This really, truly is the best chocolate bundt cake going. It's got a deep not-too-rich chocolate flavor and is topped with a creamy, thick glaze that has just a hint of coffee.
And I owe this little beauty to my mom. Who is an awesome baker and an even awesome-er spotter of great recipes.
Which is perfect for me. Because, try as I might, baking is never going to be my strongest kitchen skill.
But a great recipe can make a baker out of anyone.
Seriously - try this.
You'll see.
Truth is, I've been holding out on you.
This Chocolate Bundt Cake was the cake that saved many a holiday gathering last fall. Including being the crazy centerpiece of our Halloween festivities. But it was always devoured long before I could photograph it for you, sweet friends.
Well today is the day. The day I made it and took some photos.
The day that so many of you East Coasters are cozy inside while several feet of snow fall, I'm declaring it Snowed-In Chocolate Bundt Cake Day.
Stay inside, light the fire, pour yourself a glass of wine, and make a cake. This is the one.
You can thank me later.
More Fun Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
- Semolina Yogurt Cake
- One-Bowl Chocolate Guinness Cake
- Vanilla Cake
- One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
- Applesauce Cake
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
- Healthy Smash Cake for Baby’s First Birthday
Favorite Tools
The Best Chocolate Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Saucepan
- Stand Mixer
- Bundt Pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 ¼ cups + 1 tablespoon Brewed Coffee
- ¾ cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
- 2 ¼ cups Sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 ¼ cups + 1 tablespoon Buttermilk
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon Canola Oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 ½ cups + 2 tablespoon All Purpose Flour, sifted
Chocolate Glaze:
- 3 oz Unsweetened Chocolate, roughly chopped
- 6 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
- ¼ cup Sour Cream
- ⅛ cup Brewed Coffee, at room temp
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle the inside with flour.
- Make the Cake:Combine brewed coffee and cocoa powder in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool back down to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- When the the coffee mixture is nearly cool, combine sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs and egg yolk in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on low until evenly combined, 1 minute.
- Add buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract and mix on low for 1 minute. Add flour and mix on medium for 2 minutes. Add cooled coffee mixture and mix on medium for 3 minutes. (Note: The batter will be very runny and should pour easily.)
- Pour into bundt pan and bake until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, 60 minutes.
- Let the cake cool completely before flipping it out onto a cake stand. At this point you can keep the cake at room temperature or refrigerate it (covered with plastic wrap) for 1 day.
- Make the Glaze: Put chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl a over a pot of barely simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water directly; or use a double broiler). Heat, stirring frequently, until fully melted.
- In another bowl, melt the butter (I do this in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between each).
- Whisk melted butter into melted chocolate until fully incorporated. Sift in half the powdered sugar. Add the sour cream and whisk to combine.
- Sift in the remaining powdered sugar and whisk until smooth (you'll have to use some elbow grease here!). When fully mixed, the glaze should be thick and shiny.
- Add coffee and whisk again to create a glossy glaze. (A couple times, I've had to add a splash of additional hot water to get the glaze smooth and creamy.)
- Pour the glaze over the surface of the cake, letting it drip down the sides and middle.
- Let the glaze set for at least 1 hour before serving.
Nutrition
*This post contains affiliate links*
It's not snowing here this weekend, but it's so cold that only a family breakfast out could save the weekend. Pancakes for all!
Maggie Fisher
Jess, I simply do not like coffee flavor in anything, dessert or otherwise, can I substitute say, milk, or perhaps water, for the liquid, this recipe looks beyond great, definitely want to try asap.
Maggie
Jess
I remember you have that coffee dislike, Maggie. YES - you can definitely just use water as a substitute and the result will still be great. Milk might alter the level on a more science-y level, so I'd just stick with water. I think you'll love this one (sans coffee of course!).
Kayley
Would it be possible to substitute white chocolate chips for the glaze? I have two chocolate lovers in my house- one who likes milk and one who likes white so I'm hoping to please them both. 🙂
Jess
Kayley - I think white chocolate chips would work great! And be so pretty too!
doris
I agree with on the coffee stuff cuz I the same way
Tahani
This might sound like a goofy question, but would you consider this a moist cake? I've made a few chocolate bundt cakes and they always come out too dry for my taste.
Jess
Tahani - this cake is super moist. I didn't think I liked bundt cakes before this one because I agree, many are too dry for my tastes. This one will not disappoint - I promise!
