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Cake Mix Brownies – Use Any Flavor!

Brownies in baking pan

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If you’re like me, you’ve probably got a few random boxes of cake mix lurking around the back of the pantry. If so, here’s a quick and easy idea to turn the mix into something other than cake… brownies!

Strawberry brownies in baking pan

And the best part is that you can use any flavor cake mix! Strawberry and lemon are two of my favorites – especially the strawberry.

Now you’re asking, “Doesn’t using another flavor make them not brownies since brownies are usually chocolate?” 

Stacked Strawberry Brownies on white plate

So, I guess, technically – by today’s standards, you’re correct.  But did you know the first mention of the word brownies was in the 1896 Fannie Farmer cookbook and the recipe called for molasses and no chocolate? 

But you guys know I’m a culinary rebel, so I say we still call these brownies regardless of the flavor.  Plus calling the strawberry ones pinkies and the lemon ones yellowies just sounds weird, right?

Stacked brownies on parchment paper

Anyway, regardless of what you call them, I bet you’re going to call them delicious… and super easy!  You only need 3 ingredients to get these ready. And they’re a great thing for the kids to make all by themselves!

Squares of brownies on parchment paper

You can toss in a cup of chocolate chips, chopped pecans, walnuts, peanuts, toffee bits, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, etc. to mix it up a bit and add even more flavor.  

Be sure to comment below and let me know all them combinations you can come up with to make this super easy recipe all your own! 

Squares of brownies on parchment paper
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4.29 from 14 votes

Cake Mix Brownies

Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Servings: 9
Author: Stacey Little | Southern Bite

Ingredients

  • 1 (15.25-ounce) box cake mix (any flavor) (I like dark chocoalte, strawberry, and lemon.)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup chocolate chips* (optional - see note)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, oil, and eggs. (Add the chocolate chips, if using them and stir well.) The mixture will be thick, but keep stirring. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, then slice.

Notes

Chocolate chips are entirely optional and you could use other flavored chips for other cake mixes - white chocolate chips in strawberry and lemon mixes, peanut butter chips in chocolate, etc. The options are endless!
Making This Recipe?Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernBite using the hashtag #SouthernBite, so I can see how it turned out!

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Cake Mix Brownies for Pintrest

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. When I get a cake mix I am definitely going to try this. My husband cannot have any chocolate for medical reasons and I can’t have lemon. Sooooo, strawberry here I come and whatever else I may find. Thank you so much, I have to say that they look awesome in your photos…… Take care. Claudia

    Reply

    • Mine came out like a moist cake like brownie instead of an actual brownie, the only thing I did different was substitute the oil to butter (I do all my brownies that way and they always come out as brownies) …. I added 2 tablespoons of espresso into mine (I put espresso into my brownie batter regularly except for this batch I added less espresso). What did I do wrong? Adding a little bit of liquid??

      Reply

      • The liquid will have an effect on the finished product. And since you added some espresso and butter (which has water and milk solids in it that oil doesn’t) that might be the cause of the different texture. Hope you were still able to enjoy them!

        Reply

  2. Great post since so many of us are “sheltering in place”. I live in WA and they are asking us to stay home except for groceries or medicines.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Suzie! I’m going to be doing my best to share those recipes that will use stuff most folks already have in the pantry. Enjoy!

      Reply

  3. I have Carrot Cake, Spice Cake, Golden Butter Cake, Dark Chocolate Cake, Orange Cake, Pineapple Cake and White Cake. I may end up doing them all before this “staycation” is over. I have 4 of those golden Hershey bars that I want to layer into one of the flavors. if I do a 9×9 pan are they going to be too thin?

    Reply

    • Such great ideas! They will be a little thinner in a 9×9, but it won’t make a huge difference. And if you layer in the Hershey bars, that will help as well.

      Reply

  4. Sounds delicious anxious to try the different flavor of cake mixes I got for brownies thank you for posting this lovely dessert have a beautiful & Blessed day

    Reply

  5. I’ve made this with yellow cake and chocolate chips (sort of a blondie) and carrot cake with oatmeal and nuts. Yellow cake was the best. I also swap applesauce for the oil. I love how quick and easy these are. It is my go to when I need to take a dessert to an event. Never thought of strawberry or lemon but those will be next whenever I can get a mix.

    Reply

    • I usually use applesauce instead of oil but was apprehensive making brownies in case they tasted too much like a cake I’m using a white mix and white cho chips with a request for caramel sauce ,,,,,

      Reply

  6. These sound lovely and easy. Photos made my mouth water. Thanks Stacey. You always have great ideas. You go, Rebel! I love the name pinkies and lemonies, personally. Brownies for the brown ones, if course! 😁

    Reply

  7. Any suggestions to make this in a half of full sheet pan? I like to make large batches to share. How many cokes do you think would be for a half or full sheet pan?

