Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients and Notes

Below is an overview of what you will need to make these with notes to making the very best Chocolate Bundt.

Chocolate Cake Base

• Flour - A good quality all-purpose flour is an easy addition. If your flour is particularly lumpy, it can be sifted but not otherwise required.
• Eggs. This cake has 4 eggs which allow for a generous rise and slightly denser cake. Delicious!
• Strong Coffee. You won’t taste this at all but it adds depth to the cake. While I usually brew a strong cup and let it cool, you can also use straight cold brew from the grocery store.
• Sugar. I use both white sugar and light brown sugar in this recipe. The combination of white and light brown sugar in the batter helps keep things sweet and moist.
• Tasting Chocolate. The real secret to this cake is using your favorite tasting bar, along with a quality cocoa powder. It will be much better than baking chocolate, chocolate chips, or just using cocoa powder. I like a 60-72% bar.
• Sour Cream. The sour cream gives a zing and helps the cake rise to create that perfect crumb. Regular or light is fine.
• Vegetable Oil. This cake is meant to be moist and flavorful while rising perfectly. The vegetable oil keeps that moisture without making it too dense.
• Baking Powder/ Baking Soda. Make sure your ingredients are fresh.

Chocolate Ganache

• Heavy Cream. Offering up a creaminess that works with the baking soda and baking powder but not as much as buttermilk, so the cake stays velvety and dense to support the apple slices.
• Tasting Chocolate. Use the same type as above. I don’t recommend chocolate chips for the best taste and texture, but they can be used in a pinch.
• Vanilla. I always love vanilla in my baked good as it adds a warmth and brings out the other flavors of the cake.

Recipe Tip: I use this gorgeous Bundt pan not only because I like the style and bakes beautifully, but it is very well made to create even heat, and cooks perfectly.

Step by Step Recipe Guide

Because of the high-quality ingredients, it really doesn’t get any easier. However, this visual guide can help with flouring and seeing each step.

1. Prepare a pan. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan or a Bundt pan. Spreading the butter will a brush gets into all the nooks and crannies. This will help the cake to release once it’s baked. To make sure there are crisp edges, I usually bang my floured cake pan fairly hard against the kitchen sink to remove excess flour. (photo 1)
2. Make the batter. Because there are so many eggs, you will want to break them one at a time because it is harder to mix them in if you put all four eggs at once.
3. Pour the cake batter in the pan. (photo 2)
4. Bake. For a bundt cake, it is about 40-50 minutes or until the cake doesn’t jiggle in the middle when you move it.

Wait about 10 minutes to cool before removing from the pan. I put a cookie cooling rack over the open side (the bottom of the cake) and flip it. The cake has never had a problem loosening and dropping onto the cooling rack with the proper flouring technique.

How To Make Chocolate Ganache

You will definitely want it to be cool before pouring on the ganache. Otherwise, it may make your topping run more and be thinner. I chose to only put a drizzle on for photographs, but the recipe has extra for a thicker layer.

1. Place the cream and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the saucepan is warm, break up the chocolate bar into small pieces and add to the saucepan. Stir occasionally until smooth and combined – about 2-3 minutes.
2. Don’t let it come to a boil as that is too hot! It will take a long time to cool.

Recipe Tip: Ganache can be ready to use as a drizzle or you can let it sit at room temperature to cool. I know that waiting is for this delicious treat is hard, so you can put the ganache in the fridge for a few minutes, but stir it several times as it cools so it keeps even and smooth. It won’t take long. If you forget, you may end up with ganache that can’t be poured.

Topping Ideas

The cake is amazing with just the chocolate ganache, but if you want to add something different, here are some ideas.

• Shavings – either white or dark
• Chopped nuts like Pecans or Walnuts or hazelnuts
• Whipped Cream
• Sliced Fruit – Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, apricots

Serving and Storage Suggestions

Serving: After allowing it to cool for a bit, you can slice it up and top with caramel topping sauce if desired. It is delicious warmed slightly or at room temperature.

Storage: I leave mine in a doomed cake travel carrier at room temperature. I store it in the microwave, so I don't eat the whole thing, but that's just me. Lasts about 4 days.

Make Ahead: The cake itself can easily be made a day or two in advance. I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap after cooling to keep it moist. When ready to serve or a few hours earlier, I then add the ganache layer.