Best Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 55 mins

Total: 70 mins

Servings: 12 to 16 servings

Yield: 1 cake

This chocolate Bundt cake is moist, easy, and tastes as good as it looks. The cake is super easy to make—you don’t even need a mixer. All you have to do is stir or whisk the ingredients and bake. The glaze is just as easy as the cake—the ingredients are combined and heated until the butter melts. The cake is perfect for chocolate lovers, and it couldn’t be easier!

Buttermilk gives the cake its tender texture while the butter, sugar, and brewed coffee add moisture. If you’re not sure about the coffee, it doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee, but it does intensify the chocolate flavor. You can always make it with hot water instead of coffee if you prefer—either way, you can’t go wrong!

There are no layers to stack, fill, and frost because the cake bakes to perfection in a one-piece Bundt or fluted cake pan. Spoon the warm glaze over the cake and enjoy.

A glazed chocolate Bundt cake is a dessert made for sharing. Bake it for a birthday, Valentine’s Day, bake sale, or just about any special occasion. Or make it for an everyday family dessert.

«I loved this recipe for its rich, chocolatey flavor without being too dense or heavy. The buttermilk lends itself well to give you all the chocolate flavor and still being able to serve it as a brunch side dish (yes…cake for brunch!)» —Tracy Wilk

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

• Cooking spray, or melted shortening, for the pan

• 1 3/4 cups (227 grams) all-purpose flour, more for the pan

• 1 cup (227 grams) strong hot brewed coffee

• 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter

• 1 cup (84 grams) natural unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 cups (396 grams) granulated sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup (121 grams) well-shaken buttermilk

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

• 3 tablespoons (43 grams) unsalted butter

• 1 cup (170 grams) dark chocolate chips, or semisweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup (113 grams) confectioners' sugar, sifted

• 6 to 8 tablespoons heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

Prepare and Bake the Cake

1. Gather the cake ingredients.

   

2. Spray a 10-cup Bundt cake pan with cooking spray or grease with melted shortening, then dust with flour. Make sure to get all the nooks and crannies to ensure easy release. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F.

   

3. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the coffee, unsalted butter, and unsweetened cocoa powder until the butter melts. Remove from the heat to cool.

   

4. In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

   

5. In large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. 

   

6. Add the coffee-chocolate mixture and the flour-sugar mixture to the buttermilk-egg mixture. Whisk until smooth and well blended.

   

7. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.

   

8. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes.

   

9. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

   

Make the Chocolate Glaze

1. Gather the chocolate glaze ingredients.

   

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the unsalted butter, chocolate chips, confectioners' sugar, 6 tablespoons of heavy cream, and the vanilla extract. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is melted and smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream by the tablespoon until it reaches a glaze consistency.

   

3. Spoon the warm glaze mixture over the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let set, then serve.

   

Tips

Baking the cake in a 12-cup Bundt cake pan may take a little less time, so begin testing the cake after about 42 minutes.

How to Store and Freeze

• This chocolate Bundt cake may be stored, covered with foil or plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week.
• To freeze the cake, place slices on a baking sheet and place the pan in the freezer. When the pieces are frozen solid, wrap them in plastic wrap or foil and put them in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 6 months.

What is the difference between a Bundt cake and a regular cake?

A Bundt cake is baked in a fluted, tube-style cake pan. The name "Bundt" is a trademark held by Nordic Ware. Similar pans are referred to as "fluted."

What if my Bundt cake won’t come out of the pan?

Most Bundt-style pans have a nonstick surface which ensures easy release, but even if properly greased, a cake can stick if the surface is worn or scratched. If your cake is stuck, try holding the pan over a steaming pot of water for a few minutes. Shake it lightly, and if it hasn't loosened, hold it over the steam again. After a few minutes, it should loosen. Or try using a hairdryer to warm the pan and heat the grease surrounding the cake.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories	412
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g	27%
Saturated Fat 12g	62%
Cholesterol 69mg	23%
Sodium 192mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 52g	19%
Dietary Fiber 2g	8%
Total Sugars 37g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 43mg	3%
Iron 3mg	19%
Potassium 114mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.