It isn't too good to be true - this really is the perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe, every single time! With buttermilk to make it extra soft and moist, coffee to give it a rich chocolate flavor, and a lusciously smooth chocolate ganache, this dessert is simultaneously simple and crowd-pleasing. Plus we've included all our insider tips so you have a guaranteed winner every time!
This Perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe has passed through our kitchen countless times and never ceases to amaze us. This post shares the tips we've learned over the years so that you can have the same success and throw your baking stress out the door.
If you want more bundt moist cake recipes, try this Ultimate White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake or this easy Chocolate Kahlua Bundt Cake.
Bundt cakes are incredible for any and all occasions, from dinner parties to holiday gatherings to summertime picnics. Try it with your Game Day recipes, for your church small group, or bring it to the next work potluck. Watch the compliments pour in!
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What readers are saying
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ This is the best chocolate bundt cake ever. So so moist and delicious. Everyone who had a piece was obsessed and requested I make it 3 weeks in a row. I've also mixed it up with the toppings and tried a peanut butter drizzle on top. I'll never stop using this recipe. - Katie
Problems with other recipes
Too many of the chocolate bundt cake recipes out there are dry, bland, overly complicated to make, or simply don't yield a consistent result every time you make it. Not to mention the recipes that stick to the pan, overflow, or have a messy and unappealing frosting.
Why this recipe is great
If you follow this recipe and our tips, you will get a moist, tender cake that slides out of the pan effortlessly every time. It is richly flavored, full size ('m not a fan of wimpy bundt cakes that come out 2 inches too short 😬), and can be super successfully made ahead.
Ingredients for chocolate bundt cake
A full list and ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips for the best easy chocolate bundt cake:
- Brewed coffee: A darker roast will lend more flavor to the cake, but any brewed coffee will work well. The hot coffee will imitate the hot water trick used in many chocolate cake recipes, but add more flavor.
- Cocoa powder: I usually use regular, but you can substitute dark or dutch-processed cocoa powder too.
- Granulated sugar: Don't substitute the white sugar with brown sugar.
- Kosher salt: Always my salt of choice.
- Baking soda: Make sure you're baking soda is not expired for best results.
- Eggs and egg yolk: The extra egg yolk will add extra moisture.
- Buttermilk: I highly suggest using real buttermilk. I have tested multiple times with homemade buttermilk, but it does not produce the same results. Don't substitute with sour cream.
- Vegetable oil: You can also use canola oil.
- Vanilla extract: Even in a chocolate cake, vanilla makes a big impact on overall flavor.
- All purpose flour: I highly recommend using a fork to fluff up the flour in the container, then measure with a light hand, shaking off the excess until it's level. You don't want densely packed dry ingredients.
- Chocolate chips: Dark or bittersweet. My favorite brand is Ghirardelli.
- Heavy cream: The fat content here is important, so don't substitute with milk or half and half.
How to make moist chocolate bundt cake
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 large bowl with a hand mixer), combine the sugar, kosher salt, baking soda, eggs, and egg yolk on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl with rubber spatula.
Add buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl.
Add the flour to the wet ingredients 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 cake batter into a 12-cup bundt cake pan that has been sprayed generously with baking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F on the center rack for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then invert the warm cake on a cooling rack and let the cake cool fully.
How to glaze a bundt cake with ganache
Place the fully cooled bundt cake on a cooling rack, and set the cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Place the chocolate chips in a bowl or liquid measuring cup with a spout.
In a new bowl, microwave heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl for 45-60 seconds until very hot, but not quite boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips, cover with a plate, and let sit without stirring for 3 minutes.
After the three minutes, whisk until the ganache is smooth. It should be loose enough to pour, but thick enough that it only runs part way down the side of the cake. If it isn't 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.
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.
While the ganache is still warm, pick up the cooling rack and tap it a few times on the cookie sheet gently, but firmly. This will help the ganache fall evenly and smoothly on the cake. You can serve immediately or allow the chocolate glaze to set.
For a crowd
Bundt cakes are naturally great for serving crowds. A 12-cup bundt cake serves 14-15 people, and can serve more when you add a small scoop of ice cream on top. If you're making it for a party, I highly suggest following the make-ahead instructions below.
