This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy
This Chocolate Bundt Cake is so easy to prepare and it has rich, deep, chocolatey flavor with a sweet homemade chocolate ganache topping!
Hi, I heard you like chocolate.
The Ultimate Cake For a Bad Day.
My kids know I’m in a mood when they see this chocolate bundt cake sitting on the counter.
They regularly refer to this as my ‘depression cake’ as a joke, because I seem to make this one when I’ve had a sad day or things are just going wrong.
I’m sorry, but sometimes you just need depression cake.
This chocolate bundt cake looks like you spent hours on it but actually comes together pretty easily.
It’s got all the showstopper moves I like in a cake – rich, moist, and dense with a glossy chocolate ganache that makes it look ridiculously fancy.
The cake itself is pure chocolate heaven. We’re talking about the kind of dense, fudgy texture that makes you close your eyes after the first bite. Then there’s the ganache drizzled over the top, which is basically just an excuse to add more chocolate because, honestly, why wouldn’t you? This is depression cake, after all.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s foolproof fancy. The bundt pan makes it look impressive, and the ganache topping adds that bakery-quality finish without any special skills required.
- Seriously moist and rich. This isn’t some light, fluffy cake situation. This is dense, fudgy, and satisfying in the best possible way.
- It’s depression cake, which sometimes you just need. Had a bad day? This cake cheers you right up or lets you wallow in the best way. I literally call it my depression cake.
Ingredient Notes:
Dry Ingredients – The chocolate cake batter starts with some sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. We prefer Dutch-processed for the best chocolate flavor.
Wet Ingredients – You’ll also need some eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and a cup of brewed coffee. The coffee is just there to enhance the rich, deep chocolate flavor. It won’t taste like coffee!
Ganache – You’ll need semisweet chocolate (a chopped up bar or chocolate chips – either work!) and some heavy cream. These melt together beautifully.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
My Favorite Cocoa Powder!
This cocoa powder is Dutch-processed, giving it a rich, deep flavor and color. Hershey’s brand is inexpensive and easy to find.
Swaps & Tips
No bundt pan? You can make this in a regular 9×13 pan, but you’ll lose that pretty presentation. Bake time will be similar, just keep an eye on it.
Ganache troubles? If your ganache gets too thick, warm it up gently. If it’s too thin, let it sit for a few minutes to thicken up before drizzling.
Make it extra special. Add a handful of chocolate chips to the batter for pockets of melted chocolate, or sprinkle some flaky sea salt over the ganache while it’s still wet.
Storage hack. Wrap the cooled cake (before ganache) tightly in plastic wrap and let it sit overnight. It gets even more moist and the flavors develop.
Helpful Tip!
Storage
Add ganache just before serving if storing longer than 2 days for the best results.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Freeze the cake (without ganache) for up to 3 months.
Leftover Hack!
If you’ve got extra chocolate Bundt cake and are looking for an excuse to have more, you could check out our cake shake recipe! We used a yellow cake in that one but any cake will do.
Recipe FAQs:
You don’t have to but we promise it won’t make the cake taste like coffee! It just enhances the chocolate flavor. You could also use water and espresso powder in place of the coffee or just use hot water.
You can make a quick substitute by mixing 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
Insert a toothpick into the center – if it comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), the cake is done. You can also gently press the top; if it springs back, it’s ready.
Heat the cream until just simmering, pour it over the chopped chocolate, and let it sit for 2-3 minutes before stirring gently in one direction to avoid air bubbles.
Be sure to grease the Bundt pan thoroughly with some butter or cooking spray and dust it with some flour or cocoa powder to keep the cake from sticking.
More Bundt Cake recipes!
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake
- Apple Cider Donut Cake
- 7 Up Cake
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Applesauce Cake
Chocolate Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 ½ cups Dutch cocoa powder see notes
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup brewed coffee
For the ganache:
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan to prevent sticking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- In another bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk and coffee. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Smooth the top and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a cake plate to cool completely before glazing.
To make the ganache:
- In a heatproof bowl, add the chopped chocolate. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until just simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Drizzle the warm ganache over the cooled cake, letting it flow down the sides. Allow the ganache to set before slicing.
Michele says
I added cinnamon to this recipe, YUM