This Authentic Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake has a light and moist crumb. This chocolate cake is amazingly decadent with a luxurious, rich, creamy and silky chocolate ganache. Love chocolate? Try my Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake, Chocolate Brownies, Coco Cola Cake, Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake and Chocolate Chip Muffins.
I love chocolate and to be honest who doesn't? But there are only a few cakes that have stolen my heart the way this dark chocolate bundt cake has.
Table of Contents
why this recipe works?
- This is an easy to bake and you need under an hour to bake it.
- The ingredients are readily available in the pantry.
- This Bundt cake looks royal.
- The texture of this decadent chocolate cake is soft, moist and fluffy.
- The creamy, glossy, shiny and silky chocolate ganache makes the cake simply irresistible.
dutch process vs. regular cocoa powder
Cocoa powder is basically the remains of dried, roasted, fermented cocoa beans which are cracked into nibs. The cocoa beans are ground into a paste and then 75% of the butter content is removed from it which then gives us the chocolate liquid. This liquid is then dried to make it a dry powder. That's how you get cocoa powder.
There is a difference in types of cocoa powder as well. Two main types are natural cocoa powder vs. dutch process cocoa.
There are a few main difference between the regular cocoa powder and Dutch process powder is simple.
- pH & Flavor: The natural cocoa powder has a pH level of 5 or 6 with a citrusy and sharp flavor. The Dutch process powder has a pH level of 7 and a neutral, smooth and earthy flavor.
- Difference in Hue: The natural cocoa powder has a lighter hue. The Dutch process powder has a noticeably darker hue which gives a dark color to the chocolate bakes.
- Acidic and Alkaline: Regular or natural cocoa powder is simply a natural powder derived from cocoa bean paste and acidic in nature. Recipes with leavening agent calls for regular cocoa powder. On the other side, Dutch processed cocoa powder is Alkalized cocoa powder which does not react with leavening agents.
ingredients & substitutions for dark chocolate bundt cake
Baking Pro Tips
1. Unless a recipe says otherwise, always use room-temperature ingredients. This helps them mix together smoothly and evenly, for perfect results every time.
2. Ditch the measuring cups and grab your digital scale. Weighing dry ingredients in grams ensures perfect accuracy and consistent results.
Chocolate Bundt Cake:
- All-purpose flour: provides structure to this cake.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: I used Dutch cocoa powder for dark hue and rich chocolate flavor.
- Baking soda + baking powder: leavening agents that help with the rise of the cake.
- Salt: balances the overall flavor.
- Eggs: binding agent of the cake.
- Castor Sugar: sweetens the cake.
- Vegetable Oil: gives moisture.
- Whole Milk: the fat content will make the cake moist, light and fluffy.
- Vanilla extract: enhances the flavor.
- Black Coffee (hot): is the secret ingredient that intensifies the overall flavor of chocolate. Use 1 tablespoon of espresso powder in one cup hot water in case you are out of brewed coffee for this chocolate cake. If you do not like coffee then replace it with hot water in 1:1 ratio.
Chocolate Ganache: - Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips: use high-quality chocolate chips for a perfect ganache.
- Heavy whipping cream
- Salt
variations
- Chocolate Chips: This double chocolate cake is rich enough to satisfy the sweet-tooth of any chocolate lover but to take it a step further and to make it a triple chocolate cake, feel free to decorate the silky ganache with mini chocolate chips.
how to make dark chocolate bundt cake
Detailed Instructions Below! See the key steps here, then head to the recipe card below for full instructions.
1. Sift through the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and Dutch processed cocoa powder in a bowl. Whisk and set aside.
2. Using an electric beater, mix together the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and milk until combined.Add the hot coffee in the wet ingredients mixture.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat.
4. The cake batter will have a runny and thin consistency, don’t panic about it.
5. Place the cake in the preheated oven at 350. Once out of oven, let it cool in the pan for 30 minute before releasing it out of the pan.
6. Once the cake has cooled, pour the chocolate ganache over the cake.
pro tips
Sift the Cocoa Powder: Make sure to sift the cocoa powder. It usually have lumps and we want a smooth batter and for that we have to sift the cocoa powder.