FAQs
Cake actually becomes more moist after refrigerating or freezing, so making it ahead is a great option. You can make it as directed and refrigerate for 1-2 days in an airtight cake carrier. If you don't have an airtight container, refrigerate the cake wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and ganache it on the day of serving.
Cake actually 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 tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, then 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 fully, ganache the cake fully.
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 or Pam Baking Spray (affiliate links).
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 wire rack (don't be afraid to move quickly… moving slowly may cause the cake to crack as it falls out). Gently lift the pan straight up, releasing the cake. Allow to cool fully before moving.
Once the cake is frosted, the easiest way to move it to a serving platter is with this cake lifter (affiliate). It makes is so EASY and you won't accidentally ruin the cake.
Because bundt cakes are tall, I always store them in a cake carrier (affiliate). You can store it at room temperature or in the fridge for 2-3 days, but I recommend the fridge to increase moistness.
Tips & tricks
- Read through the recipe before you start and follow it all the way. For best results, we don't suggest making changes unless we've specifically noted them.
- Make sure the coffee-cocoa powder mixture is cooled before mixing it into the batter so that you don't accidentally scramble the eggs.
- Measure the flour loosely (don't pack it into the measuring cups). Too much flour leads to a dry, dense cake.
- A secret to making any cake more moist is to refrigerate it overnight or freeze it. I highly recommend making it ahead to allow time for one of those options - it really does make a difference!
- For more tips and tricks, check out our Foolproof Bundt Cake Guide.
More dessert recipes
- Chocolate Lovers Molten Lava Cakes (in a muffin pan)
- The Best Orange Loaf Cake (with oil)
- Baked White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
- Mini Fruit Pizza Bar
- Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake
- Golden Graham Rice Krispie Treats
- French Silk Pie Recipe with Oreo Crust
- Coconut Bundt Cake
- Lemon Sugar Cookie
- Applebee's Blondie Recipe
Recipe
The Perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake (with buttermilk)
Equipment
- 12 cup Bundt pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
Bundt Cake
- 1 ¼ cups brewed coffee
- ¾ cup cocoa powder regular or dutch processed
- 2 ¼ cups granulated 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 all-purpose flour
Ganache
- ½ cup heavy cream plus 1-3 tablespoon if needed
- 6 oz quality chocolate chips dark or bittersweet (I like Ghirardelli)
Instructions
Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan generously with baking spray.
- Combine the coffee and cocoa powder in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1½ - 2 minutes, whisking well every 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.1 ¼ cups brewed coffee, ¾ cup cocoa powder
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or 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.2 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
- Add buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl.1 ¼ cups buttermilk, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Add flour and mix on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- Add the mostly cooled coffee-cocoa powder mixture (if it's too hot it will make the eggs lumpy) and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl. The batter will be very thin.
- Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake on the center rack for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Invert the warm cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place the fully cooled bundt cake on a cooling rack, and set the cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Place the chocolate chips in a bowl or liquid measuring cup with a spout. In a new bowl, microwave heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl for 45-60 seconds until very hot, but not quite boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips, cover with a plate, and let sit without stirring for 3 minutes.½ cup heavy cream, 6 oz quality chocolate chips
- After the three minutes, whisk until the ganache is smooth. It should be loose enough to pour, but thick enough that it only runs part way down the side of the cake. If it isn't smooth or is too thick, heat an additional 1-3 tablespoon of cream in the microwave until hot, then pour into ganache and whisk until desried consistenct is reached. Do NOT microwave the ganache.
- 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.
- While the ganache is still warm, pick up the cooling rack and tap it a few times on the cookie sheet gently, but firmly. This will help the ganache fall evenly and smoothly on the cake. You can serve immediately or allow the ganache to set.
Notes
- Read through the recipe before you start and follow it all the way. For best results, we don't suggest making changes unless we've specifically noted them.
- Make sure the coffee-cocoa powder mixture is cooled before mixing it into the batter so that you don't accidentally scramble the eggs.
- Measure the flour loosely (don't pack it into the measuring cups). Too much flour leads to a dry, dense cake.
- A secret to making any cake more moist is to refrigerate it overnight or freeze it. I highly recommend making it ahead to allow time for one of those options - it really does make a difference!
- For more tips and tricks, check out our Foolproof Bundt Cake Guide.
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.
