A Cake for a Crowd
This cake is my go-to for big family dinners. It looks fancy but it’s really just a big, chocolate hug. I love how it makes the whole house smell like a bakery. Doesn’t that smell amazing?
It’s a big cake. That’s the point. It’s for sharing. Slices for everyone, and maybe seconds for the kids. Food tastes better when we eat it together. That’s why this matters. It turns a meal into a memory.
The Secret is in the Sour Cream
You might wonder about the sour cream. I did too, the first time. Trust me. It makes the cake so soft and moist. It stays that way for days.
My grandson once tried to skip it. He said it sounded weird. His cake was dry and sad. We still laugh at that. Now he never forgets it. Fun fact: sour cream was used in cakes long before baking powder was invented!
Patience with the Pan
Grease that bundt pan well. Use butter or shortening. Then dust it with cocoa powder. This keeps the cake from sticking. It also gives the outside a nice chocolatey look.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. No less. This is important. If you flip it too soon, it might break. I learned this the hard way once. A little patience makes a perfect cake. What’s your biggest baking disaster? I love hearing your stories.
The Chocolate Waterfall
The ganache is my favorite part. It’s just cream and chocolate and a little butter. You heat the cream until it’s steaming. Then pour it over the chocolate. Watch it melt. Stir it until it’s shiny and smooth.
Pour it right over the cooled cake. Let it drip down all those beautiful curves. It’s like a chocolate waterfall. This step makes it special. It shows you took extra care. That feeling matters. It turns a simple dessert into a gift.
Your Turn to Bake
This recipe has many steps. Don’t feel rushed. Read it through first. Get all your ingredients to room temperature. This helps them mix together smoothly. It makes a big difference.
Baking is a quiet kind of happy. You mix, you wait, you smell, you taste. Will you try this cake for a birthday or a quiet Sunday? Tell me what you’re celebrating. And what’s your favorite chocolate treat to share?
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa powder, sifted | 1 cup | plus more for dusting pan |
| Semisweet chocolate, finely chopped | 7.5 ounces | for cake |
| Boiling water | 1 cup | |
| All-purpose flour | 2.25 cups | |
| Baking soda | 1.25 teaspoon | |
| Salt | 1.25 teaspoon | |
| Unsalted butter | 1.25 cups | for cake |
| Brown sugar | 2.5 cups | |
| Eggs, lightly beaten | 5 | |
| Vanilla extract | 4 teaspoons | |
| Sour cream | 1.5 cups | |
| Semisweet chocolate chips | 1.5 cups | |
| Semisweet chocolate, finely chopped | 6 ounces | for ganache |
| Unsalted butter | 2 tablespoons | for ganache |
| Heavy cream | ½ cup | for ganache |
My Famous Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake
Hello, my dear. Come sit at the table. Let’s bake my favorite chocolate cake. It’s the one I make for birthdays and rainy days. Doesn’t that smell amazing? The secret is the sour cream. It makes the cake so soft and rich. I learned that from my own grandma. I still laugh at that. She called it her “kitchen magic” trick.
Now, let’s get our hands busy. First, get everything to room temperature. Cold eggs can make the batter grumpy. Grease your Bundt pan very, very well. Then dust it with cocoa powder. This keeps the cake from sticking. It also gives it a nice chocolatey crust. (Hard-learned tip: Really get your fingers in all those pan curves. Miss a spot, and the cake might stay for dinner!).
Step 1: Put 1 cup cocoa and the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over it. Whisk it all until it’s smooth and shiny. It will look like a dark chocolate pond. Set this aside to cool a little. We don’t want it to cook our eggs later!
Step 2: Sift your flour, baking soda, and salt together. This gets the lumps out. It makes the cake light as a cloud. I like to do this over parchment paper. It makes cleanup so easy. My grandson calls it my “baker’s magic carpet.”
Step 3: Beat the butter until it’s creamy. Add the brown sugar. Beat it for a full five minutes. This puts tiny air bubbles in the batter. They make the cake rise. It will look light and fluffy. What else do we add air to make it fluffy? Whipped cream? Share below!
Step 4: Add the eggs, a little at a time. Let each bit mix in fully. Then add the vanilla. Your kitchen will smell wonderful now. Scrape the bowl sides often. We want every bit to join the party.
Step 5: Add the flour and sour cream. Start and end with the flour. Mix just until you see no white streaks. Now pour in that chocolate pond. Fold it in gently. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips. They are the happy little surprises.
Step 6: Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake it for about an hour. A toothpick should come out with just a few crumbs. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then flip it onto a rack. Be brave! It will come out.
