I've been making a boxe chocolate cake recipe for about a year that I just LOVE but only when it turns out. For some reason there are times that it really falls flat. Literally. Then it turns out super heavy and beyond dense. I can't stand it! I have no idea what goes wrong when that happens.

So...

If you start with a boxed chocolate cake and do some things to up the moisture level and boost the consistency for stacking and such. Please post what you do. I'd really appreciate being able to do something that is CONSISTENT!

Here's what I've been using:
INGREDIENTS

* 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
* 1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 4 eggs
* 1/2 cup warm water
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.

I use the same recipe, but only a half cup of oil and have never had a problem. Try cutting back on it next time and see what you think...

I was going to suggest the same-that is a LOT of oil for one recipe!

Your recipe is *similar* to The Cake Mix Dr.'s recipe for Darned Good Chocolate Cake. I use that recipe all the time with decent consistent results. However, to make it like CMD, cut the oil to 1/2 cup as suggested by other other posters. I use this recipe all the time & have found mini-chocolate chips work really well as then tend to melt more into the batter making the chocolate taste richer. Also might suggest you replace the water with the same amount of coffee... that kicks up the chocolate flavor without messing with the texture. HTH

I will definitely try it with 1/2 the oil. I omit the chocolate chips most of the time.

I have to make chocolate cake for a picnic Saturday so I'll try it that way.

Thanks!

Okay... I used Pillsbury Dark Chocolate Cake Mix. I did the variation that I always use only with 1/2 cup of oil instead of a full cup and I did the 2nd cake mix exactly as written. I combined both boxes in the mixer at once. Since this mix has 1 cup of pudding in the mix already, I didn't add the pudding.

I sifted this time (the first time I ever sifted my cake mix), I warmed my eggs to room temperature, and I used coffee instead of water. I also added a whole bag (2 cups) of mini chocolate chips.

I made 2 - 9" round cakes, 12 cupcakes, and 6 mini loaf (almost the size of 2 cupcakes) cakes.

I iced with the SMBC icing that I tried for the first time today. I'm in HEAVEN!!! I finally absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my cake and my icing. I didn't try piping it yet though. But WOWZA! It tasted sooo good. Now I need a glass of milk.

THANKS so much for your suggestions. Man I wish that stuff was calorie and fat free. I could really eat another cupcake or 3. ha ha