Jacqui says
This is the best chocolate cake I’ve tried! Easy to follow and make! I recommend butter and flouring the cake tin instead of spraying it with oil. This procedure never failed me with getting the cake out of the tin cake very clean. Unfortunately, the first time I followed the instructions for this part and was not great 😕.
Misty says
Hi Jacqui, we're so glad you love it as much as we do! I am glad you found success with butter and flour in the pan. I use Baker's Joy baking spray that has flour in it and liberally grease the pan with great success. Either way is great!
Michelle Yount says
My Aunt had someone make a cake for my retirement party ( retirws after 27 years teaching H. S. Science) using this recipe and using gluten free flour (Bob's Red Mill) and it was the best chocolate cake I have ever had! The baker made a small 4 layer cake with buttercream icing.
It was sooooo good! I will be using this recipe for chocolate cake from now on
Misty says
We're so glad it turned out well. And congrats on retiring!
KarenE says
I was looking for a recipe to use up some leftover buttermilk and stumbled upon this. The result was a fantastically moist and dense cake with terrific chocolate flavor. Refrigerated overnight and brought it to work the next day. It was gone long before lunch. I followed the instructions (almost) to a T. I added a teaspoon of cinnamon and baked it for 5 extra minutes. I also swapped the ganache for powdered sugar to make it easier to transport. Will be making this again, and again. 🙂
Mary says
Can I make little donuts instead of the bundt cake?
Misty says
Hi Mary! We have never tried that, but I think the texture would turn out good. You may have to test how full to fill the mold and definitely reduce the baking time. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Yvette says
This looks delicious. I wonder How a peanut butter drizzle over the ganache and some cut up Reese’s peanut butter cups would be with this cake
Danielle says
I think that would be delicious! We might be working on something very similar to that. Haha! It won't be out for a couple of months, but we do have a version with pb coming soon.
Missy says
Girls……Fantastic!
I followed all directions accordingly and got delicious results. MOIST. Not overly sweet. I drizzled espresso vinegar from Saratoga Olive Oil Company on the side. You guys should be proud of this recipe. Thank you.
Danielle says
Thanks for the kind words. So glad to hear that you enjoyed it as much as we do! The espresso vinegar sounds like something I need to try!
Katie says
This is the best chocolate buddy cake ever. So so moist and delicious. Everyone who had a piece was obsessed and requested I make it 3 weeks in a row. I’ve also mixed it up with the toppings and tried a peanut butter drizzle on top. I’ll never stop using this recipe.
Misty says
We're so glad you like it! This one is tried and true, and always our go to. Thanks for taking the time to share!
Julie says
I’ve been making the chocolate ganache cake for the last 5 years. Whenever there’s a family gathering of any sorts this is the cake that is always requested for me to make! Simply delicious!
Misty says
So glad you like it!
Karen says
I am making this now. It is very runny and running over the bundt pan. I had to put a cookie sheet under it because it was spilling over into the oven. Is this to be expected??
Danielle says
So sorry to hear that, but to answer your question, no, this is not to be expected. Are you sure you have the correct size Bundt pan? I have actually made this at least fifty times without this problem. My second question would be to double check your measurements. Occasionally mistakes can be made. The batter is runny though. That is the nature of this cake. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Karen says
Ok thank you! I let it cook longer and it takes great. But it did spill over a lot onto the cookie sheet. I double checked all my measurements and they are correct. It must be the size bundt pan but have used this size for years with other bundt cakes. I didn't see a particular size recommended in this recipe?
Danielle says
I'm glad it tasted great, but it really shouldn't spill over. I checked the recipe card and it calls for a 10-inch Bundt pan, but it should more clearly state a 12 cup Bundt cake pan. The reason we specify the pan size is because not all Bundt cake recipes are for the same volume of batter, and Bundt cake pans come in all different sizes. We like tall Bundt cakes so our recipes are for 12 cup capacity baking pans. Thanks for commenting. We really appreciate your feedback!
Rose says
I tried your recipe but I substituted sour cream for the buttermilk but diluting the sour cream to a buttermilk consistency. It was very moist.
Danielle says
Thanks for letting us know! So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
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!
Erin says
Try using it cake release, equal parts of flour and shortening. I melt the shortening first. For chocolate cakes, you could use cocoa powder and shortening just mix up the paste and use a brush to spread it all over the pan. It works like a charm.
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!