Vicki Chatham
I have been reading that if you use baking soda in a cake you should use regular unsweetened cocoa (like Hersheys) and use Dutch processed cocoa with baking powder (not baking soda). I am totally confused now on what to do.
Vicki Chatham
Me again, I am assuming, however, that the way you made the cake - w/baking soda and Dutch processed cocoa, your cake turned out great.
Kristine Suhm
I made this delightful recipe tonight and we are lovingly calling it the chocolate monstrosity cake! I did top it with semi sweet ganache, melted white chocolate, and mini chocolate chips too. Wish I could post a picture because it is absolutely yummy looking not to mention insanely good! Thanks for sharing! I don't generally have buttermilk on hand so I used an old trick my grandmother taught me by using a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and enough milk or cream to make a cup and it came out amazing!
Emily
I made this today for tonight's dessert. It was SO good! In full disclosure, I did make one substitution - I subbed 1/2 cup of coconut oil for 1/2 cup of the canola oil. Everything else was as written. I topped it with fresh raspberries. Did I was it was good? Everybody LOVED it. I will definitely keep this recipe and make it again!
Sidney
OMG! This is the best chocolate cake that I have ever made! Several of my friends tasted it and absolutely loved it! My husband, Çharley, said that it is the best chocolate cake he had ever had. And he is 79. This is really a keeper!
Paloma
Super delish! Thanks for the recipe!
Patti
This is the absolute, best chocolate cake I have ever tasted. I made it the first time for the solar eclipse in August and sprinkled white and blue sugar crystals on the top to represent the stars in the eclipse sky. Everyone enjoyed it and said it was so moist and flavorful. So, on my recipe card it reads, "Eclipse Chocolate Cake"
Jess
Patti - I love the "Eclipse Chocolate Cake" idea! Wish I had thought of it before the big day. 😉 Glad you liked it!
Kai Jastia
Amazing recipe! This is a keeper!!! Thank you for sharing.
Jess
You're so welcome! It's one of our favorites for sure. Thanks for letting us know Kai!
Rachel
I am wondering about the Dutch processed cocoa. I have never used it. I have been reading about it and the articles say to use baking powder with it not baking soda as it will not rise properly. Can regular cocoa powder be substituted?
Jess
Hi Rachel - I've read the same thing about baking powder and Dutch processed cocoa, but I've never tested the results myself. However, I can tell you that I have made this recipe as-written with regular cocoa powder and it came out great. The chocolate flavor wasn't quite as deep and riche as with Dutch processed, but the cake rose and tasted great!
Rebecca Walker
Hi Susan, Would like to make mini bundt cakes. How much batter should I put in the pans and how long for the cooking time?
Lisa Corder
Spectacular! This is an amazing bundt cake! I've already made it twice. It's gotten rave reviews from everyone who has tried it. Super moist and chocolatey. A definite keeper! Thank you for this recipe.
Susan
I am making this as we speak. Even with 11/2 c of powdered sugar, this glaze is like water. Why? It’s too thin to be a ganache, too.
Jess
Hi Susan - I hope you were able to make this work. The ganache for this recipe can be a bit finicky and varies a bit in thickness. Even using the same ingredients every time, I do often have some variability in thickness. I just add additional powdered sugar until it reaches the right thickness.
Lisa Langston
I am making this cake in the morning! I have a question. Can I use baking cocoa instead of the 3 oz Unsweetened Chocolate? If so how much? And how many teaspoons is 1/8 cup? Thank you for your time!!!
Jess
Hi Lisa - I'm seeing this a bit late, but I hope this turned out for you! Unfortunately, I wouldn't have been much help with this question, as I've never tried that substitute.
Susan
Thank you, Jess! This is a fabulous, very moist cake! I made it tonight and my chocolate-lover husband is in chocolate heaven! I didn’t have quite enough sour cream so I added a little vanilla yoghurt to make up the difference. I also used milk and vinegar to sub for Buttermilk. It rose beautifully; to the very top of my large bundt pan! My husband says “the frosting is so creamy it compliments the cake pergectly!” The coffee is not noticeable but brings a real deep richness to the chocolate. Absolutely delicious and a keeper for my family.
Susan
I used about 3-4 tablespoons of Hershey’s unsweetened powdered chocolate in my frosting (and cake) and it turned out just fabulous. I jockeyed the powdered sugar a little until I got near the consistency in the photo and then needed to add a few drops of coffee to thin it. Wouldn’t hesitate to make it this way again.
