This chocolate chocolate chip bundt cake delivers deep, rich chocolate flavor in every bite, with an ultra-moist crumb that stays soft for days. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are baked right into the batter for extra chocolate in every slice, and the whole thing comes together in two bowls with no mixer required.
Dust it with powdered sugar and it looks stunning with almost no effort!
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Equipment You'll Need
Let's talk about cake pans. This double chocolate bundt cake recipe provides two size options. You'll need wither a 12-cup bundt cake pan (small batch) or a 15-cup bundt pan (large batch). A light-colored, lightweight metal pan is your best bet for even baking without overbrowning the edges. I prefer Nordic Ware bundt pans.
Top Tip
I use the Nordic Ware Anniversary Edition 15-cup pan for the large batch. The thicker, light-colored metal bakes evenly every time, and the handles make it easy to flip. I recommend a light silver pan for all bundt cakes - dark or heavy-duty pans absorb more heat and can overbake the outer edges before the center is done.
Baker's Joy Original No-Stick Baking...↗
Baker's Joy or flour-based cooking spray - Bundt pans have a lot of beautiful crevices, which means a lot of places for cake to stick. Spray every ridge generously, or grease and flour the pan thoroughly.
Glass Mixing Bowls with Lids,...↗
Two large mixing bowls - One for dry ingredients, one for wet. This two-bowl method is what keeps the crumb tender and moist without overmixing. No mixer needed. You'll also need a Microwave-safe bowl for melting the butter and chocolate chips together.
Whisk - All you need for this batter. Whisk the dry ingredients first, then the wet, and one whisk does the job.
Sifter or fine mesh strainer - Cocoa powder and Instant ClearJel both clump easily. Sifting takes an extra minute and makes a real difference in the final texture.
Key Ingredients
Unsweetened cocoa powder - Your primary source of chocolate flavor for this rich chocolate cake. Make sure it's unsweetened and not Dutch-process or hot cocoa mix, which won't react with the baking soda the same way.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips - These are used two ways. Some melt into the butter to create a rich chocolate base, and the rest get stirred in whole so you get chocolate chips in every slice. I prefer the texture of regular chocolate chips to mini, as the mini chocolate chips tend to melt into the batter and aren't as noticeable.
Instant ClearJel (or chocolate instant pudding mix) - Instant ClearJel is a modified cornstarch that holds moisture in the crumb, giving you that bakery-style texture that stays soft for days. Whisk it thoroughly with the dry ingredients before adding any liquid. If you can't find it, chocolate instant pudding mix works as a substitute as described within the recipe card. Whatever you use, make sure the label says "instant."
Sour cream - Unlike my extra moist layer cakes that use buttermilk, my bundt cake recipes use sour cream for a thicker batter and denser texture. Sour cream adds moisture, richness, and just enough tang to balance the sweetness and deepen the chocolate flavor. Full-fat gives the best results.
Brewed coffee - You won't taste coffee in the finished cake. What coffee does is amplify the chocolate flavor in a way that water simply can't. If you need to skip it, water works as a substitute.
Salted butter - I always use salted butter for the best flavor. Combined with melted chocolate chips, it adds a richness and fudgy depth that oil alone doesn't give you.
Vegetable oil - Keeps the crumb moist at room temperature and after refrigeration, which matters for a bundt cake you'll be slicing over a few days.
Key Baking Tips
- Use a light-colored bundt pan. This is one of those details that really matters. Dark pans run hotter and can overbake the outer edges of a bundt before the center is fully set. A light silver pan like Nordic Ware's Treat Bundt Pan (small batch) or Anniversary Pan (large batch) gives you gentle, even heat and a beautiful result.
- Sift your dry ingredients. Cocoa and Instant ClearJel both clump. Taking the extra minute to sift them before whisking keeps your batter smooth and your texture right.
- Test doneness in multiple spots. The chocolate chips in the batter can look like wet batter when the cake is actually done. Always check in several places with a toothpick or paring knife. A clean toothpick or one with just a couple of moist crumbs means you're good. Wet batter means more time.
- Let the pan cool before flipping. Wait until the pan is only lukewarm to the touch. Flipping too soon can tear the cake or cause it to collapse.
- Serve at room temperature. This cake is at its absolute best when it isn't cold from the fridge. The crumb is more tender, the chocolate flavor comes through fully, and the texture is exactly what it should be.