    Reply

    • Hey Melissa! I can’t say for sure, but if my calculations are correct, you’ll need 3 batches for a half sheet and 6 batches for a whole sheet.

      Reply

  8. I am definitely making the strawberry ones. But I have a question that’s been bothering me for a long time. Does it matter if the pan is glass or metal? Thanks.

    Reply

  9. Just made chocolate brownies. Wow! Great recipe, so easy had everything in my pantry. Added 1/2 tablespoon espresso powder, chips & pecans. Really needed a boost today and these brownies were just the thing.
    Thank you. 😊👍🤩

    Reply

  10. I use this same recipe but use a small ice cream scoop to make brownie cookies. Bake on a sheet sprayed with non stick spray and bake for 13 minutes.
    The recipe makes 2 dozen large cookies.

    Reply

  11. I made chocolate brownies by your recipe, used a double chocolate cake mix, added the chocolate chips plus pecans. It turned out great!! I like moist not cakey brownies and these were perfect. Thanks so much for such an easy recipe!

    Reply

  13. The different flavored brownies are a good idea! It’s something that could get potentially fancy. I’m all for red velvet, though.

    Reply

  14. I have only a chocolate cake mix and did search to make Brownies and now my mouth is watering and chocolate are now what I want the least! LoL I’ll be getting a lot of cake next trip to the store! Thinking about a layered fruit for Spring/summer. Also if I used a white cake and added a package of butterscotch pudding would I need to add or adjust eggs, oil, etc…?

    Reply

  15. I am going to substitute homemade-infused coconut oil instead of vegetable oil and add lots of walnuts. I just know these will be out of this world! Thank you for this easy and in this time, oh-so-necessary, switch-up for shape-shifting things on hand to accommodate things we want!

    Reply

  16. I have coeliac, so I had to use a gluten-free cake mix (Better Crocker as it happens). Just a note that it needs some adjustment for gluten-free. This is typical though. Cooking gluten-free normally requires adjustment and it might depend on which brand you use as well. No matter how much I stirred, it did not come together although I expected it to be a bit dry as you mentioned. Finally, I added a 1/3 cup of cold black coffee and that made it come together. It baked up great and was quite a hit.

    Reply

  17. 20 minutes of baking time had it a bit jiggly when I took it from the oven so I let it bake another 5 minutes. Let’s hope it turns out okay….. oops!

    Reply

  18. My husband cracked up at yellowies and he hates recipes with a back story. We had coconut cake on hand and added cocoa powder to the mix before adding the wet ingredients. Almond joy like brownies were the result and now we have to make yellowies next lol. Thank you for the recipe and the awesome name.

    Reply

  19. I used a chocolate cake mix. And added sugar free chocolate chips. I would say they are very chocolatey in flavour. But not the texture of a cake or a brownie. My husband said chalkie. My daughter said doughie (maybe to many chocolate chips). Runny.

    No stars because this is advertised to be a brownie. This is not a brownie. I would make a new name for it… You would get more stars.

    Reply

  20. Changing my review… left them out on the table overnight and the kids and I had some in the am. Much better. I guess for some reason they just aren’t good warm. Taste good but texture just wasnt there. This morning way better.

    So my suggestion is to either put them in the fridge or waite until they are cold and set.

    Reply

  21. I’ve been making strawberry “brownies” for a few years now. I just kind of came up with it one day when I wanted to make some brownies for a family get-together, but realized that I was out of cocoa powder. I decided immediately to call them pinkies, because I thought it was a cute name. I even sell them as pinkies at my little bakery.

    Reply

  22. I just made some with white cake mix and cotton candy flavoring! Added some blue food coloring for fun, hoping that they turn out well!

    Reply

  27. Thanks for the tip… made Red velvet brownies with cream cheese frosting. Thought about using some mini white chocolate chips but decided to go plain this time. Yum! 😁

    Reply

  28. Would doubling this recipe work for a 9×13 glass pan? How much would that change the cooking time? I want to bring these to work… Is the batter thick enough to try two flavors in one pan, maybe separated with parchment paper?

    Reply

    • Adding 5 to 10 minutes to the cook time should be enough. It’s a pretty thick batter, so I think you could probably do 2 different flavors.

      Reply

  29. I can’t wait to bake the strawberry flavored for the homeless shelter I bake treats for! Few questions please: Can I use a 9 x 13 pan? If so, should I double the ingredients? Would adding sliced fresh strawberries to the batter work?