Natascha
Hi there Jess, first of all, I must say I really enjoyed reading through your website. I have bookmarked it to keep coming back 🙂
I made the chocolate bundt cake and although everyone loved it at my daughter's birthday party, it was a little denser than how it looks in the picture. I am sure it's me; I used instant coffee as I didn't have brewed one and I "made" buttermilk by mixing the right amount of vinegar and whole milk. Do you think those might have affected my results? Thanks Jess.
Jess
Hi Natascha - so glad the chocolate cake was a success - it's hard to go wrong with chocolate, even if it turned out a bit more dense than expected. I think the instant coffee wouldn't affect your results, but it's definitely possible that the buttermilk would. Even though I often use a homemade buttermilk substitute (just like you did), it does occasionally affect the finished results when I use it in baking. I should also add a note to the recipe that this is a good batter to watch for over-mixing. I always stop mixing it as soon as everything is combined as I've found over-mixing can result in it being a tad more dense as well. Hope that helps!!
Norma
This cake is amazing. I made it for my family, everyone loved it. So moist. The best..Thank you for sharing this
Barbara Goetsch
The recipe says it can be kept for 1 day. is there a reason for only keeping it for 1 day? I can't make a rating yet as it is still in the oven!!
Jess
Hi Barbara - you make a good point. It definitely can be kept for more than a day, but I find that the quality / texture declines after a day. I have other cakes I make that are still good (and even improve) up to 2 to 3 days after baking. In my experience, this isn't one of them. You can DEFINITELY still eat it a few days after baking. I just don't find it to be as good.
Myrna
Can you make the cake and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap after it has cooled, and then freeze it for a few days, and then frost it?
Jess
Myrna - absolutely! This freezes and defrosts well - I've done it exactly the way you describe.
Musicalee
Hi, I used Hershey's Special Dark Choc Cocoa and EVOO for the Canola. I think Kahluha would work great as a sub for the coffee. I wasn't think and used semi-sweet choc chips and didn't cut back enough on the conf sugar so the icing was a little too sweet for me, however with the moist dark choc cake it may work out great. Will let you know. : )
Codie
Hi, I’ve made this cake a couple times and it is absolutely moist and delicious!! I wanted to make it as a birthday cake. Can a make it as a layered cake? Thanks
Jess
Codie - so glad you like it! It's a favorite of ours too! I've never tried it as a layer cake, but I'm sure it would work. If you try it, please send me a note - I'd love to know how it goes.
yin
Hi, can i substitute the Dutch processed cocoa powder with cacao powder instead? Do i reduce the the amount by half or? Thanks for your help!
Hannah
My friend made this cake and it was soo good so I asked for the recipe. I was wondering if I could use a normal round tin since I don’t have a bundt cake tin?
Jess
Hi Hannah - I haven't ever tried it in a regular round tin, but I'd love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Sara Howard
Can you use this recipe to make it as a 9 x 13 cake?
Jess
Hi Sara - I actually have never tried it in a cake pan, but would love to hear how it turned out if you did!
Lori
Oh my! I made this today and I have to say this is the best chocolate bundt cake I have ever made! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
Jess
You're so welcome, Lori! It's always a crowd pleaser at our house!
Cheryl
I had my doubts but you are telling the truth - this IS truly THE best chocolate bundt cake. I made it yesterday and it is AMAZING. I was concerned about how liquid the batter was, but it set up perfectly and this cake is SO moist. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you so much for sharing it!
Jess
Thanks so much for letting me know, Cheryl - and I'm so glad you liked it as much as we do. I agree - the batter is surprisingly liquid-y, but it turns out so well every time!
Laura
Does this cake have to be kept in fridge? How long can it be left out on the counter before going into the fridge? Was thinking about making it for a Christmas party but really don’t want to serve it cold...
Jess
If you make it a day ahead, I'd refrigerate it overnight, Laura. In that case, just pull it from the fridge a few hours before serving. Otherwise, If you're baking it the same day you're serving it, I'd definitely recommend just leaving it out at room temp the entire day. I agree - it's better served at room temp.
Lydia
I made this cake tonight and it turned out amazing and delicious!
