Chocolate Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Chocolate Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1-3/4 cup all purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 cup black coffee; 8 ounces cream cheese (softened); 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature); 1 teaspoon vanilla; 8 ounces confectioners sugar (sifted)

by Beth Lee · Published: Feb 9, 2022

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Chocolate Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a chocolate cake lover's dream. Perfect for birthdays, Valentine's Day or anytime cake is the perfect finish to a meal or surprise treat for a loved one.

You might also like my chocolate babka recipe and dairy free chocolate pudding recipe!

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Chocolate Bundt Cake with cream cheese frosting and strawberries in the center on a purple cake plate.

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Why you'll love this recipe

This chocolate bundt cake with cream cheese frosting is super easy to make, stays moist for days (yup I used the word "moist") and I think it's a chocolate lover's chocolate cake. I can say this, cuz I'll pretty much do anything for a good slice of chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting.

The combination of tangy, rich, and decadent cream cheese frosting and the fudgy but not at all dense cake is just superb.

This recipe was originally inspired by a recipe from the blog Merry Gourmet. She describes this cake as similar to red velvet cake without using the food coloring. For me, it’s the ultimate chocolate cake with an extra depth of flavor from the addition of coffee.

I reduced the sugar in the cake by ½ cup and I only make ½ the frosting of the original recipe since I also make this as a bundt cake, instead of a layer cake.

Ingredients you'll need

If you bake even occasionally, it's very likely you'll have all the ingredients on hand to make this lusciously easy chocolate bundt cake with cream cheese frosting.

Cake:

Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch process because you want the acidity of the cocoa powder to work with the baking soda to help the cake rise.

Buttermilk: If you don't have any, just combine a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with a scant cup of milk (to equal one cup) and let it sit for about 5 minutes. It should thicken and begin to curdle. This is a one-for-one substitute for buttermilk.

Coffee: You can brew coffee or use instant and decide whether you want it to be caffeinated or decaf.

Frosting:

Cream cheese: Use a standard 8 ounce block of cream cheese, not whipped. And be sure to let it soften or come to room temperature.

Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter is always my choice - if I need more salt in a baked good, I prefer to add it myself.

How to make this recipe

You can use a stand mixer for this but I have always just mixed by hand and it comes out great every time.

1. Whisk your dry ingredients first:

Dry ingredients for chocolate cake in a red bowl with a whisk.

2. Add liquid ingredients and beat by hand or on medium speed in a stand mixer for about 2 minutes. Batter will be thin.

Chocolate Bundt cake mixed in a red bowl.

3. Pour cake batter into a well-greased Bundt pan. Even if the pan is non-stick like this one, spray it with non-stick spray as well.

4. Bake the cake for 30 - 35 minutes at 350°F.

5. Let cool for at least 20 minutes and then unmold on to a cooling rack and let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Unmolded chocolate Bundt cake on a cooling rack.

6. While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting (or whatever frosting or glaze you want to use). I have also turned this chocolate cake into a German chocolate cake by making a traditional pecan and coconut frosting.

German chocolate cake frosting in a red bowl with a red mixing spoon.

7. When cake is completely cool, place it on the plate, platter or cake stand you want to serve from and apply the frosting. Here you see my slightly pathetic but heartfelt attempt to make this look like a Nothing Bundt Cake.

Chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting applied in stripes with fresh strawberries in the center on a purple cake stand.

Or use a frosting knife and spread it all over:

Chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting spread all over.

Or try a different frosting like the German chocolate frosting:

Chocolate cake on a purple cake stand with German chocolate cake frosting.

Expert Tips and FAQs

You can make this cake one day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate overnight. Let cake stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.
This cake is just as good 2 or 3 days later, if it lasts that long.
If you are going to use any fresh fruit as I show in the picture - I recommend making a bowl of sliced berries on the side, macerating them for a few hours with a bit of sugar and serving alongside a slice of cake. If you decorate the center with berries, it looks good for presentation but don't leave them in there - they will spoil before the cake does!

Can you freeze this Bundt cake?

Yes you can. Make the cake, let it cool, wrap it well so it's airtight and place it in the freezer, clearly marked so you remember to eat it in the next 2 or 3 months! Frost it after you defrost the cake.

What should I do if I don't have a Bundt pan?

I would either make a layer cake using two 8- or 9- inch round pans. Cakes should bake in about 30 minutes. Or you could try a rectangular pan. Or make cupcakes! Bake the cake, in all cases, until a toothpick comes out clean. The smaller the size or thinner the cake, the faster it will bake.

Does a dark non-stick Bundt pan cook more quickly than a regular pan.

Generally, dark non-stick cookware will bake up more quickly so always check the doneness of your cake at least five minutes before the estimated time of completion.

Slice of chocolate Bundt cake with a fork on a blue plate.

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A Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Beth Lee

4.92 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 40

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 329 kcal

Ingredients

Cake

1-½ cups granulated sugar
1-¾ cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup black coffee

Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese softened
6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces confectioners sugar sifted

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

The Cake:

Heat oven to 350° F or 325° F convection with the rack in center position. Butter or spray one Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa.
Add eggs, vanilla, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and coffee. Beat by hand or on medium speed for 2 minutes; batter will be thin.
Pour into the prepared Bundt pan.
Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert cake onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

The Frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradually add the sifted confectioners sugar, beating until frosting is smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.

Frost Cake:

If you have frosting bags and tips and want to make it look like my marginal attempt at a Nothing Bundt Cake, have at it :-). Otherwise, use an offset spatula to spread the frosting. A bundt cake might lend itself to more of a drizzly icing but we love the cream cheese frosting so I make it work!

Notes

You can make this cake one day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate overnight. Let cake stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.
This cake is just as good 2 or 3 days later, if it lasts that long.
If you are going to use any fresh fruit as I show in the picture - I recommend making a bowl of sliced berries on the side, macerating them for a few hours with a bit of sugar and serving alongside a slice of cake. If you decorate the center with berries, it looks good for presentation but don't leave them in there - they will spoil before the cake does!

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 471mgPotassium: 188mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 500IUCalcium: 69mgIron: 1.1mg