It isn’t too good to be true - this really is The Perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake. Soft and moist with a rich chocolatey flavor and a luscious ganache to top it off. Plus, we’ve included all our favorite tips so you have a guaranteed winner every. single. time.
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If you’ve been around for awhile, you’ve probably caught the drift that we love to serve crowds. Because really nothing else brings people together the way good food does! When it comes to desserts, bundt cakes are always a go-to choice - they are crowd-pleasing, easy, and can be made ahead.
The Perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake has passed through our kitchen countless times and never ceases to amaze us. It is moistened with buttermilk and oil, and just a bit of hot coffee perfectly enhances the chocolate flavor. Plus it’s a full size bundt cake (I’m not a fan of wimpy bundt cakes that come out 2 inches too short 😬). There is SO much goodness in this cake!
If you want more bundt cake recipes, try this Ultimate White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake or this easy Chocolate Kahlua Bundt Cake.
🍫 Ingredients
🥣 Instructions
Brewed coffee: A darker roast will lend more flavor to the cake, but any brewed coffee will work well.
Cocoa powder: I usually use regular cocoa powder because that’s what I have on hand. But the cake also comes out great with dutch processed cocoa powder.
Sugar: Just simple granulated sugar.
Kosher salt: Always my salt of choice.
Baking soda: This will activate with the buttermilk to help the cake rise.
Eggs and egg yolk: The extra egg yolk will add an extra bit of moisture to the cake.
Buttermilk: Moistens the cake and rounds out the flavor.
Vegetable oil: The other key moistening ingredient.
Vanilla: Even in a chocolate cake, vanilla makes a big impact on overall flavor.
Flour: Just regular, all-purpose flour.
Chocolate chips: Dark or bittersweet. My favorite brand is Ghirardelli.
Heavy cream: The fat content here is important, so don’t substitute with half and half or milk.
The cake can be boiled down to 6 simple steps.
1. Microwave the coffee and cocoa powder, stirring well until the mixture is smooth.
2. Combine the sugar, salt, baking soda, and eggs in a stand mixer or bowl with hand beaters.
3. Add the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
4. Add the flour and combine until just mixed.
5. Incorporate the coffee-chocolate mixture.
6. Pour into a greased 10-inch bundt pan and bake!
Next up is the ganache. It’s super easy. Simply microwave heavy cream for about 45 seconds, pour it over chocolate chips, and leave it be for 3 minutes. As it sits, the chocolate will melt. After 3 minutes, whisk until smooth and pour it over the cooled cake.
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
Of all desserts, bundt cakes are naturally great for serving crowds. I find that they typically serve 15-16 comfortably, especially when you add a small scoop of ice cream on top. If you are serving this at a party, I highly suggest making it ahead and freezing (see instructions below).
🙋 Questions & Answers
Yes, that is one of the beautiful things about bundt cake! You can make it 1-3 months ahead and freeze it without the ganache (see freezing instructions below). Or you can make it 1-2 days ahead and refrigerate it. In this case, only ganache the cake if you have an airtight cake carrier to store in the fridge. Otherwise, wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and ganache it on the day of serving.
Yes - and you probably should! Cake becomes more moist after refrigerating or freezing, so making it ahead is a great option. To freeze the cake, allow it to cool fully and skip the ganache. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for 1-3 months. Before serving, allow the cake to thaw at room temperature for 5-8 hours (keep it wrapped while thawing). Once thawed, ganache the cake and allow another 1-2 hours for the ganache to set before serving.
Use baking spray (not just non-stick spray) and use a generous amount. Baking spray has flour in the base, which helps prevent sticking. My favorite is Baker's Joy Original Spray.
After removing the cake from the oven, allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Then, using oven mitts, flip the pan in one quick motion onto a cooling rack (don’t be afraid to move quickly… moving slowly may cause the cake to crack or fall out before you’re ready). Gently lift the pan straight up, releasing the cake. Allow to cool fully before moving.
My favorite method is to use ganache because it is easy to make and falls beautifully on bundt cakes. Allow the cake to cool fully so that the ganache doesn’t melt off. Place the cake on a cooling rack, then place the cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Pour a thick layer of ganache onto the top of the cake, allowing it to fall down both sides. After you’ve gone around the whole cake, go back while it is still wet and add more ganache in any spots that are bare or look odd. Lastly, pick up the cooling rack and tap it gently, but firmly, on the cookie sheet. This will help the ganache fall evenly and smoothly on the cake.
Typically, a 10-inch bundt cake can comfortably serve 14-16 people. You can cut slices thinner to serve more if needed.
Because bundt cakes are tall, I always store them in a cake carrier like this one. You can store the cake on the counter or in the fridge for 2-3 days (I recommend the fridge to increase moistness).
📖 More dessert recipes
- Moist Orange Loaf Cake (with oil) - For the best loaf cake of your life, you have to try this. Bold claim, but I stand by it. Tons of fresh orange flavor!
- Baked White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake - A classy flavor combination in a rich, creamy cheesecake.
