A Nothing Bundt Cake recipe that is a perfect copycat of the chocolate chocolate chip bundt cake at Nothing Bundt Cakes.  Serve this for birthdays, baby showers, weddings, or any occasion!
Bundt cakes are one of my favorite dessert recipes to bring to a party or shower.  I love how easy they are to make and that I can make them ahead of time. Check out my popular Red Velvet Bundt Cake, Chocolate Macaroon Bundt CakeRum Cake.
Nothing Bundt Cake copycat cat frosted with cream cheese frosting.
Nothing Bundt Cake

Have you ever heard of or tried Nothing Bundt Cakes cake before? They have several bakeries across the nation and they are basically just delicious bundt cakes that are frosted similar to this. A few years ago my Aunt introduced me to a “copycat” recipe of the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake that she originally found the recipe on Fav Family recipes. This recipe makes a perfect moist, rich and chocolate bundt cake. This recipe does use a cake mix, so if you’d like to make

A ten-inch bundt cake from the Nothing Bundt Cakes store costs more than $40! This homemade Nothing Bundt Cake takes just a few minutes to whip together, is super cheap, and the end result if both beautiful and delicious.

You’ll notice the ingredients in this cake use both a cake mix and a box of instant pudding. This cake is one of the “from scratch” exceptions I make because I think it tastes every bit as delicious as a homemade cake. However, you can use my homemade chocolate bundt cake recipe to make a chocolate bundt cake from scratch. You can add chocolate chips to it and use the same cream cheese frosting.

Overhead photo of the ingredients to make a chocolate nothing bundt cake, including cake mix, eggs, oil, chocolate pudding mix, sour cream and a bowl of chocolate chips.

HOW TO GET THE CAKE OUT OF THE BUNDT PAN:
I’ve tried so many methods for getting bundt cakes to come out of the pan without sticking, and the one method that works for me EVERY time, is greasing the pan appropriately with shortening and flour.
Start by spreading 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.
Next I get a little pinch of flour and dust it over the pan. Hold the pan over the sink and tap it hard, in a circular motion, all around the edges so that the flour lightly covers the pan. Now you’re ready to add the cake batter, and rest assured the cake will come out of the pan without sticking!
Overhead photo of a bundt pan greased with shortening and flour.
How to make a Bundt Cake:
  • Mix together the cake mix, chocolate pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, water and oil. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Grease the bundt pan with shortening and flour (see my tips for this, below). Add the cake batter.
  • Bake at 350 for 45-50 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire cooling rack.

Four process photos for making a chocolate bundt cake in a mixing bowl, the batter ready to bake in a bundt pan, and a the baked cake being frosted.

  • Once the cake has cooled, prepare the frosting. I use a pastry bag with a coupler inside, (and no piping tip), to pipe the frosting. If you don’t have a pastry bag, add the frosting to a ziplock bag and cut a hole in the corner.
  • Start at the outside edge of the cake and drag a line of frosting up and over the top of the cake, into the center hole.

Nothing bundt cakes stay fresh in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. I also love these cakes because they’re very freezer friendly! To freeze the cake, put it in the freezer for about 5 minutes, uncovered, to set the frosting. Cover it really well with plastic wrap and then tinfoil and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove the cake from the freezer and allow it to come to room temperature for about 1 ½ to 2 hours before serving.

A slice of chocolate bundt cake frosted with cream cheese frosting, served on a white plate with a fork.

Nothing Bundt Cakes are also popular for having a cute flour or tissue paper ball in the center of them for decoration. I’ve included instructions to make a tissue paper pom pom ball, at the bottom of the post.

A chocolate bundt cake with cream cheese frosting and a tissue paper pom pom in the center of the cake.

