I’ll be honest, the first time I made Death by Chocolate Dump Cake, I was skeptical. The name was dramatic, but could a dessert you literally “dump” together really live up to such a bold promise? I was hosting a casual book club and needed a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, something that whispered “decadent” but shouted “easy.” Within minutes, my mixing bowl held a batter so dark and promising it looked like liquid midnight. As it baked, my kitchen filled with an aroma so intensely chocolaty it felt like a warm, edible hug. When I pulled it from the oven—a landscape of crackled crust and bubbling chips—and served that first spoonful, the chorus of “Oh my god” from my friends was all the review I needed. It was a rich, fudgy, glorious surrender to chocolate, and it’s been my secret weapon ever since.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You are going to fall head over heels for this recipe because it delivers the most insane chocolate payoff for the most minimal effort imaginable. It’s the dessert you make when you want to feel like a baking genius without any of the stress. With just a few boxes and one bowl, you create a multi-textured masterpiece: a moist, pudding-like cake with a crisp, buttery top, all riddled with pockets of molten chocolate. It’s the ultimate answer to a chocolate emergency, and I promise, its name is no exaggeration.
Ingredients
- 1 box (approx. 15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix (I use Devil’s Food)
- 1 box (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 1/2 cups cold milk (whole milk is best for richness)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
Let’s talk about these ingredients because even in a simple dump cake, choices matter. First, the cake mix: go for a deep, dark variety like Devil’s Food. It creates a richer base than a regular chocolate mix. The instant pudding mix is the non-negotiable magic worker—it’s responsible for the dense, custardy layer that makes this so indulgent. Please double-check you have “instant,” not “cook-and-serve.” The mini chocolate chips are a brilliant touch; their smaller size means they distribute more evenly, ensuring chocolate in every single bite, and they melt into perfect little pockets. Using melted, unsalted butter gives you control over the saltiness and creates that signature crisp top layer.(See the next page below to continue…)