- Dust with powdered sugar. I love the simplicity of a powdered sugar top since the rich chocolate bundt cake is flavorful enough on its own, but you can absolutely add a chocolate glaze or a chocolate ganache drizzle!
Step-by-Step Instructions
See how easily this chocolate bundt cake comes together!
Full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions are in the recipe card below. These steps are a quick visual guide.
- Whisk Ingredients: Sift all dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Combine all wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Melt the Chocolate Butter Mixture: Microwave butter and chocolate chips in 30-second intervals, whisking between each, until smooth.
- Combine Everything: Pour wet ingredients into the flour mixture and whisk smooth. Add the chocolate butter mixture to the cake batter and whisk until uniform. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips.
- Fill the Pan and Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake 55-66 minutes or until done.
- Cool and Finish: Cool until the pan is lukewarm, flip onto a plate, and once fully cool, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate ganache. It is great at room temperature, or warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
FAQ
The pan should say when you purchase it, but sometimes we don't have that information! Fill your pan with water, measuring as you go. The total cups of water it holds is your pan size. To make sure you have the right amount of batter when baking, fill your pan no more than ¾ of the way up to give the cake room to rise.
Store the chocolate bundt cake covered at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze, and bring to room temperature before serving.
Yes, bake a day ahead and add the powdered sugar just before serving, or bake weeks ahead and freeze it!
Yes, it freezes beautifully! Wrap the cooled cake tightly and freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. You may freeze the cake in the bundt pan, but flip it first (once cooled) for best results, then place it back in the bundt pan. Otherwise it may stick when you flip it after freezing.
More Easy Recipes for Chocolate Lovers
📖 Recipe & Step-by-Step Instructions
Moist Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 255 grams (2 cups + 3 teaspoons) All-Purpose Flour (I use Gold Medal)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 24 grams (3 Tablespoons) Instant Clearjel or use Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix as described in Note #1
- 45 grams (4 ½ Tablespoons) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I use Hershey's)
- 150 grams (¾ cup) Sugar
- 168 grams (¾ cup packed) Brown Sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large Eggs
- 276 grams (1 ⅛ C ) full-fat Sour Cream
- 6 Tablespoons Brewed Coffee
- ¾ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 ¼ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Butter Mixture
- ¾ stick (3 ounces) Salted Butter
- 66 grams Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Additional Ingredients
- 90 grams (½ c) Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 12-cup bundt cake pan (small batch) or a 15-cup bundt pan (large batch)* generously with a cooking spray that contains flour (like Baker's Joy). Or grease and flour the pan. (*NOTE- if you use a cake pan smaller than listed, your cake batter may overflow)
- Using a sifter or fine mesh strainer, sift the Dry Ingredients into a large bowl, then whisk until well blended.
- Combine Wet Ingredients in a separate large bowl and whisk until smooth and well-blended.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the Salted Butter and 66 grams (small) or 88 grams (large) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips in 30-second intervals, whisking thoroughly between each, until melted and smooth. Set aside.
- Pour Wet Ingredients over the Dry Ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Pour the melted chocolate butter mixture into the cake batter and whisk until uniform and lump-free. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips.
- Pour the chocolate chocolate chip cake batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth out the batter until even (an offset icing spatula works well for this). The batter will fill to about ¾ of the pan.
- Set a timer for 55 minutes (12-cup) or 60 minutes (15-cup) and bake on the middle rack with plenty of space above the pan. Begin checking when the timer goes off. The cake is done when it springs back to your touch and a toothpick comes out clean. A few moist crumbs are fine, but it shouldn't look wet. Check in multiple spots, as the chocolate chips can make the cake look underdone when it's finished.
- Allow the cake to cool until the pan is only lukewarm to the touch, then flip the chocolate bundt cake onto a plate or platter. When the cake is completely cool, dust the top with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
Small batch (12-cup pan): use 39 grams (4 ½ Tablespoons) Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix
Large batch (15-cup pan): use 52 grams (6 Tablespoons) Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix Read my article Instant Clearjel: a Magical Little-Known Bakery Ingredient to see why I think this ingredient is worth having in your pantry. Instant Clearjel must always be whisked thoroughly with other dry ingredients before being added to wet ingredients to avoid clumping. (Make sure what you use is labeled as “Instant.” Cooktype or regular Clearjel is a different product that does not work the same in cakes).
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