Step 7: For the ganache, pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and butter. Just let it sit for a minute. Then whisk it into a silky glaze. Pour it over the cooled cake. Let it drip down the sides. Try not to eat it all with a spoon!
Cook Time: 65 minutes
Total Time: About 2 hours (with cooling)
Yield: 12 generous slices
Category: Dessert, Cake
Three Fun Twists to Try
This cake is perfect as is. But sometimes, it’s fun to play. Here are three ideas I love. They feel like putting on a different dress for the same wonderful friend.
Orange Zest Joy: Add the zest of one orange to the batter. It makes the chocolate taste brighter and sunny.
Mint Chip Freshness: Use mint chocolate chips instead of regular ones. It tastes like a fancy chocolate mint.
Raspberry Swirl: Drop spoonfuls of seedless raspberry jam into the batter before baking. Gently swirl with a knife.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving It Up With Style
This cake is a star all by itself. But a little extra love never hurts. For a party, dust it with powdered sugar. It looks like a light snowfall. A few fresh berries on the side are pretty and tasty. A dollop of whipped cream is always a good idea. It cuts the richness just right.
What to drink? For the grown-ups, a small glass of ruby port is lovely. It sips like liquid raisins. For everyone, a cold glass of milk is the classic choice. Or try a sparkling raspberry lemonade. The bubbles are so fun. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Chocolate Bundt Cake Happy
This cake is a special treat. You will want to save some for later. Let it cool completely first. Then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
It stays fresh on the counter for three days. For longer storage, freeze it. Wrap the whole cake or slices in plastic, then foil. It freezes beautifully for up to three months.
I once froze a slice for a month. My grandson found it and declared it “time-travel chocolate.” Thaw it overnight in the fridge. This matters because a good cake should bring joy for days.
You can reheat a slice for ten seconds in the microwave. It makes the ganache soft again. Batch cooking is easy with this recipe. Simply double it and bake in two pans.
Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Cake Troubles
Sometimes cakes can be tricky. Do not worry. Here are easy fixes. First, a sticky cake in the pan.
Grease your pan very, very well. Use butter and cocoa powder. I remember when my first bundt cake broke. I was so sad. Let the cake cool for only fifteen minutes before flipping.
Second, a dry cake. This often means it baked too long. Check it five minutes before the timer ends. A toothpick should have a few moist crumbs.
Third, a dense cake. Your ingredients must be at room temperature. This matters because cold ingredients do not mix well. They make heavy batter. Getting this right builds your cooking confidence.
Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Quick Cake Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make this gluten-free?
A: Yes. Use a good gluten-free flour blend. Make sure it has xanthan gum.
Q: Can I make it ahead?
A: Absolutely. Bake it the day before. Add the ganache the day you serve it.
Q: What if I don’t have sour cream?
A: Plain, full-fat yogurt works great. It gives the same tender crumb.
Q: Can I make a smaller cake?
A: You can halve the recipe. Use a smaller pan. Bake time will be less.
Q: Any optional tips?
A: Add a teaspoon of instant coffee to the boiling water. It makes the chocolate flavor sing!
Which tip will you try first?
Bake, Share, and Enjoy
I hope you love making this cake. It is a recipe full of good memories for me. Sharing food is a way to share love.
I would love to see your creation. Show me your beautiful bundt cake. It makes my day to see your kitchen adventures.
Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! You can find me at @AnnaWhitmoreBakes. I cannot wait to see your photos.
Happy cooking!
—Anna Whitmore.
Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake: Sour Cream Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe
Description
Indulge in the ultimate moist Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake. This easy, decadent dessert is perfect for any occasion and always a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Ganache:
Instructions
- Have all ingredients at room temperature. Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Grease well, a 12 cup bundt cake pan and dust with cocoa powder; tap out the excess.
- To make the cake, in a bowl, combine the 1 cup cocoa powder and the chocolate. Add the boiling water and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth and blended. Set aside.
- Over a sheet of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 30 to 45 seconds. Reduce the speed to low, add the brown sugar and beat until blended. Increase the speed to medium and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs a little at a time, beating until incorporated before adding more and stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour, beating just until blended and no lumps of flour remain. Slowly pour in the chocolate-cocoa mixture and beat until no white streaks are visible, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are about 1 inch higher than the center. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached to it, 60 to 65 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cake cool completely, at least 1 hour.
- Return the cooled cake to the pan. Using a serrated knife, gently saw off any excess cake that extends over the edge of the pan. Set the wire rack on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan.
- Meanwhile make the ganache: In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just to a boil. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until the melt and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing the ganache to drip down the sides. Let the cake stand until the ganache is set, at least 15 minutes.
Notes
- Nutrition Facts: Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 826IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 5mg
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