Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is the chocolate cake I come back to time and again. Here’s why it’s a favorite:
- Delicious with or without the ganache drizzle (but why not go all out?)
- Incredibly moist, rich, and chocolatey
- Comes together fast thanks to a cake mix
- Foolproof for beginner and experienced bakers alike
- Crowd-pleasing and always earns rave reviews
- Fancy enough for special occasions but easy enough for weeknights
After you preview the recipe card, be sure to look below for ingredient substitutions, recipe and storage tips, and suggestions for pairings and tasty variations!
Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake
This amazing chocolate cake starts with a cake mix and couldn’t be easier or more decadent.
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Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 308kcal
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cake mix
- 1 3.4 oz. package instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Chocolate ganache for frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1 chocolate cake mix, 1 3.4 oz. package instant chocolate pudding mix, 1 cup sour cream, 3 eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup water until well blended. Fold in 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Spoon batter (it will be thick) into prepared pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Cool for 15 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, drizzle cake with Chocolate ganache, if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 85mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g
Keep scrolling for tips, ingredient substitutions, answers to frequently asked questions and more!
Recipe Tips
Here’s how to make sure your cake turns out perfectly every time:
- Grease Well: I swear by Baker’s Joy spray for bundt pans. If you’re greasing by hand, make sure to coat every nook and cranny, then dust lightly with flour.
- Thick Batter: The batter will be thick—don’t worry! Spoon it into your pan and smooth it out a bit.
- Cool Before Turning Out: Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before flipping it onto a rack.
- Ganache Drizzle: If you’re using ganache, wait until the cake has cooled completely. Need a ganache recipe? Try this Chocolate Ganache—it works beautifully here!
Storing & Serving Suggestions
- Store: Keep leftovers tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: This cake freezes really well! Wrap slices individually and thaw at room temperature.
- Serve With: A dollop of whipped cream, fresh raspberries, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it extra special.
Fun Variations to Try
Want to mix things up? Here are a few ways to make this cake your own:
- Peanut Butter Swirl: Drop spoonfuls of peanut butter into the batter before baking and swirl with a knife.
- Mocha Fudge: Replace some of the water with cooled brewed coffee for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Mint Chocolate: Add a teaspoon of mint extract and use mint chocolate chips.
- Caramel Drizzle: Skip the ganache and drizzle with Homemade Caramel Sauce instead!
144 comments
marie
I made this recipe this week. Did not use as many chocolate chips as called for and added an extra egg. Also used my own chocolate icing recipe and turned out great. I’m gonna take it our next church function. Thanks for sharing your talent
nosogirl
I made this today. Not a big fan, sorry. I did use the hot fudge sauce, which was pretty good, but feel that the addition of the semi sweet chocolate chips was just too much. If I would make this again I would omit the chocolate chips – any maybe even the hot fudge sauce.
Audrey
Add vanilla ice cream if the chocolate is too much!
Laurie
When this cake is done will it still be loose and gooey or should I continue to bake until it passes the toothpick test? I went ahead and baked it several more minutes past the hour time given. I’m hoping I didn’t dry it out. Any insight will be appreciated. Thx!
Danelle
Laurie, it is a very moist cake, but I wouldn’t say it should be loose and gooey. It should definitely be firm when you pull it from the oven, with the edges pulling away from the sides of the pan. Because of the chocolate chips in it, you might not get it to pass the toothpick test perfectly, but I’d say when it looks firm and you can get a toothpick with a few crumbs attached, it’s good (you wouldn’t want what looks like batter on the toothpick though.) Depending on your oven, you may need to bake it a bit longer than stated for it to be done, so I think it should be fine. I don’t think another 10 or even 15 minutes would dry it out.