I read your all’s bio and found it interesting that you all live in Kansas City, my family and I lived there for many years, and my dad has been to Bangkok Thailand for ministry! Thank you for the recipe!
MasterRusk
Such a beautiful cake! What lovely flavors 😀 MasterRusk
Karen
This is the best homemade cake I’ve ever made! I love cooking + baking from scratch... but cakes I resigned to box years ago. Most homemade recipes lacked - big time. This was, and still is spectacular.
FYI, yes the batter is ‘extremely runny’. So much so I almost tossed the whole thing. But it bakes perfect.
I made this with my kids for Christmas desert. Relatively simple. In the future I’d probably even use the microwave to heat the coffee and cocoa in a large Pyrex measuring cup. I didn’t have all the ganache ingredients so I made, and piped on a simple, loose, vanilla buttercream. This is going to be our new Xmas desert tradition!!
Jess
Wonderful! Thanks so much for the note, Karen! And for the note about the runny batter. I'm going to add a note about that in the recipe now, since it can definitely make you think the recipe has gone wrong. But it always bakes up great! What a fun tradition!
Vorn
Honestly delicious! It was flattened with in ten minutes of cutting the first slice!
Jess
Ha - that's good to hear! That's what happens to it in our house too.
Emma Saffel
Hi I was wondering if it’s possible to use gluten free flour instead?
Emma Saffel
And if so what kind do you think would be the best?
Jess
Hi Emma - I've never tried this with gluten free flour, but there are some really great blends out there, so I think it might work. Just be sure to use a gluten-free flour that's a 1:1 sub for all-purpose flour. Let me know how it turns out!
Sherry A Coffin
This was the richest, deepest chocolate cake I have ever baked. My mother only baked from scratch but this easy, and I mean EASY, scratch cake has become the hit of my house. I baked it twice this weekend to see if it came out any different-Nope. I was concerned at how heavy it was(in actual weight) but it was the same on the second baking. I actually ate approximately 1/6 of it before I frosted. The frosting was a bit heavy after enjoying the wonderful chocolate flavor alone. Honestly a little powdered sugar for effect would be enough for a show stopping dessert. I bought a new Bundt pan and a new can of Guittard(the only chocolate I use) chocolate and couldn't wait to try this recipe. The frosting was better on the second day and I will use a cream cheese one next.
Patricia
Made this for church Wednesday night..... was delicious.... so moist. Great recipe
Jess
Wonderful - I'n so glad you enjoyed it Patricia. Thank you for the note.
Helen
My husband baked this cake for my birthday last year and it was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. I’m a chocoholic and have tested many recipes in the past.
This weekend is my birthday and I just resent him the link!
Even he and our kids (who all usually prefer vanilla cakes) loved it. And everyone remembers the glaze fondly!
Jess
Helen - Happy early birthday! Enjoy it! (And thank you so much for the kind note.)
Sam
Hi, I have used this recipe often and everyone loves. Absolute best chocolate cake. Quick question, I would like to try a vanilla variation of this recipe. All the vanilla bundt recipe's that I have seen, all look too try. If I were to try a vanilla variation with this recipe, what would I need to change? Would leaving out the chocolate/coffee mixture change the texture and if so what should I substitute for the liquid component? Any ideas?
Jess Smith
Sam - I'm so glad you're enjoying the cake. It's one of my absolute favorites. I have not tried making this as a vanilla cake, so I'm not sure if it would work or not. I've tried making my One Bowl Chocolate Cake in a vanilla version, and can't ever get the recipe to work, so I'm not sure if it will work here. If I were guessing, I'd start by using water instead of coffee and reducing that liquid measurement (maybe by half?) to account for the fact that there will be less dry ingredients after removing the cocoa powder. I'd also increase the vanilla extract to 2.5 tsp just to be sure there's solid vanilla flavor. I'd love to hear how it goes if you do try it!
Judy
This is one of the BEST chocolate cakes I’ve made EVER!! Excellent recipe. I have sensitivity to dairy so substituted buttermilk for can full fat coconut milk and it was incredible. Thank you!
BakerDad
Best chocolate cake habds down... I've made this cake several times for my family. My 88 year old grandmother says it's the best she's had. I recently tried it as cupcakes. They were amazing!!
Jess Smith
Oh that's awesome to hear!
doris stuart
cake looks good but i would try making a peanut butter frosting and putting it but have not to soupy or thick
Jess Smith
That sounds delicious! Great idea.