This easy homemade Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe is heavenly, topped with chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips.
This is the ultimate chocolate lovers dessert but if you love bundt cakes with cream cheese frosting, don’t miss my Banana Cake or Red Velvet Bundt Cake.
I love making bundt cakes because they’re easy to frost and make pretty, and also easy to cut and serve. This chocolate bundt cake is heaven, but if you’re looking for an even simpler doctored-up cake mix version, this chocolate bundt cake is also great.
Properly greasing the Bundt Pan will make or break the recipe!
- Shortening. Spread a very thin layer of shortening all over the pan. I use a ziplock sandwich bag, stick my hand inside of it, and use my hand to smooth the shortening all over every bump and crevice in the pan. This way I can make sure the entire pan is covered evenly, in a thin layer, and my hands stay clean.
- Dust with flour. Take a little pinch of flour and dust it over the pan. then hold the pan over the sink and tap it hard, moving it in a circular motion so that the flour lightly covers the pan. Now you’re ready to add the cake batter!
If you do happen to have any parts of the cake stick to the pan, you could gently scoop them up and into the position they would have rested on the top of the cake. The chocolate ganache will cover any imperfections and no one will know!
How to make chocolate bundt cake:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the oil, cocoa, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.
2. Combine dry ingredients.
3. Add hot butter/cocoa mixture and stir to combine.
4. Stir in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.
5. Add chocolate chips.
6. Pour into bundt pan. Be sure bundt pan is greased well greased. Bake for for 45-55 minutes.
Chocolate ganache icing:
It doesn’t get much simpler or easier than this homemade ganache. Make the chocolate ganache by first heating the cream until simmering. Then pour your chocolate chips into the cream and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Whisk it until smooth and drizzle it over your chocolate cake!
Use a spoon to drizzle it on top of top of the cake and you’ve got yourself a beautiful, simple, irresistible chocolate bundt cake!
Make ahead and Freezing Instructions:
The cake can be made and frosted up to 2 days before serving. The cake can be frozen frosted, or unfrosted. To freeze lightly cover it with plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
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Recipe
Chocolate Bundt Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips , plus more for sprinkling on top of cake (optional)
For the ganache:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Chocolate Bundt Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a standard size bundt pan (make sure to grease it really well so the cake doesn't stick! I spread a thin layer of shortening all over the inside of the pan, then sprinkle a little flour all around and pat and shake the pan until it is evenly coated.)
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, set aside.
- Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once butter has melted, stir in oil, cocoa powder and water and bring mixture just to a boil, whisking constantly. Pour hot butter mixture into flour mixture and stir.
- Stir in buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and whisk mixture until well combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips, if using.
- Pour mixture into prepared bundt pan and bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Once cake has cooled, make ganache.
For the ganache:
- Place cream in a large microwave safe bowl and heat for about 2 minutes, or until the cream is simmering.
- Carefully pour chocolate morsels into cream and allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate and cream until shiny and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Use a large spoon to drizzle the ganache over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with remaining mini chocolate chips, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe July 2017. Updated March 2020 with process photos and freezing instructions.
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
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Came out perfectly 👌 Thank you for this on point recipe!
WOWZA .. One of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever made. Not difficult at all and surprisingly very good. Better than I expected
Hi Lauren, I love the taste of the bundt cake but am having all kinds of issues getting it out of the pan. I have made it three times. The first time was by far the best, but it fell apart coming out of the pan. We saved the day with the ganache. The second time the cake fell after it was cooled and didn’t raise properly. The third time the middle of the cake came out leaving an outer layer in the pan. The crumbs went well with vanilla ice cream! 🙂 I use Crisco to grease the pan and top off with flour. This time I put the cake in a cold oven and baked it longer adding the amount of time the oven got to 350. I live in Colorado at 5000 feet. Do you feel that may be a problem. I love the flavor and consistency of the cake but need help with getting it out of the pan!!
Thank you, Mary,
Hi Mary, I’m sorry the cake stuck to the pan! The second time, putting it in the cold oven might have been the problem. Using the crisco, make sure the entire pan has a layer of it. We like to use a ziploc bag as a glove and make sure it’s spread in every spot. Then add just a small sprinkle of flour, tapping it to spread around. If it still has a hard time, try a little thicker layer. Let us know how it works! I am so glad you love the flavor!
5 minutes cooling in pan is not enough time. Mine broke bc it was too hot still. I should have listened to my inner voice and let it cool more in the pan before flipping it out.
The step with melting the butter is tedious and there are better recipes out there that dont do this and are better tasting. This just fell flat for all the work involved.
So so so good the process Sounds kind of wierd but the Cinimon makes it taste so so so good I love this recipe I wil definitely use it again I so recommend it I love it so so so so so good
Fantastic recipe! I followed exactly with the exception of buttermilk (used sour cream instead since I was out of buttermilk). I used all of the ganache and let it pool in the center. Big hit at the party! I will definitely make again. Best chocolate Bundt cake ever!