    Reply

    • 9×13 isn’t an exact double of an 8×8 in terms of volume, but you would still need to double the recipe. They’ll just be a bit thicker and take a little while longer to bake. When it comes to adding the strawberries, I think it would work, but I’ve not tested it myself.

      Reply

  30. Great if you have limited time. I made red velvet and added chocolate chips. It was ok. I think a cake would have been better. I still might try doing this when lemon cake though. It was quick and easy.

    Reply

  31. Not real tasty. I followed the recipe, used a white cake mix, and added nuts and a T of cocoa powder. I won’t waste a cake mix again. We threw it out. I find it amazing so many liked it, but we all have different tastes.

    Reply

    • Hate to hear it didn’t turn out as you had hoped. I’m thinking maybe next time, add a considerable amount more cocoa powder to a white cake mix if you want chocolate flavor. I think most folks are using chocolate or strawberry mixes.

      Reply

  32. The consistency of the “batter” was like salt water taffy so I just pressed it evenly into the pan and pushed the chocolate chunks into the top. I had two boxes laying around so I made a double batch and put it in a 9×12 pan, perfect for thick brownies. I will definitely try them in different flavors …lemon, mmm

    Reply

  33. Have a question this recipe is very close to cake cookies is the difference in the oil what makes the brownies or is it that it’s all in one pan that makes the difference asking cause I make the cookies all the time but need something different .

    Reply

    • Honestly, there’s probably not much difference other than how they’re baked and the amount of oil. Not knowing exactly which recipe you use, I can’t say for sure.

      Reply

  34. Used a German chocolate cake mix, added coco powdered and chopped chocolate covered coffee beans… hope it turns out as good as I expect it too

    Reply

  35. Making the chocolate brownies for my diabetics. I am using sugar free chocolate cake mix and added pecans. Also making the regular lemon cake mix with almonds. I had to improvise, because I only had 3 eggs. I split the eggs between the 2 mixes and added 2 tablespoons margarine to each mix. They were enjoyed by all.

    Reply

  37. I’ve made these for my family so many times, during the pandemic. So easy!
    I’ve added a swirl of sweetened cream cheese, chopped nuts, or oatmeal, and all different kinds of chips. I’ve sprinkled some kosher salt on top, really good with butterscotch chips. Vanilla or white cake is too bland with this recipe, unless you add some flavorful topping or frosting. For autumn, try Pumpkin or Spice cake, and swirl apple pie filling. This is a great recipe to teach your kids- it’s practically foolproof, and has endless options for “whatever’s in the pantry.” Thanks so much!

    Reply

  38. Wonderful! Made my yellow cake mix into cocoa-chocolate chip brownies. Tomato cracker salad sounds great too. Wish you lived next door, really. lyn

    Reply

  40. So I have Yellow Cake mix, and want to make it into brownies–don’t like blonde too much, so would 1/2 C cocoa be too much to add? I’m guessing I’ll need to add more oil or applesauce for the extra dry addition. Does that sound about right?

    Reply

    • I can’t say for sure, but if I were going to guess, I’d say you’ll need 6 to 8 tablespoons of cocoa powder and I’d increase the amount of oil to 1/2 cup.

      Reply

  41. This is so awesome! I was hoping to find it was doable! I made devils food cake brownies with this and mixed in chocolate chips, and slivered almonds I’ve had a while and leftover marshmallows on top like a rocky road brownie. So yummy! Maybe I’ll make the second box into a caramel version with walnuts!

    Reply

  42. I’d love to try these especially after reading all the reviews and suggestions but was wondering how it would all fit in an 8×8 inch square pan. When I use a 15oz. cake mix it makes two 8 inch round cakes so how will it all bake in one 8 inch square pan without overflowing.

    Reply

  43. My dude can you make your website any more ad ridden and ad covered and maybe make your articles a little bit longer because actual PhD dissertations are not as long as your rambling article, literally took me 30 minutes just to scroll to the bottom, click out of all your ads, just to leave this comment

    Reply

  45. I may never use a brownie mix again! These are so much better!
    They are HARD to stir, but I got a Kitchenaid mixer for Christmas, so these have been a regular thing now that I don’t have to use my arm! Lol! I like to double the recipe and make them in a 9×13 and they are really thick, but great with ice cream on top. 🙂
    Thank you for this!

    Reply

  46. I made these with a chocolate cake mix and followed the recipe exactly as written. After baking for 20 min., it clearly wasn’t done because it jiggles when I moved the pan. I gave it 5 more min and took it out of the oven without testing. It didn’t seem to be jiggly. After cooling for an hour, I cut into them. These were more like lava cake. And we ate the outer corners with ice cream on top. Very tasty, but the center is just plain liquid.

    Reply

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