Chocolate Bundt Cake

5 from 2 votes

Easy chocolate bundt cake is moist, fudgy, and oh so chocolatey. It's topped with chocolate ganache for a chocolate cake that's rich, not too sweet, and completely decadent.

Prep Time30

Cook Time50

Cooling30

Total Time1 50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate bundt cake

Servings: slices

Author: Fiona Dowling

Equipment

12-cup bundt pan non-stick

Ingredients

Chocolate Bundt Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
3/4 cup cocoa powder (68 grams)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups caster sugar (400 grams) or white sugar
1/2 cup oil (120 ml) vegetable or canola
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (120 ml) 2% or whole milk is best 1% will work
1/2 cup sour cream (120 ml)
1/2 cup freshly brewed coffee (120 ml) or boiling water

Chocolate Ganache

4 oz dark chocolate (112 grams) around 50% or semi-sweet
1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml) or whipping cream, 33-35% MF
chocolate shavings or sprinkles to decorate

Instructions

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees and position a wire rack on the bottom 1/3 of the oven.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and sugar. If the cocoa is lumpy, be sure to sift it first.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vanilla extract, milk and sour cream
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients (you can do this using the back of a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula). Pour the wet ingredients into the well. Then pour the freshly brewed coffee (or boiling water) into the well. Whisk together until smooth.
Brush a 12-cup capacity bundt pan with pan release* or grease and dust with cocoa powder. Be sure to get inside all the creases of the pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven. When its done baking, it should be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan and an inserted toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. then carefully invert the pan onto a wire rack to slide the bundt cake out. *Do not try to invert the pan immediately or the cake will be too hot and will fall apart. Conversely, do not wait until the cake is fully cooled to invert.

Chocolate Ganache

Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl.
Heat the cream until almost boiling. This can be done in the microwave in 45-second intervals on medium heat or in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Pour the almost boiling cream over the top of the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 2-4 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
If the chocolate hasn't quite melted yet, microwave for 45-seconds on medium heat then whisk until smooth. Alternatively, place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (just be sure the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl). Whisk until smooth.
Transfer the cake to a serving plate.
Drizzle or pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled cake, letting it drip over the sides. Optionally, sprinkle with chocolate shavings and sprinkles.

Notes

Cocoa: Dutch-process cocoa powder preferred.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Eggs, sour cream and buttermilk should be at room temperature.
Pan Release: To make your own pan release, beat together 1/4 cup shortening (or butter), 1/4 cup vegetable (or canola) oil, and 1/4 cup flour until there are no more lumps. Use a pastry brush to brush the inside of the bundt pan. Store leftover pan release in an airtight container in the fridge. If using shortening, it will last longer.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: To freeze - cool the cake fully as instructed in the recipe. Then wrap the cake in the plastic wrap going around the ring shape (ie - do not wrap over the hole in the middle). Then place the cake in the a freezer safe container or wrap the cake in foil (you can go over the ring shape for this) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge. Do not thaw on the counter or the cake will become gummy in texture.
Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 slice with ganache, assuming the cake is sliced into 12 uniform pieces and all the ganache is used.
Recipe Update: This recipe was updated on February 27, 2025 to provide a cake that is slightly fudgier and doesn't require buttermilk. In the original recipe, all the ingredients were the same - except it called for 1 3/4 cup flour (instead of 2 cups as it does now), 1/2 cup buttermilk (instead of 1/2 cup 1% or 2% milk as it does now), and 1/3 cup boiling water (instead of 1/2 cup freshly brewed coffee or boiling water as it does now).

Nutrition