Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe

Slice of chocolate cake on a stack of white plates with a fork sitting on the plate and a light blue towel in the background.

4.79 from 56 votes

Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe

This is THE Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe that we have made again and again and again for more than a decade. It has never failed us, and at this point it's become the recipe that our family, friends, and readers rely on when they need a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. But don't just take my word for it! Readers in the comments are saying things like, "I'll never stop using this recipe," "I can taste the love in it," and "This was so moist and DELICIOUS."

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 353kcal

Author: Misty

Equipment

12 cup Bundt pan
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Baking spray

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.
*Note, it MUST be a generous greasing of baking spray that contains flour in the ingredients. Avocado oil, butter, or other greasing methods do not work consistently, but baking spray has never failed us.
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

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.

Freezing Instructions - 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.

Storage Instructions- 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.

Nutrition