Consider trying these bundt cake recipes:

 

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Recipe

Nothing Bundt Cake copycat cat frosted with cream cheese frosting.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 55 minutes
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 package devils food cake mix (or homemade)
  • 3.9 ounce box instant chocolate pudding
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease and flour your bundt cake pan. (See my tips for properly greasing a bundt pan, above in the post.)
  • Mix the first six cake ingredients together. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
  • Pour batter into your greased bunt cake pan. Bake at 350 for 45-50 min. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting the cake onto a wire cooling rack. I also like to run a butter knife gently around the edges of the pan to make sure the cake isn't sticking, before I turn it out.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light fluffy. Mix in the vanilla. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, mixing for several minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add more powdered sugar, to taste, if needed.

To frost the cake:

  • Spoon frosting into a pastry bag with no tip attached, or into a ziplock bag, with the corner cut. Starting at the outer edge of the bundt cake squeeze and pull a line of frosting up and over the cake, into the center hole.
  • Repeat this process all around the cake. Store, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze, covered well, for up to 3 months. 

Notes

Adapted from Fav Family Recipes

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 429mgPotassium: 162mgFiber: 1gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 395IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 1.8mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

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How to Make a Tissue Paper Pom-Pom
  • Cut 8 pieces of regular sized tissue paper in half, long ways.
  • Stack tissue paper. Make 1 ½ inch accordion folds.

Stacked sheets of tissue paper being folded into a 1 inch strip

  • Fold a piece of floral wire in half, and slip over center of folded tissue; twist. 

Folded tissue paper with wire being twisted around the center.

  • Use scissors to trim ends of tissue into rounded or pointy shapes.

Hands holding tissue paper and scissors and making a cut into the tissue paper.

  • Separate layers, pulling away from center one at a time, until your pom pom ball is formed.

A tissue paper pom pom ball

  • Place ball on top of cake!

 

 

 

*I originally shared this recipe May 2011. Updated April 2019.

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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  1. 5 stars
    Yay! came out perfect. I was a little nervous because the batter was so thick but trust the process. I was surprised I was able to make something so tasty. Everyone loved it and I will be making it again. I might try it out with different box cake/pudding flavors.

  2. 5 stars
    Very good! Made it for my daughter’s birthday and everyone loved it!! I did have to bake it longer than what they said, about 10 more minutes until the toothpick came out clean. Made me nervous but it turned out great.

  3. 5 stars
    Fantastic recipe! Works well every time. I have discovered that I am not good at piping the frosting so I warm it up a little and make it into a drizzle instead. In my oven I find I have to bake it 50 minutes. I have made a variety of combinations including using Andes Mint Bits in place of chocolate chips, and I often put a ganache frosting on top and that’s amazing too. In a time crunch situation you can use the Baker’s Joy or similar spray for coating the pans (rather than shortening and flour). Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  4. I followed the recipe to the T. Mine didn’t rise. I bake all the time, most of the time I’m baking cupcakes but never have an issue with my cakes rising. What did I do wrong? The flavor of the cake was amazing.

    1. If your bundt cake didn’t rise but tasted great, consider checking:
      Leavening Agent: Make sure your baking powder or soda is fresh, as expired leaveners can cause a cake not to rise.
      Oven Temperature: Ensure your oven is properly preheated and at the right temperature. An oven thermometer can help verify this.
      Bundt Pan Shape: The detailed design of bundt pans can affect the rise. Grease the pan well to help the batter climb and expand.
      A small adjustment in one of these areas might just be the key to the perfect rise next time. Happy baking!

    1. Yes, you can use melted butter instead of oil. Keep in mind, the texture might be slightly different, as oil tends to make cakes moister. Enjoy baking!

    1. What are you doing to grease your pan? I do a spray of Pam and then cover the interior of the bundt pan with flour. Wait ten minutes after baking, then flip the cake out.

  5. 4 stars
    This was a good recipe. I followed directions to a T and everyone loved it. It is NOT as moist as Nothing Bundt Cake (which I may or may not have a slight addiction to) but it does make a good cake and the tip for greasing the pan worked without a hitch!

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