Chocolate Bundt Cake
This rich chocolate bundt cake stays wonderfully moist thanks to sour cream and bloomed cocoa. It features a tender crumb and is finished with a simple, glossy chocolate ganache glaze that makes it look as good as it tastes.
Equipment
- Bundt Pan
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder, we use Dutch process
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the chocolate glaze
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Cake
- Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350 °F, then butter and flour a 10 or 12-cup Bundt pan. Coat every groove and center tube well so the flour clings in a thin, even layer with no bare shiny spots.
- Put the butter, cocoa powder, salt, and water in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring until everything melts together. The mixture should look smooth, fluid, and evenly dark with no dry cocoa pockets left behind.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl, then whisk in half of the warm chocolate mixture until blended before adding the rest. The batter will be thick after the first addition of the chocolate mixture, but it will smooth out once the remaining mixture goes in.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla and whisk just until the batter is smooth. Stop when the batter looks glossy and uniform, with no streaks of egg or pockets of sour cream.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out clean and the edges have started to pull slightly away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it onto a rack and let it cool completely. This short rest helps the cake set so it releases more cleanly and doesn’t break while still too soft.
For the Glaze and Assembly
- Place the chopped chocolate and corn syrup in a medium bowl, then heat the cream and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the cream is hot. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until the glaze is perfectly smooth and has a glossy sheen.
- Drizzle the glaze generously over the cooled cake and let it drip down the sides before slicing. The glaze should flow easily but still cling to the ridges instead of running off in a thin puddle.
Notes
Pan Prep: To prevent sticking, be sure to thoroughly grease and flour every crevice of the bundt pan. Pay close attention to the center tube and all the grooves for a clean release.
Flavor Tip: For a deeper chocolate flavor, whisk 1-2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder into the hot butter and cocoa mixture. It enhances the chocolate without tasting like coffee.
Glazing Tip: Allow the cake to cool completely before drizzling with the ganache. This ensures the glaze sets properly with defined drips instead of melting off a warm cake.
Storage: Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature. For the best presentation, you can wait to glaze the cake until just before serving.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.