This easy recipe for Crock-Pot Chocolate Cake features a boxed cake mix and is the perfect beginners recipe for learning how to bake in your slow cooker!
Slow Cooker Chocolate Cake
One day I was really in the mood for something chocolaty and decided to scrounge around in my pantry to see if I had any hidden holiday candy in the far reaches and hidden spots in the back of my pantry.
Alas I came up empty on hidden candy. But I did spot a box of chocolate cake mix, chocolate chips and a can of chocolate frosting.
What can I say folks, I am a sucker for a good sale and sometimes stock-up on things when they are a good price!
Baking a chocolate cake sounded good (and easy) but it was over 100 degrees outside and there was no way I was wanting to turn on the oven and heat up my whole kitchen.
Thankfully I run a blog dedicated to cooking in a slow cooker.
So I grabbed a round slow cooker and decided to bake a chocolate cake in my slow cooker.
Easy, fuss free and no heating up the oven/kitchen/house on a hot day.
If you are new to baking in a slow cooker this is the recipe you want to try because it is pretty fool-proof. But you also need to test a recipe or two to see how YOUR slow cooker bakes. Because some slow cookers bake hotter than others, some slow cookers have a hot spot on one side.
So this recipe is a great one to test everything out.
When the chocolate cake was baked and cooled I went ahead and spread on some of that ready-to-spread chocolate frosting.
I served this yummy chocolate cake for dessert after dinner and my kids kept asking me what the special occasion was.
There was no special occasion. It was a chocolate cake “just because”.
Equipment Needed For Crock-Pot Chocolate Cake Recipe:
- 4 Quart, 4.5 Quart, 5 Quart Round Slow Cooker
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Hand Mixer
- Silicone Spatula
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Baker’s Joy Non-Stick Cooking Spray
- Paper Towels Or Flour Sack Kitchen Towel
- Wooden Spoon
- Toothpick
- Offset Spatula
- Cooling Rack Or Cake Plate
Frequently Asked Questions
I baked this cake in a 4 quart round slow cooker so that I could have a cake that looks like it was baked in the oven in a traditional cake pan. However you can use a 4.5 quart round slow cooker or a 5 quart round slow cooker with great results. If you would like to bake this cake in a larger slow cooker (like 6 quart or larger) you may either need to watch your baking time as your cake will be thinner or double the recipe. You can of course use an oval shaped slow cooker too, your finished baked cake will be oval in shape but will still taste great!
You can use this recipe and baking times to bake pretty much any boxed cake mix in your slow cooker. I have successfully baked a yellow cake, a white cake and a spice cake in my slow cooker all from boxes of cake mix.
You will know when your chocolate cake is done baking when the sides of the cake pull away from the stoneware insert of your slow cooker and when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. You should bake your cake for 1 hour, check to see if it is done yet and then cook longer only if it is needed.
Of course if you are a more advanced baker you can use your favorite homemade chocolate cake and frosting recipe. You will want a cake recipe that makes a 2-layer cake like this Double-Chocolate Layer Cake recipe from Ina Garten. Which I have totally made in the oven for birthday’s several times over the years and it is amazing!
But to be honest a boxed cake mix can be good too. And easy!
Special Diets
Check Out These Chocolate Crockpot Recipes Too!
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Crock-Pot Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies
With this easy recipe for Slow Cooker Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies you can have warm gooey cookies without heating up the house! A perfect dessert or snack!
Crock-Pot Brownie Pudding
This recipe for Slow Cooker Brownie Pudding could not get any easier to make. A boxed brownie mix and instant pudding is cooked for a gooey chocolate dessert!
Crock-Pot Better Than Sex Cake + Video
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Recipe Collections:
- 4 Quart Crock-Pot Recipes
- 4.5 Quart Crock-Pot Recipes
- 5 Quart Crock-Pot Recipes
- Dessert Recipes
- Kid Friendly Crock-Pot Recipes
- Valentine’s Day Recipes
Crock-Pot Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix (Such As Betty Crocker Brand)
- 1 ¼ Cup Water
- ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 3 Large Eggs
- 6 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Non-Stick Cooking Spray
- 1 Can Ready To Spread Chocolate Frosting
Instructions
- Add the cake mix, water, vegetable oil and water to a large mixing bowl and mix using a hand mixer until all the ingredients are well mixed and there are no lump of dry cake batter left in the bowl.
- Fold the chocolate chips into the batter using a silicone spatula.
- Spray a 4 to 5 quart round slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray made for baking (such as Baker’s Joy) and pour prepared batter into slow cooker. Spreading the batter evenly in the slow cooker with the silicone spatula.
- Place a layer of paper towels between the lid of the slow cooker and stoneware crock then, prop the lid open slightly with the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar to allow steam to escape.
- Cook on HIGH for 1 hour.
- Remove lid and check to see if cake is done by looking to see if the cake has pulled away from the sides of the slow cooker and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. If your cake is not done yet, go ahead and cook it longer, checking every 15 to 20 minutes or so.
- Once done, remove slow cooker insert from the heating element base and let it cool for 15 minutes.
- Run a butter knife around the edge of the cake and then carefully invert the cake onto a cooling rack, cake plate or plate.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before flipping the cake back upright.
- Frost the cake with the chocolate frosting using a off-set spatula, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
What size crock-pot did you use?? Looks and sounds so yummy!
I used a 4 quart round crock. You really are not restricted on size. Now if you used a HUGE crock you might want to double the recipe. You could even used oval if you wanted too. It comes out really thick and moist too, not light and fluffy like a regular cake. I think that is why they end up being so addictive LOL!
Lord, have mercy! I’m drooling over my keyboard!
Passes a Wet Wipe! LOL
will it be just as chocolatly without the choc. chips??
Debera, yes it will be fine without them. The chocolate chips just add a little something extra to the cake that makes it taste even better. But it is fine to leave them out. Enjoy!
I followed recipe to a t except for I dont use vegetable sprays I used butter to coat crockpot. The sides of my cake came out crunchy. Havent got to the middle yet but it looked a little wobbly. After an hour and 30 min I shut crockpot off and let it cool. Waiting for room mates opinion. Will let ya know but will try again with a smaller amt of batter.
Thanks for the great idea of using a slow cooker to bake a cake! It took my 5Qt size slow cooker 1hr 30 min s bake the chocolate on High setting and it came out delicious! I used a parchment paper so it’d be no washing the pot necessary as I could lift the cake out after baking it.. I’d definitely bake a lot more often using a slow cooker now than before. Thank you again!
You’re welcome June.
What size crockpot would you recommend for a one layer cake? And the cooking time if you know. Thank you.
I don’t know Mary.
I think the step 1 has a typo.. “Add the cake mix, water, vegetable oil and water to a large mixing bowl and mix using a hand mixer until all the ingredients are well mixed and there are no lump of dry cake batter left in the bowl.” It says water twice, the second water should say “eggs”.