Crock Pot Death by Chocolate Cake
Sounds wild, but making cake in the crock pot might just change how you make a cake! Crock Pot Death by Chocolate Cake is decadent, moist, totally delicious and it feeds a crowd!
Updated October 3, 2025
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This recipe is perfect when you don’t want to turn on your oven , or you don’t have one, but you want to make cake! It’s great for a birthday party or large gatherings because it makes a lot. Crock pot cake is simple pantry ingredients and it’s hands off once you add everything in. Two short hours later and you have a deliciously chocolate cake to enjoy.
What you’ll need
- Crock pot- 6 or 7 quart
- Nonstick spray, butter or parchment paper to line the slow cooker
- Chocolate cake mix– Devil’s Food, Red Velvet or Chocolate Fudge all work
- Chocolate pudding mix
- Semi- sweet chocolate chips
- Whole milk
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Pure vanilla extract
- Sour cream
- Pinch of salt
How To Make It
Prepare the crock pot. Spray the inside with non-stick spray, butter it or line the inside with parchment paper, if you want to lift the cake out of the crock to serve.
Make the batter: In a large bowl whisk together the cake mix and the chocolate pudding mix. Add in the rest of the ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and mix together using a hand mixer.
Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the crock pot and smooth evenly.
Tip! Place a kitchen towel on top of the crock pot, under the lid to absorb condensation so it doesn’t drip into your cake. Make sure the lid is on tightly.
Cook on on low for 1 1/2- 2 hours. Mine is perfect at around 1 hour 45 minutes, but all slow cookers are different. Start checking the middle for doneness at 1 1/2 hours. The cake is done when a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Careful not to overcook or the edges will be crispy.
Serve it: Slice and serve with ice cream or whipped cream. You could also frost the cake or add any of your favorite toppings! A cake toppings bar would be so fun!
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Tips For The Best Cake
- Grease the crock pot well-Use nonstick spray and a little flour, or line the insert with parchment paper. Chocolate cake tends to stick more than lighter cakes, so this is crucial.
- Don’t overfill– Fill the crock pot no more than 2/3 full. Chocolate cake rises a lot, and overfilling can cause uneven cooking or overflow.
- Use the right size crock pot– A 6-quart crock pot is ideal for most recipes. Smaller inserts may cause the cake to cook too fast on the edges and stay undercooked in the center.
- Cook on low, not high-Chocolate cake in a crock pot cooks best on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. High heat can make the edges dry while leaving the center undercooked.
- Test for doneness carefully– Insert a toothpick or skewer in the center. It should come out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Be gentle—if you over-test, it can sink slightly. The center should not be completely dry crumbs.
- Let it rest before serving– Once done, turn off the crock pot and let the cake rest for 10–15 minutes with the lid on. This helps the cake firm up and makes it easier to serve.
- Serve warm or room temperature– Crock pot cakes are delicious right out of the slow cooker or at room temp. If serving later, keep it on the “warm” setting—it stays soft and moist without overcooking.
Suggestions
- Place a clean kitchen towel under the slow cooker lid while baking to catch condensation and keep the cake’s texture just right. Don’t use a fluffy bath towel, a thin kitchen tea towel is perfect.
- For easy removal and neat slices, line the crock pot with parchment paper, leaving an overhang so you can lift the cake out after cooking.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Serve warm and add your favorite toppings—think icing, a scoop of ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate fudge, or a shower of sprinkles.
More Delicious Desserts
- Smore Poke Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Cherry Apple Oat Bars
- Banana Split Poke Cake
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Lasagna
- Magic Bars
- Oreo Brownie Trifle
- Frozen S’mores
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Crock Pot Death by Chocolate Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Method
- Spray the inside of a 6-7 quart crock pot well with nonstick cooking spray or coat in butter.
- In a large bowl whisk together the cake mix and pudding mix. Add in milk, eggs, melted butter, sour cream, vanilla, and salt and mix with a hand mixer until smooth. (Or a stand mixer). Fold in chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the crock pot and smooth evenly.
- Place a kitchen towel on top of the crock pot, under the lid to absorb condensation so it doesn't drip into your cake. Make sure the lid is on tightly.
- Cook on on low for 1 1/2- 2 hours. Mine is perfect at around 1 hour 45 minutes, but all slow cookers are different. Start checking the middle for doneness at 1 1/2 hours. The cake is done when a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Careful not to overcook or the edges will be crispy.*The size of your crock pot will determine the cook time. A larger basin will require LESS cook time, while a smaller crock pot (4-5 quarts) will require a longer cook time.
- Let the cake rest in the crock pot 10-15 minutes before scooping out.
- Scoop out and serve with your favorite toppings such as ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate fudge, berries, and sprinkles. Frost cake, if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
-
- Grease the crock pot well-Use nonstick spray and a little flour, or line the insert with parchment paper. Chocolate cake tends to stick more than lighter cakes, so this is crucial.
- Don’t overfill– Fill the crock pot no more than 2/3 full. Chocolate cake rises a lot, and overfilling can cause uneven cooking or overflow.
- Use the right size crock pot– A 6-quart crock pot is ideal for most recipes. Smaller inserts may cause the cake to cook too fast on the edges and stay undercooked in the center.
- Cook on low, not high-Chocolate cake in a crock pot cooks best on low for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. High heat can make the edges dry while leaving the center undercooked.
- Test for doneness carefully– Insert a toothpick or skewer in the center. It should come out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Be gentle—if you over-test, it can sink slightly. The center should not be completely dry crumbs.
- Let it rest before serving– Once done, turn off the crock pot and let the cake rest for 10–15 minutes with the lid on. This helps the cake firm up and makes it easier to serve.
- Serve warm or room temperature– Crock pot cakes are delicious right out of the slow cooker or at room temp. If serving later, keep it on the “warm” setting—it stays soft and moist without overcooking.
- Place a kitchen towel between the crock pot and the lid to collect condensation.
- If you want to lift the cake out of the crock pot after cooking, line it with parchment paper with an over hang.
- Scoop out and store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container up to 3 days.
I just made this and wanted to double check something. It looks like earlier in the recipe and from the pictures it calls for Red Velvet Cake mix. Then the written out part says Devil’s Food. I just made it with Devil’s Food and it was delicious! I’m going to try the red velvet too but either way I’m betting it’s a win!
Any flavor works, as long as it’s in the chocolate family 🙂 Happy you loved it!
Love this way of making cake!
me too!