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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Chocolate Bundt Cake
Video
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
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.
Emmalyn McWagner says
I made this batter once then made two half size bundt cakes this weekend. It was perfectly fine to store the uncooked batter in the fridge until it was ready to bake. I personally love the added cinnamon (it reminds me of Texas sheet cake which I love). Both of my bundt cakes had a little bit of sticking even after dusting my pan with cocoa powder (to keep the brown look) but I was able to easily use ganache to stick it back on. I did add a little mint extract to my ganache as I love mint and chocolate, and I think it worked well. My family all enjoyed it!
Tracy says
I made mini bundt and loaf versions and added a bit of espresso powder to amp up the chocolate flavour. These were so delicious! Very moist, lovely and chocolately (but not overkill) and the hint of cinnamon is wonderful. I’m not normally a big fan of chocolate cake but I do enjoy this one. My partner was a big fan as well. Will definitely be making this again! Thanks for sharing and your beautiful pictures and foolproof instructions and video 🙂
Carter Smeal says
Love this recipe! I made it and it was amazing! My dad even wanted it for his birthday! It was so moist and chocolatey! Thanks for the recipe!
Kim says
I made this last night and it’s so yummy! I greased the heck out of the pan and it still stuck. Not sure how that’s possible because of the oil/butter content in the cake. Haha! I waited a few minutes before adding the eggs because I felt that the simmered sauce was so warm that it might cook them. The chocolate chips melted in the batter, so I might wait a bit before folding them in next time, as well. I’ll definitely make this again! Thanks!
Kim says
Quick question – what size bundt pan did you use for this recipe? I made it again today to give to a friend using the same pan/measurements that I used last week. It looks “flatter” today like the batter didn’t rise enough. My Nordicware pan is a 12 cup. Thanks!
Lauren Allen says
I use a 12 cup bundt.