The Best Chocolate Bundt Cake
Published Nov 09, 2023•Updated Mar 11, 2024
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This chocolate bundt cake is a rich and fudgy chocolate lover’s dream. The moist, tender crumbs and dense cake-y texture are hard to resist, and will literally melt in your mouth, and the creamy chocolate glaze adds another layer of sweet chocolaty goodness.
Chocolate bundt cakes are special cakes. They are easy to make to satisfy a chocolate craving, but their gorgeous domed shape and intricate patterns makes them feel like special occasion cakes. The secret to this moist bundt cake, and what puts it at the front of the pack when it comes to the best chocolate bundt cake recipes, is using a combination of Dutch-processed cocoa powder and coffee to give the cake an intense, next-level chocolate flavor.
The generous drizzle of glaze on top turns glossy and smooth when it sets, and the entire cake looks like it came from your favorite “fancy” neighborhood bakery. This cake is the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth, and impress your guests.
What is bundt cake?
Bundt cakes are cakes that are made using a specialty baking pan called a bundt cake pan. These cake pans, which became popular in the US in the 1950s and 60s when Nordic Ware introduced them, give cakes a high, elevated look, and a thick, almost doughnut-like shape. Bundt cake pans are also known for their mold’s eye-catching patterns, which range from a simple fluted design to seasonal harvest and holiday themes.
How to Make It
Make the Cake:
- Prep the coffee and cocoa. Heat brewed coffee and cocoa powder in a small saucepan, whisking frequently. When combined, let cool.
- Make the batter. Combine sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs and egg yolk in the bowl of a standing mixer, followed by the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour, then add the cooled coffee.
- Bake. Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 60 minutes.
- Cool cake before glazing. When the cake is cool, flip it out onto a cake stand.
Make the Glaze:
- Melt the chocolate. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl, then combine with the melted butter.
- Add powdered sugar. Sift in half the powdered sugar, and add the sour cream. Continue stirring, and add remaining powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.
- Thin the glaze. Add coffee and whisk for a glossy glaze.
- Glaze. Pour the glaze over the surface of the cake. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- Brewed Coffee – Adding coffee to chocolate baked goods makes all of that chocolaty flavor even more rich and intense.
- Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder – Dutch-process cocoa powder has smooth, chocolaty notes, and deepens the cake’s color.
- Sugar – Sugar brings unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder to life.
- Kosher Salt, Baking Soda – Standard cake ingredients.
- Eggs – Eggs are the binding ingredient in this recipe, and provide the cake with a moist texture.
- Egg Yolk – An extra egg yolk adds extra richness to the bundt cake.
- Buttermilk – Creamy, tangy buttermilk balances all of the decadent chocolate, and gives the cake a nice crumble texture.
- Vegetable Oil – Neutral vegetable oil helps to create a super moist bundt cake.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Vanilla plus chocolate equals a match made in bundt cake heaven!
- All-Purpose Flour – No specialty cake flour for this recipe, just a simple pantry staple.
Chocolate Glaze:
- Unsweetened Baking Chocolate – Roughly chop the chocolate to speed the melting process. Use an unsweetened baking chocolate so the glaze doesn’t get too sweet when you start adding the powdered sugar.
- Unsalted Butter – Use unsalted butter to control the salt in the glaze.
- Powdered Sugar – To sweeten the glaze, and give it a shining, glossy finish when it sets.
- Sour Cream – Tangy sour cream creates a balanced chocolate glaze that is just the right amount of sweet.
- Brewed Coffee – Any type of coffee with work. Make sure the coffee is room temperature so it integrates easily.
Make Ahead
This incredibly moist chocolate bundt cake can be made the day before you’re ready to ‘wow’ your guests. Store the cake unglazed in a tightly-sealed container at room temperature or refrigerate, and add the glaze before serving.
How to store
Store the baked and glazed bundt cake at room temperature for 4 days in a sealed container. Leftovers can be stored for 1 to 2 days in an airtight container.
Recipe Tips
- If the chocolate glaze is a little too thick, add a splash of hot water to smooth things out and achieve a texture and consistency that’s perfect for pouring over the cake.
- Patience is key when it comes to removing the bundt cake from the baking pan. Make sure the cake is totally cool before attempting to turn it out of the pan.
- Don’t be shy about spraying every nook and cranny of the bundt pan. It will make removing the cake in one beautifully formed piece so much easier.
Variations
- Try different glazes – A simple vanilla glaze is supremely satisfying on top of a piece of moist chocolate bundt cake. Those who love chocolate and berry fruit flavors together could try a strawberry or raspberry glaze.
- Use different toppers – A dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream add a nice contrast to the chocolate in this bundt cake.
- Add buttercream frosting – If you’re wondering if you can frost a bundt cake instead of using a glaze, the answer is yes! Try piping a chocolate buttercream frosting or vanilla buttercream on top.
FAQs
Using a chocolate ganache or a chocolate glaze isn’t required in this recipe, but it does add more dreamy chocolate flavor. If you want a sweet, chocolatey cake, but want to skip the glaze or ganache, try dusting the top with a little powdered sugar instead. Just make sure the cake is completely cool first. You could also indulge in a piece of this cake with no topping at all, and enjoy each moist, crumbly bite with a warm cup of coffee or tea.
Drizzling the glaze on a bundt cake to create that beautiful cascading glaze effect that we all associate with these delicious cakes is easier than it looks. Simply position your bowl and glaze over the top of the cake, and begin spooning the glaze on the surface. Aim to place the glaze near the outer rim of the cake, and slowly pour/spoon your way around the entire cake.
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The Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Saucepan
- Stand Mixer
- Bundt Cake Pan
- Cake Stand
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
- 3/4 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/4 cups + 1 tablespoon buttermilk
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted
Chocolate Glaze:
- 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, roughly chopped
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee, at room temperature
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 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Amazing recipe! This is a keeper!!! Thank you for sharing.
You’re so welcome! It’s one of our favorites for sure. Thanks for letting us know Kai!
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”
Patti – I love the “Eclipse Chocolate Cake” idea! Wish I had thought of it before the big day. 😉 Glad you liked it!
Super delish! Thanks for the recipe!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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. 🙂
Kayley – I think white chocolate chips would work great! And be so pretty too!
I agree with on the coffee stuff cuz I the same way
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
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!).