Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake

This decorative dark chocolate bundt cake has a rich devil’s food flavor that’s topped with a homemade chocolate ganache and garnished with chocolate sprinkles.

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About Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake

From the elegant shape to the sprinkled ganache, this dark chocolate bundt cake is the type of dessert that’s ideal for any occasion.

Because not only will it be easy for you to make (as many bundt cakes are) but this is chocolate cake we’re talking about. Chocolate is almost always a win, no matter the time or place, and with this cake’s devil food vibes and the rich ganache topping, it’s sure to be a hit – and will be requested again for years to come.

What type of cake pan should you use?

This recipe is ideal for a bundt cake pan, and you can you any variety (simple, decorative, etc) that’s at least 10 inches in diameter or has a 10 to 15 cup capacity. I personally used this 10-inch classic bundt cake pan.

However, this recipe can also be made in two nine or 10-inch round pans or a 9×13 baking dish. If using either of these pans, adjust the bake time to 30 to 40 minutes.

Do you have to use coffee?

If using hot coffee isn’t an option, then you can use hot water instead – but keep in mind, this will impact the flavor. Coffee adds depth and richness to the chocolate flavor, transforming this cake from a chocolate cake to a dark chocolate cake. If you still wanted the dark chocolate flavor without the coffee, consider using unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa powder instead of the standard unsweetened cocoa powder.

How long is chocolate cake good for?

Once prepared, this cake can be stored in a sealed container on the counter for up to five to seven days.

Can you freeze chocolate cake?

Yes, you totally can! Cakes are amazing for freezing.

Once prepared and cooled, wrap the whole cake (or individual pieces) in plastic wrap, then store it in a sealed container or a freezer bag for up to six months.

When ready to eat, transfer the cake to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, then place it on the counter to come to temperature.

Tips for ensuring cake release

One of the trickiest (and potentially devastating) parts of cake making is ensuring that the cake will cleanly release from the pan. And this problem increases ten-fold when you’re dealing with a deep, decorative bundt cake pan.

But fear not! There are a couple of tips, methods, and tricks to help ensure that the tops and sides of your cake are as pretty as the bundt pan itself.

Properly inspect and prep your bundt cake pan for baking, which means:

• Check the condition of your bundt cake pan. Most modern bundt pans come with a nonstick coating, but continued use or certain methods of cleaning (like the dishwasher) can erode this layer away. For tips on checking the condition of your bundt cake pan, see this article: When to Throw Away Nonstick Pans. It’s written for items like frying pans, but the same basic concepts can apply to any cookware with a coating.
• Coat the pan with either baking spray, homemade cake release, or a layer of butter and dusting it with flour. If you’re the type that tends to have bad luck with cakes releasing – and there’s no shame in that, because I’m raising my hand right along with you – feel free to be generous in how much you use. The worst thing that will happen is that the outside of the cake might appear a darker color, but that’s much better than releasing your cake only to find that half the cake is still stuck inside the pan.
• For best results, wait to coat your cake pan with the above methods until just before you’re ready to pour in the batter. So prepare the batter, coat the pan, then pour.

Once baked, help a stubborn cake release from the pan by:

• Always allow the cake to cool completely in the bundt cake pan before attempting to release it. Be prepared that this may take a while. You can try to speed up the process by placing the cooling cake in the refrigerator.
• Place the bundt cake pan (with the cake still inside) in the freezer for 30 minutes. This should cause the cake itself to shrink, helping it pull away from the sides of the pan and allow for easy release. You can repeat this step as needed until the cake has enough room to release. And don’t worry, the cake will bounce back to its intended size as it comes to room temperature.
• Submerge the top half of the bundt cake pan in hot water (and just to be clear, submerging the top half of the pan means keeping the bottom of the cake facing toward the ceiling). This should help the material of the bundt cake pan expand, pulling it away from the cake and allowing for an easy release. This method the opposite of freezing and whether either method works could depend on the type of cake or the material of the bundt cake pan.
• If you have a thin spatula made of silicone or soft plastic (avoid sharp metal objects) you can gently poke around the exposed bottom and sides of the cake to help free some areas it may be stuck. However, this method has iffy results, since you can only safely access a small portion of the cake.
• When in doubt, let gravity do the work. If you’ve tried the above methods and the cake still won’t drop, place a few kitchen towels on a wire cooling rack and rest the bundt cake pan, cake side down, on top of the towels. The cake may just need the help of its own weight to fall out in its own time and the towels will help cushion (and lessen the distance) when it lands.

Notes & tips for dark chocolate bundt cake

• When making cakes like this, I highly recommend using a stand mixer with a flat beater or flat edge attachment. These are ideal for working with large amounts of batter and efficiently creaming butter and sugar. You can read more about different types of attachments here: Which beater do I use?
• While this recipe does have two cups of sugar in it, it’s not overly sweet. It would pair well with whipped cream and fresh berries.
• The ganache can be omitted entirely or replaced with a dusting of powdered sugar or a classic sugar icing.
• Canola oil can be substituted for vegetable oil.

More delicious chocolate recipes

Other great cakes to make

How to make a dark chocolate bundt cake

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – Get started by whisking together all of the dry ingredients: flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Step 2 – Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), mix together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and milk until blended.

Step 3 – While continuing to mix, slowly pour in the hot coffee, but be careful; pouring the hot coffee too fast will result in the eggs cooking in the batter. To prevent this, keep the stream of pouring coffee small.

Step 4 – Working in batches, mix in the dry ingredients until incorporated. The batter will be thin and liquid; this is okay.

Step 5 – Grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan and pour in the cake batter.

Step 6 – Bake!

Step 7 – While the cake bakes and cools, prepare the ganache. Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips, heavy whipping cream, and salt to a microwave bowl, then heat for two minutes, whisking well halfway through. Once heated, whisk the ingredients until a smooth chocolate sauce forms.

Step 8 – Allow the ganache to cool slightly.

Step 9 – Drizzle ganache over the cake and garnish with chocolate sprinkles if desired.

Step 10 – Serve and enjoy!