Name: Coffee Bundt Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour (375 grams); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams) (softened); 1/2 cup vegetable oil (120 ml) (or canola); 2 cup light brown sugar* (400 grams) (packed); 4 large eggs (room temperature); 1 cup sour cream (240 ml) (room temperature); 3 tablespoons instant coffee powder (feel free to use 2 tablespoons for a less intense flavor); 2 tablespoons hot water (30 ml); 4 ounces dark chocolate (112 grams) (around 50%, or feel free to use semi-sweet`); 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml)

The Perfect Coffee Bundt Cake

This coffee infused bundt cake is not to be confused with a coffee cake (the type of vanilla butter cake with cinnamon streusel). It’s a moist, tender and perfectly dense bundt cake with a delicious coffee flavor that reminds me of a cappuccino or latte because the flavor isn’t bitter but tastes perfectly comforting like your favorite morning cuppa. I topped it with a drizzle of chocolate ganache for a little extra sweetness reminiscent of a mocha – but you can easily leave it plain or add a sprinkle of powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

Coffee flavored bundt cake topped with chocolate ganache

Getting the Perfect Coffee Flavor

This recipe uses instant coffee granules dissolved in a little boiling water for the perfect coffee flavor. I like this method because, unlike using brewed coffee, it’s a lot more concentrated and therefore you get more coffee flavor without having to add so much liquid. If your coffee granules haven’t quite dissolved in the boiling water before adding to the batter, that’s ok. They’ll further dissolve when the coffee is mixed into the batter. I use Starbucks instant coffee because the granules are much smaller (it’s more like a powder) and dissolve very easily compared to large granules.

Making the Bundt Cake

I’ve included step-by-step photos and tips below to guide you along, or feel free to skip to the recipe card.

First, you’ll preheat the oven. I actually prep the pan right before adding the batter to it in this recipe, because I find it works better when the pan release hasn’t had time to slide down the pan as you make the batter.

Sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Doing this first is to ensure that the leaveners are evenly distributed throughout the batter and helps to remove any lumps of flour.

Then in a large bowl, beat together the butter, oil and brown sugar. Using butter adds more flavor, whereas using oil keeps the cake moist for longer. You really get the best of both worlds for this recipe by the combo. Using brown sugar adds a delicious caramel-like tone to the flavor for a richness you wouldn’t get from using granulated sugar.

Mix in the vanilla extract and eggs 1 at a time. Adding in the eggs 1 at a time is to prevent overmixing the batter. The batter will thin out at this point and you don’t want to see lumps of butter.

Turn off the mixer and add in about 1/2 of the flour mixture. Start with the mixer on a low speed and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. The batter will start to thicken at this point. You want to stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated.

Then add in the sour cream and coffee granules dissolved in water. Do a few stirs by and first, then gently mix into the batter with the mixer on a low speed.

Add in the rest of the flour mixture. Stir it in by hand with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. If you see lumps of flour, whisk by hand until smooth.

2 steps of mixing bowl for making coffee bundt cake

Then brush your bundt pan with pan release or grease. Ensure that you get into every crease and cavity of your pan.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and place in the oven to bake. It will take around an hour – so ensure to give yourself enough time.

2 photos: greased bundt pan and bundt pan with cake batter

Baking Tips & Tricks

Note that for all my tips on making bundt cakes check out this post, but here’s the main things for this recipe:

The butter, eggs and sour cream should all be room temperature before getting started. This ensures that everything mixes together properly.

Sour cream can be replaced with full-fat plain Greek yogurt if that’s what you have on hand. Be sure not to use sweetened or low-fat yogurt however, as it isn’t as comparable to sour cream in texture and flavor.

You’ll notice that we’re adding in the flour mixture in 2 additions – this helps to minimize the risk of overmixing the batter. Overmixing leads to a tough cake with air tunnels throughout.

The bake time for this cake is long. Oven times can very by 10-20%, so for a cake that takes approximately 50 minutes to bake, it could mean an extra 15 minutes or so depending on your oven. Remove the cake from the oven only when an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs. There should be no damp cake batter.

After inverting the cake and letting it cool, if the bottom (what used to be the top while baking) is domed, you can gently saw off the rounded bottom so that the cake sits flat on a plate.

Piece of coffee bundt cake with a bite taken out

This coffee bundt cake isn’t too sweet, is deliciously moist and has the perfect coffee flavor. You’ll love the elegant simplicity of this cake that makes it delicious with morning coffee or for dessert.

More bundt cakes to love:

Coffee Bundt Cake

The Perfect Coffee Bundt Cake

Getting the Perfect Coffee Flavor

Making the Bundt Cake

Baking Tips & Tricks