This chocolate chocolate chip bundt cake is intensely chocolatey with an ultra-moist crumb that stays tender for days. Semi‑sweet chocolate chips are both melted into the batter and folded in whole so every slice has pockets of melty chocolate. The recipe comes together in two bowls and requires no mixer.
A light dusting of powdered sugar makes it look impressive with very little effort.
Equipment You’ll Need
You’ll need either a 12-cup bundt pan (small batch) or a 15-cup bundt pan (large batch). A light-colored, lightweight metal pan bakes more evenly and helps prevent overbrowning at the edges. A good nonstick or well-greased bundt pan with defined ridges produces the best results.
Top Tip
Choose a light silver pan rather than a dark or heavy-duty pan. Darker pans run hotter and can overbake the outer edge before the center is set. If your pan has handles, they make it easier to flip the cake when it’s time to unmold.
Other helpful items: Baker’s Joy or a flour-based cooking spray (or grease and flour the pan thoroughly), two large mixing bowls, a microwave-safe bowl for melting chocolate and butter, a whisk, a sifter or fine-mesh strainer, and an offset spatula to smooth the batter in the pan.
Key Ingredients
Unsweetened cocoa powder – the backbone of the chocolate flavor. Use unsweetened cocoa (not hot cocoa mix); standard natural cocoa reacts correctly with the leaveners in this recipe.
Semi‑sweet chocolate chips – part are melted with butter to create a fudgy base, and the rest are stirred in whole so you get chocolate chips in every slice. Regular chips hold their shape better than mini chips.
Instant ClearJel (or chocolate instant pudding mix) – this modified starch holds moisture in the crumb for a bakery-style texture that stays soft for days. Whisk it with the dry ingredients first to prevent clumps. If you don’t have it, use the chocolate instant pudding substitute amounts noted in the recipe notes.
Sour cream – full-fat sour cream yields a denser, richer bundt cake than buttermilk. It adds moisture and a subtle tang that brightens the chocolate.
Brewed coffee – used to intensify the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee. Water can be substituted in a pinch.
Salted butter – melted with chocolate chips to add richness and a fudgy depth that oil alone doesn’t provide.
Vegetable oil – helps the cake stay moist both at room temperature and after refrigeration.
Key Baking Tips
- Use a light-colored bundt pan. Dark pans absorb more heat and can overbake outer edges before the center is done.
- Sift the dry ingredients. Cocoa powder and Instant ClearJel can clump; sifting prevents lumps and improves texture.
- Test doneness in several spots. Chocolate chips can look like wet batter; check with a toothpick in multiple places. A few moist crumbs are fine, but it shouldn’t look wet.
- Let the pan cool before flipping. Wait until the pan is only lukewarm to avoid tearing or collapsing the cake when unmolding.
- Serve at room temperature. The cake’s texture and chocolate flavor are best when not cold from the fridge.
- Dust with powdered sugar. It’s a simple, elegant finish; a chocolate glaze or ganache drizzle also works if you prefer.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This cake comes together quickly with a two-bowl method. The full ingredient amounts and exact measurements follow below; these steps are a concise visual guide.
- Whisk ingredients: Sift and whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients in a second bowl until smooth.
- Melt chocolate and butter: Microwave butter and the specified amount of chocolate chips in 30‑second intervals, whisking between each, until smooth and glossy.
- Combine: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined. Add the melted chocolate-butter mixture and whisk until smooth. Fold in the remaining chocolate chips.
- Fill the pan and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, smoothing the top. Bake according to the times below until the cake springs back slightly and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and finish: Let the cake cool in the pan until the pan is only lukewarm, then invert onto a platter. When completely cool, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with ganache. Serve at room temperature or warm with ice cream.
FAQ
If the pan doesn’t state its capacity, fill it with water and measure how many cups it holds. To avoid overflow, fill the pan no more than ¾ full with batter.
Store covered at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze; bring back to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Yes. Bake a day ahead and dust with powdered sugar just before serving, or freeze the cooled cake for longer storage.
Yes. Wrap the fully cooled cake tightly and freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. If freezing in the bundt pan, be sure to flip it out of the pan first once cooled—otherwise it may stick when you try to unmold after freezing.
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📖 Recipe & Step-by-Step Instructions
Moist Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
Bakery-style extra-moist chocolate bundt cake with deep chocolate flavor and chocolate chips baked into every slice. Made in two bowls, no mixer required. Recipe scales for 12‑cup and 15‑cup bundt pans.
Servings: small = 12‑cup pan, large = 15‑cup pan
Prep Time: 20 mins • Cook Time: 55–60 mins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 255 grams (about 2 cups + 3 teaspoons) all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 24 grams (3 tablespoons) Instant ClearJel (or use chocolate instant pudding mix as noted below)
- 45 grams (4 ½ tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 150 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 168 grams (¾ cup packed) brown sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 276 grams (1 1/8 cups) 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 (small) or 88 grams (large) semi-sweet chocolate chips (for melting with butter)
Additional Ingredients
- 90 grams (½ cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips (stirred into batter)
- Powdered sugar, optional for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Generously spray a 12‑cup (small) or 15‑cup (large) bundt pan with a flour-containing baking spray, or grease and flour the pan. Do not use a pan smaller than specified or the batter may overflow.
- Using a sifter or fine-mesh strainer, sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk until evenly combined.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (eggs, sour cream, coffee, oil, and vanilla) until smooth.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and the specified amount of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Heat in 30‑second intervals, whisking between each, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Add the melted chocolate-butter mixture and whisk until the batter is uniform and smooth. Fold in the remaining semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. The batter should fill to about ¾ of the pan.
- Set a timer for 55 minutes (12‑cup) or 60 minutes (15‑cup). Bake on the center rack with ample space above the pan. Begin checking at the timer: the cake is done when it springs back slightly and a toothpick inserted in several places comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Avoid removing the cake while any area still appears wet.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan until the pan is only lukewarm to the touch. Invert onto a plate or platter. When completely cool, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with ganache, if desired. Enjoy at room temperature for best texture.
Notes
Substitute for Instant ClearJel: If you prefer to use chocolate instant pudding mix instead of Instant ClearJel, use 39 grams (4 ½ tablespoons) for the small (12‑cup) batch and 52 grams (6 tablespoons) for the large (15‑cup) batch. Instant ClearJel and instant pudding must be whisked thoroughly with the dry ingredients to avoid clumping. Use only products labeled “instant.”
Author: Amy
Calories: Approximately 388 kcal per serving (estimate).