- Fruit Pizza Bar - A sweet, summery dessert that everyone can assemble for their own personal treat.
- Golden Graham Rice Krispie Treats - These are soft and gooey rice krispie treats bursting with golden, toasty flavor.
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- First, check out the Q&A section above - it’s full of helpful tips to make this cake a success!
- Make sure the coffee-cocoa powder mixture is cooled before mixing it into the batter. If it’s warm, you risk scrambling the eggs and ending up with a lumpy batter 😬.
- A secret to making any cake more moist is to refrigerate it overnight or freeze it. I highly recommend making this cake ahead to allow time for one of those options - it really does make a difference!
- Move the cake from the cooling rack to a cake plate using a cake lifter like this one. Makes moving cakes SO easy.
👋 Connect with us!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let us know how it is! We’d also love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Tag @borrowedbites or hashtag #borrowedbites to show us your food! To get our new recipes straight to your email, subscribe to our newsletter.
📋 Recipe
The Perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake, Every Single Time
Ingredients
Bundt Cake
- Baking spray
- 1 ¼ cups brewed coffee
- ¾ cup cocoa powder regular or dutch processed
- 2 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups flour
Ganache
- ½ cup heavy cream plus 1-3 tablespoon if needed
- 6 oz chocolate chips dark or bittersweet
Instructions
Bundt Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan generously with baking spray.
- Combine the coffee and cocoa powder in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 ½-2 minutes, whisking well every 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a bowl with a hand mixer, combine the sugar, kosher salt, baking soda, eggs, and egg yolk on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl with rubber spatula.
- Add buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl.
- Add flour and mix on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl.
- Add cooled coffee-cocoa powder mixture and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl.
- Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake on the center rack for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Invert the warm cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully.
Ganache Instructions
- Once the cake is cool, microwave heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl for 45-60 seconds until hot, but not boiling. Pour over the chocolate chips and let sit without stirring for 3 minutes. Then whisk until the ganache is smooth. (If the ganache is not smooth or is too thick, heat an additional 1-3 tablespoon of cream in the microwave until hot, then pour into ganache and whisk. Do NOT microwave the ganache).
- Place the bundt cake on a cooling rack, and set the cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing excess ganache to drip onto the cookie sheet (see more tips in the Q&A section of this post). Allow ganache to set 1-2 hours before serving.
Notes
- First, check out the Q&A section in the post - it’s full of helpful tips to make this cake a success!
- Make sure the coffee-cocoa powder mixture is cooled before mixing it into the batter. If it’s warm, you risk scrambling the eggs and ending up with a lumpy batter 😬.
- A secret to making any cake more moist is to refrigerate it overnight or freeze it. I highly recommend making this cake ahead to allow time for one of those options - it really does make a difference!
- Move the cake from the cooling rack to a cake plate using a cake lifter like this one. Makes moving cakes SO easy.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Erica Mallon says
Despite oiling tin and waiting 15 minutes etc - it stuck. But taste was great.
Danielle says
So sorry to hear that your cake stuck. When it comes to bundt cakes it is very important to use baking spray that contains flour. If you don't have access to baking spray the best thing is to very carefully oil and then flour (or cocoa powder) the baking pan. Just using oil will not allow the cake to release. We like Joy and Pam brand of baking spray. Hope that helps!
Angela M says
My sister in law made this cake.I tried it and thought it was amazing. She added the zest of 2 oranges, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon & 1/4 tsp of cayenne to give it a Mexican twist. I needed to bring something to a Mexican inspired party, so guess what’s in the oven?!? I can’t wait to show it off! Thanks!!
Danielle says
Thank you so much for letting us know. It genuinely makes our day to hear from people that are making our recipes. A Mexican twist is such a good idea!
EB says
I baked this in parallel with another recipe as I’m in search for the best chocolate bundt cake recipe. This cake was moist but unfortunately it was crumbly. Maybe it needs 1 more egg or something. Without the ganache, I thought that it lacked richness in flavor. The method was also a little different as it asked to beat the baking soda with the egg and sugar. I’m not sure if that has an impact at all to the desired outcome of this recipe.
Azure says
This is literally the best chocolate cake in the history of chocolate cake!!! I've made it now 3 or 4 times and decided I like it best topped with a dusting of powdered sugar. It's easy, comes out super moist and is absolutely delicious!!!
Danielle says
I couldn't agree more! Haha! I am getting ready to pop a couple in the freezer for two different weddings. They always get rave reviews. And thanks for taking the time to let us know! It genuinely makes our day!
Cindy says
This really is good!!
Danielle says
Well said! Thanks for taking the time to let us know how much you enjoyed it! Happy eating!
Nicole Sanchez says
This cake is amazing!
Danielle says
Thank you so much for letting us know! It really makes our day! Happy baking!
Brittany says
Wonderful! I made this for my little guy’s first birthday. So delicious! I had a 6 cup bundt cake pan & baked for 40 minutes. The rest went into tiny bundt pans for around 12 minutes. Came out lovely!
