Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

posted by Megan on Nov 26, 2022 0 comments »

Happy national cake day!! This incredible double chocolate bundt cake is the most appropriately named recipe I’ve ever made. Not only are there two kinds of cocoa in this cake, but there’s also melted dark chocolate mixed right in. Did I mention that the glaze is ALSO chocolate??

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slice of chocolate cake on a white plate with a fork

Oil vs. Butter

In the first few tests, I made this cake with oil. The rise was good, the texture was good, the flavor was…alright. It was NOT bad, but there was definitely room for some improvement. I’d researched using butter vs. oil, and even though the cons of butter meant risking some height in the final cake, (among other things) I had to find out how it might affect the final product.

So I used the same measurement of melted butter instead of oil in the third test, and I was in love with the results. The same tight crumbed texture was just a bit softer, we lost about 1/2 inch of the rise, (more on that below) but WOW, the flavor was phenomenal. When I brought both versions to church for a blind test, the butter cake unanimously won.

whole chocolate bundt cake on a white marble and wooden platter

But the one thing that oil had over butter came out when it was time to eat the refrigerated leftovers! The butter cake became very dense and fudge like when cold, while the chilled oil cake was more soft and manageable.

So obviously, the next step was using both, and made for the BEST chocolate cake I’ve ever had. Both the fresh cake and the chilled leftovers were soft and decadent.

Chocolate

I used two kinds of cocoa for this double chocolate bundt. The bulk of it was my go-to cocoa powder for everything, and then a small amount of black cocoa. I try not to get too crazy with that one, since adding too much can make the final result dry and bitter. But when used sparingly, black cocoa adds a deeper, more complex chocolate flavor.

In addition to the two kinds of cocoa, I also added a good measurement of melted, cooled dark baking chocolate. And while I haven’t used chocolate chips, I’m sure that wouldn’t be a problem as long as they’re completely melted and smooth.

To strengthen the chocolate even more, I dissolved both cocoa powders into hot coffee before adding them to the batter. Not only does coffee/espresso highlight chocolate, but adding the cocoa to the hot liquid allows it to bloom and become more rich and flavorful. Many of the flavor compounds in cocoa are enhanced with heat, and taking advantage of that will make your cake even better!

Texture

This chocolate bundt cake is moist with a tight crumb. Each bite melts in your mouth and is pleasantly soft, even with the all purpose flour. While I thought of using cake flour, I didn’t think it would hold up as well in this recipe. But there’s always time for another test!

Aesthetic

Like I said before, I tested this chocolate bundt with both oil and butter, and didn’t think there was going to be that much of a visual difference. But I was surprised! The cake made with oil rose beautifully and ended up being very tall. However, when I inverted the cake to set it on the serving plate, the “top” that rose in the oven was very visible and stood in contrast to the rest of the fluted bundt shape.

Think of it as the cake having it’s own platform attached to it. The bundt shape stopped where the rim of the pan did, and then there was a crown that extended 2-3 inches past that.

The chocolate bundt made with butter and then the combination of both butter and oil didn’t rise as robustly as the oil cake. It was shorter by about 1/2 inch, and leveled off just slightly as it cooled. But it had a perfectly shaped bundt profile with no excess crown at the bottom! When I inverted it to glaze, all that was visible was the pan’s shape! To say that I was ecstatic was really underselling.

Glaze

Nothing fancy, since I didn’t want to distract from the AMAZING cake itself. Simply create a ganache with some chopped dark chocolate and heavy cream. I added a splash of coffee, since you’ll probably have some leftover from making the cake, and because coffee makes chocolate better!

Serving & Portions

This cake bakes up beautifully in a 12 cup bundt pan. You can comfortably divide it into 20 slices that each measure about 1 1/2 inches thick. While the slices may seem small, remember that this recipe is rich and somewhat dense, so a little will go a long way.

However, you can slice this bundt as thick or thin as you choose! However, the nutritional facts included below the recipe are for 1/20th of the entire cake, or one glazed slice as described above.

Shelf Life & Storage

Your double chocolate bundt should be refrigerated, but you can store it at room temp for a shorter period of time. In both cases, use an airtight container. I use this cake carrier, but cling wrap and a plate work just as well.