Dutch Process Cocoa Powder: Ensure to use the Dutch Process Cocoa Powder for this cake to give it an enrich color and flavor. You may use regular cocoa powder as well but it will give you a less prominent color.
Substitute for Coffee: If you do not like coffee or if coffee is not handy, substitute it with hot water.
common questions
I used a 10-inch Bundt cake pan for this bake with a 10 – 15 cups capacity. You can use a simple or decorative Bundt pan of your choice for this cake. I used a simple but elegant pan from Nordic Ware collection. I love the royal-ish look of the cake out of this pan.
Yes, you can use the 9 x 13 inch tray pan or two 9-inch round or square pans for this cake.
No problem, use the traditional butter and flour greasing method. Grease the pan with oil or butter using a pastry brush and then generously coat cocoa powder on the oil coating. The cocoa powder will not affect the color of the cake. Flour will leave white flour patches that you would like to avoid.
The coffee needs to be hot which will help to infuse the coffee with chocolate in this cake better to give it the oomph flavor.
Yes, you can garnish the ganache with the chocolate chips. I sometimes use mini chocolate chips for decoration.
It can be tricky at times to release the cake properly from the deep Bundt cake pans. To avoid this situation, I use baking spray on the Bundt cake pans right before I am ready to put the cake in the oven. Do not grease the cake beforehand or the spray will collect in the bottom of the pan. If you grease the pan with baking spray beforehand (like we traditionally do with butter and flour grease method) the oil will collect in the bottom of the pan. (See this picture.)
Coffee is the secret ingredient that intensifies the chocolate flavor of this decadent and flavorful cake. Coffee adds an enriching and enhanced taste to this cake. The best thing is you won't even feel that this cake has coffee in it.
how to store
- Store the Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake in airtight container for up to 2 days. Do not pour ganache if you are saving it on the counter.
- This cake will keep fresh in the fridge for up to a week.
- You can freeze the baked cake easily for up to 3 months. Do not add the ganache before freezing. Cut the cake into pieces and wrap each cake piece in plastic wrap, further add a foil layer and freeze the individual pieces and then stash them in a plastic bag and place in the freezer.
related chocolate recipes
Did you make this recipe? Give it a 🌟 rating with a comment.
Join The Side Baker newsletter & get a free e-book + weekly recipes.
Connect on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Tiktok.
Recipe
Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 1 10-inch bundt cake pan. (simple or decorative)
- 1 Electric Mixer
- Digital Scale
- Rubber Spatula
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
Chocolate Bundt Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
- ¾ cup unsweetened dutch cocoa powder (75 grams) g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6 g)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder (5 g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs (large) room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 g)
- 1 cup vegetable oil (237 ml)
- 1 cup whole milk (237 ml) room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (13 g)
- 1 cup brewed black coffee (180 ml) hot
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (170 g)
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream (180 g) room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F before preparing the batter.
- Take a bowl and sift through flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and unsweetened cocoa powder. Whisk it together and set aside.
- In the electric mixer bowl, add oil, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla extract and mix until well-combined for about 2 - 3 minute at medium speed.
- Now, prepare the hot coffee and pour in the black coffee in the wet ingredients and mix. Remember to pour the coffee slowly because you do not want to cook your eggs.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat the beater just until incorporated. You do not want to overmix the batter.
- Generously grease a 10-inch Bundt cake pan with a baking spray and pour in the batter.
- Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Chocolate Ganache
- Take a medium sized microwave-safe bowl and fill it with the chocolate morsels.
- Add the heavy whipping cream and salt.
- Microwave it for a minute, take out and stir it. Put it back in the microwave for another minute and whisk thoroughly until you have a silky and smooth chocolate ganache.
- Pour the ganache over the Bundt cake once the cake has cooled completely.
Wajeeha
Awesome and extremely easy to folow recipe. The step by step guidance makes it easier for even a first time baker to bake an amazing cake!!
Keep up the good work. Please share recipe of coffee cake as well
Naureen
amazing work
I appreciate your step by step directions.stay blessed