. Mix the ingredients well and then fold in the chocolate chips to the batter.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and bake for the time mentioned on the back of your boxed cake mix. To check whether it’s done, place a toothpick in the center. When fully baked, it should come out clean.
- Remove from oven and leave to cool. Once cool, frost the cake and decorate. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil Food Cake Mix Basic Recipe
If you’re just looking for the basic recipe that comes printed on your Betty Crocker devil’s food cake recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 boxed cake mix
- 1 1/4 cups of water
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
Now all you need to do is:
- Gather all of the ingredients you need and preheat your oven to 325F (if using a non-stick pan). You’ll also need to grease your pan with butter. It’s best to use a 13×9-inch pan.
- Grab a bowl and add the following ingredients: boxed cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and water. Mix well for around 2 minutes until you have a smooth batter.
- Pour batter into your prepared pan and bake in the center of your preheated oven for around 30-35 minutes. A toothpick in the center should come out clean when fully baked.
- Leave to cool completely. Frost and decorate, as desired. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Devil’s Food Fudge Cookies Using Cake Mix Recipe
You can also make fudge cookies using this versatile cake mix from Betty Crocker. For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 box of Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Cake Mix
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
- 2 eggs
Now all you need to do is:
- Gather the ingredients you need and preheat your oven to 350F. You’ll also need to grease a baking sheet.
- Grab a bowl and add the following ingredients: cake mix, oil, and eggs. Mix well until the ingredients are well combined, and then fold in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.
- Make small balls with the dough and place them on your greased baking sheets, being sure to leave space between each ball.
- Bake in the center of your oven for 10-12 minutes and then remove from oven and leave to cool.
- Serve and enjoy!
Wrapping It Up
We hope that you give this recipe a try and get transported back to how it was traditionally intended to be! Rich and complexly flavored cakes have never tasted as good as our easy Betty Crocker devil’s food cake recipe. Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Betty Crocker Devil's Food Cake Recipe: 1 Hour Easy Luscious Cake
Equipment
- 2 8-inch cake pans
- Non-stick baking paper
- Non-stick baking or cooking spray
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric or hand whisk
- Cooling Rack
- Medium saucepan
- Pallet knife or piping bag
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Cake
- 1 box, 15 ounces Betty Crocker Devil's Food Cake Mix
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup water, room temperature
- 1/2 cup strong black coffee, room temperature
- 3 medium eggs, room temperature
Ingredients for the Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate shavings, optional garnish
Instructions
- To start, first line your cake pans with non-stick baking paper. For added protection, line the sides with non-stick baking or cooking spray. Then, preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC).Once you have prepared your equipment, you can make the cake batter. Place the cake mix inside a large mixing bowl. Make sure it is lump-free.Create a well on the inside and add the oil, water, coffee, and eggs. Whisk together the ingredients until you have a completely smooth and uniform batter.1 box, 15 ounces Betty Crocker Devil's Food Cake Mix, 1/2 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup water, room temperature, 1/2 cup strong black coffee, room temperature, 3 medium eggs, room temperature
- Carefully pour the cake batter into the prepared lined baking pans. Then, bake the cake for roughly 25-30 minutes. Do not overbake these! They have finished baking once the testing needle or toothpick comes out completely clean. You can test the cakes after 20 minutes.Once they are fully baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool inside their pans for 15-20 minutes. Once cooled, carefully loosen the sides and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, start making your frosting. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and allow it to melt completely. Then, add the cocoa powder and whisk it until you get a thick paste. Then, transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.Start whisking the paste at low speed while adding powdered sugar and milk in intervals. You can add a third of each at a time, alternating between each addition. Reserve some of the milk to use after all the powdered sugar has been added. This milk will be used to adjust the consistency to your liking. And finally, add the vanilla extract.Then, beat the frosting for roughly 5 minutes at a medium-high speed or until the frosting becomes creamy.1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted, 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted, 1/2 cup milk, room temperature, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once your layers are completely cooled, you can level them if you want to. Then, place the first layer onto a cake board or stand. Top it with a thick layer of chocolate fudge frosting. Then, add the other layer of cake.To decorate the cake, you can either add frosting to just the top, give it a naked-cake look, or completely smother it in icing! However, you like your cakes - there is no wrong method.Finally, garnish your cake with chocolate shavings and serve within 4 days.Chocolate shavings, optional garnish
FAQs
Why is it called Devil's cake?
Back in the 18th century, any type of food that was dark, chocolatey, rich, and spicy, was referred to as being "devilled". It is said to be so incredibly good that it can be sinful. This is why so many foods today still carrier titles like "devil's" or "devilled".
What is the main flavor of a devil's food cake?
Devil's food cake is a type of chocolate cake. However, you have to use unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolates. This gives it a more intense flavor and richer profile. Furthermore, in some cakes, you will also pick up strong coffee flavors. And, thanks to the baking soda, it will have a hint of tartness.
Who invented the devil's food cake?
The first printed recipe for a devil's food cake appeared in 1902. It was printed in a cookbook by Sarah Tyson called Mrs. Rorer's New Cook Book. However, it is believed that this recipe originated long before that.
How do you make Betty Crocker Devil's food cake better?
There are a couple of things you can do to make the original recipe better, much as we did. First, we substituted boring bland water with black coffee. This gives it the dark rich flavor that traditional devil's food cakes had. Furthermore, you can substitute the oil with melted cooled. butter.
Lindy Van Schalkwyk is a culinary specialist with a background in Advanced Cooking, Advanced Pâtisserie, Media Communications and Nutrition. She has gained invaluable experience in the culinary industry having worked in some of the top restaurants in Africa in 2016 and 2017. Her expertise in nutrition has enabled her to develop recipes for special dietary needs. In 2018, Lindy began working in the Food Media industry, focusing on recipe development, recipe writing, food writing and food styling.