One home baker became the star of every party thanks to her “famous” chocolate cake. The only problem? The cake isn’t homemade at all, and she has no idea how to break the news to her friends who can’t stop asking for the recipe, because the “famous” cake is really just pre-made batter.
I’ll also share a reliable homemade chocolate cake recipe if you’d like to make it from scratch, plus the latest update after the woman finally came clean.
The story
In a post to Reddit’s r/Cooking, the woman admitted that years ago, she grabbed a ready-made cake batter in a rush after forgetting to bake something for an event. The cake turned out to be a hit. Ever since, friends and family have begged her to make it for birthdays and gatherings.
The trouble started when people began asking for the recipe. She tried dozens of scratch recipes, but none matched the taste or texture of the store-bought batter. Now, after years of dodging requests and insisting she would eventually share it, her friends are frustrated. “On top of everything,” she wrote, “the mix is ridiculously expensive, and I’m tired of wasting money and lying to my friends.”
She turned to the Reddit community, asking how to reproduce this cake so she can pass on the recipe to her friends and family.
The reactions
Some Redditors suggested she could simply ignore the issue by handing out a recipe that’s “close enough.” They said, “Just give them a recipe that’s similar. They’ll just think you’re an amazing baker because yours always comes out so much better!” While that may not solve the mystery of the delicious cake, it does suggest that not everyone can offer the exact taste, even if the recipe is the same.
Others advised to stop worrying and own the truth instead of continuing to live with this guilt. They mentioned, “Just own up to it! If a friend told me about this, I’d think it was really funny and then I’d buy a box of the mix and move on with my life.” Another admitted, “I want to buy that cake mix after reading OP’s post.”
What these comments show is that the “lie” might be a bigger deal in her head than it would be to her friends. Coming clean could even boost her credibility, and everyone will finally have that ‘recipe’ they have been asking for.
Several experienced bakers offered suggestions on how to recreate the flavor. “Do it from scratch, but use milk powder, roast it in the oven first.” Another wrote: “Also, add a little espresso powder or coffee to help bring out the chocolate taste; the coffee flavor gets baked out.” Both are standard pastry techniques I myself use and recommend. Coffee enhances the cocoa flavor without leaving a noticeable taste. Professional bakers often rely on these techniques to replicate the intense flavor found in commercial baking products.
Not everyone thought the cake could be replicated. One user said, “Unfortunately, boxed cake mixes aren’t reproducible in a home kitchen. They have industrial emulsifiers that give the cake an amazing texture, and the dry fats in the cake improve the flavor.” Commercial mixes often use stabilizers, such as mono and diglycerides, that trap air and moisture, which results in light and soft products. This may be the reason why you are unable to reproduce the boxed cakes.
Some readers shared stories of their own “exposed” family recipes. One woman said, “My husband was devastated to learn his mom’s secret pumpkin pie recipe was the recipe on the Libby’s can.” We are all attached to those comfort foods we had growing up. Learning that it wasn’t an original recipe can be disappointing at first, but it gives you a chance to make your own version of pumpkin pie that your family will love.
One commenter even suggested giving everyone a surprise by revealing the truth on Christmas. They said, “At Christmas, buy everyone who loves your recipe the pre-made batter… As they start to unwrap the gift, you can watch the realisation on their face. It’s easier not to live with the lie.” This may sound risky, but at least it can ease the burden that the poster has been carrying for a long time.
Try this easy chocolate cake recipe
If you want to try a reliable from-scratch version, here’s my easy chocolate sheet cake.
The issue with most chocolate cakes is often that cocoa powder tends to dry out the sponge. So, this cake batter is very wet, with lots of moisture to compensate and give you a super soft, light cake.
I developed this oil-based recipe with added milk for the best texture, which won’t harden in the fridge like a butter-based sponge will. Trust me, oil is the best substitute for butter in cake recipes when you want a stable yet soft, moist sponge straight from the fridge!
It is also very light and fluffy, despite not being whipped in a complicated manner. You just have to mix and bake! The combination of both baking powder and baking soda is what helps here. To get scientific, the acidic baking soda reacts with the coffee and cocoa powder (Dutch Process is best) to create air bubbles, which create lift as the batter bakes. And you are left with the softest, airiest chocolate sponge cake ever.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F (without the fan). Line a 9×13 / 22x33cm pan with parchment paper. In the meantime, in a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to whip together the eggs, oil, sugar, coffee, milk, and vanilla extract for 1–2 minutes until well combined.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt into the bowl. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. A hand whisk can also be used, but take care not to overmix.
Pour the thin batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before adding frosting.
My top baking tips:
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All ingredients for the chocolate cake must be at room temperature to properly emulsify.
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Do not skip the salt, it will balance the sweetness of this cake.
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Do not overbake your chocolate sponge cake, as that will result in a dry texture. Use the toothpick test to check if your cake is ready.
This cake can be used plain, layered with a chocolate fudge frosting, or topped with powdered sugar. While it won’t have the industrial emulsifiers that make boxed cakes so fluffy, these steps bring you close to that same soft, crowd-pleasing texture.
The latest update
A few days ago, after 1700 comments from helpful strangers on Reddit, the woman shared an update to her original story, finally coming clean, and we are loving it.”I came clean to my boyfriend & he thinks it’s funny. So I’ve decided to tell the truth to my friends once I bake a great replacement recipe to give them as a make-up.”