Danielle says
Yay! Thanks for taking the time to comment, and happy birthday to your son!
Alex says
Do you refrigerate before putting on the ganache or after?
Danielle says
You can do it either way, but only ganache the cake if you have an airtight cake carrier to store in the fridge. Otherwise, wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and ganache it on the day of serving. Hope that helps. Happy baking!
Lauren says
This was THE BEST cake I’ve ever baked in my life and so easy! It lasted a week between my husband and I and remained moist and delicious the entire time. SO GOOD!
Danielle says
Lauren,
It genuinely makes our day when people take time to let us know how much they enjoyed a recipe! Thank you so much, and we couldn't agree more - this is the BEST cake! Happy baking!
Mary says
I followed this recipe to a “T” and it was very dry! I was expecting it to be super moist since it had so much oil and buttermilk in it. I will refrigerate it it to see if that helps. Also, I only cooked it 50 minutes and expected the toothpick to be a little wet when I checked it but it was dry!
Danielle says
Mary,
I am so sorry to hear that this cake came out dry for you. It should be very moist. I would love to help troubleshoot this for you. Did you use store-bought buttermilk? And was the batter very liquidy - almost as thin as milk or water? Let's see if we can figure this out.
Mary says
Sorry it took so long for me to update my post. I found the longer my cake sat the more moist it became. In the end this was super moist and I i’m just getting ready to make it again!
Danielle says
Mary,
I am so glad to hear that you feel it is worth making again! I did want to mention that a cake should not be cut into until it is fully cooled, and as stated in the post, preferably after being refrigerated or frozen. Otherwise it will be more dry. Again, thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback! Happy eating!
Aspen says
Aw, I saw this comment and was really sad. I’m not a great cook but have made this a ton of times and never once had a problem. It’s worth another shot if you’re willing. People in my social circles die for this cake.
Doris says
Why do u have to put it in the refrigerator cuz of topping. don't like my cakes in refrigerator and takes to long to come to room temperature
Misty says
You do not have to refrigerate it, however cakes get extra moist after refrigerating! We think it is worth the extra step, but feel free to skip it.
doris says
ok thanks so much for answering
Doris says
The cake looks good but I would omit the coffee for water or hot chocolate cuz I don't drink coffee and don't like the taste with it in it
Misty says
The coffee does not make the cake taste like coffee, but actually makes it taste more chocolatey. Hot water works great if you prefer to omit the coffee, though!
Aspen says
This is my absolute favorite cake. I have been craving it for the last two weeks and almost left work in the middle of the day earlier this week
to go home and make this cake, ha! It’s really that good. Never had it turn out poorly, and I’ve probably made it around 10 times (don’t judge me, haha). So great recipe! Everywhere I take it, people rave. It’s my go-to for social events.
Danielle says
Such high praise! Thanks for letting us know!
Pam says
Made this cake for my aunt’s birthday and it got rave reviews. Definitely one of the best chocolate cakes I ever made. Thanks for the terrific recipe
Misty says
So happy you loved it! Thanks for taking the time to share your success 😀
Rachel Rajan says
I am trying this recipe as I’m now in India. Moving from Texas to a country with metrics mostly always is new. I’m baking the cake at 160°C for one hour 20 minutes. Also did not have buttermilk so had to make my or using milk and then Vinegar. Going to visit a family and wanted to take something with me. I hope 🤞🏽 this works. It’s chocolate cake so what’s not to like!
Rachel Rajan says
It was a wonderful cake.... moist and delicious! It worked out for Indian life. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Danielle says
So happy to hear it was a success! Thanks for letting us know!
Lisa says
This chocolate Bundt cake is truly PERFECT!!! Thank you for the fabulous directions and tips!!! And thank you for this wonderful recipe!!! I followed all your tips and suggestions and they were so helpful!!! Thanks again for your recipes and tips!!! ❤️
Danielle says
This one is my son’s all-time favorite! So glad to hear that our tips were useful! 😉 Your comment made our day! Thanks!
Julie says
This is my 4th time making this Daughter in laws favorite.
Always make it the night before ❤
Misty says
We're so glad you love it!
Prisha says
Egg substitute plz ?
Danielle says
So sorry, but we are not familiar with egg substitutes.
Julie says
I made this for Fathers Day and it went over so well! I made it the day before and refrigerated it overnight. It was so moist and the coffee gave it amazing flavor!
Misty says
Glad it turned out well!
Rebecca says
Amazing and easy. I highly recommend and will definitely make again. Appreciated not having to buy special equipment to make lava cakes. Follow the recipe exactly with the exception of sifting flour, and sugar together. Made in the morning, refrigerated, then pulled out while eating dinner to bring to room temperature and bake for afterwards. Everyone raved about these and my older nephews even requested the recipe. I look forward to making for my book club!
Martha Quintero says
Can I change the Buttermilk for another Milk ??
Danielle says
Hi, Martha. We have always had best results using store-bought buttermilk. However, you can try making your own. In a liquid measuring cup put 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Then fill with milk up to the 1 1/4 line. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Let us know how it goes!