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Chocolate Kahlua Cake is an easy chocolate bundt cake with a hint of Kahlua coffee liqueur and studded with chocolate chips, and it's made entirely from scratch - no box mix here!It's as perfect to bring to a potluck as it is to serve after a fancy evening or holiday dinner. Moist and rich, this is the ultimate chocolate bundt cake to make!
Jump to:
- Why this recipe works
- Recipe Ingredients
- How to make Chocolate Kahlua Cake
- Storage instructions
- How to save an overbaked chocolate cake
- Questions asked and answered
- More bundt and loaf cake recipes to try
- Recipe
- Comments
[October, 2022: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]
Why this recipe works
- The cake batter comes together in a flash with common pantry ingredients - no boxed mixes needed!
- Rich chocolate flavor supported by mocha sweetness and studded with chocolate chips for an exceptionally moist cake
- No glazes needed - just finish with a dusting of powdered sugar
Chocolate Kahlua Cake has always been a family favorite and crowd-pleasing recipe. It’s a rich chocolate bundt cake flavored with Kahlua, a coffee-flavored rum from Mexico, and studded with chocolate chips.
Many Kahlua cake recipes use a boxes of chocolate cake mix and vanilla pudding mix. I've developed this recipe for Kahlua cake from scratch - no box mixes needed, so no chemical additives or preservatives. That's a big plus!
My Kahlua Cake recipe has all the hallmarks of the old written recipe, just without additives, preservatives, or ingredients I can't pronounce. It has rich chocolate flavor in the cake with bursts of chocolate chips adding to the intensity. The texture is firm enough to hold its shape as a bundt, but not as dense as a brownie or flourless chocolate cake.
Kahlua can be a powerful flavor (like in Kahlua Chocolate Fudge), but here it adds supporting notes of mocha sweetness underneath. And you don't have to worry about serving this cake with coffee liqueur - unlike with the fudge, the here the alcohol bakes out, so it's pregnancy- and kid-friendly.
While some bundt cakes might have a glaze, this one is so moist and rich, it doesn’t need it. Instead, I just dust it with powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
I highly encourage you to make this Kahlua Cake recipe from scratch. It's as perfect to bring to a potluck as it is to serve after a fancy evening or holiday dinner. Scaled down, Kahlua Cake is great to serve for Valentine's Day or Date Night.
Moist and rich, this is the ultimate chocolate bundt cake to make!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Excited to try your new and improved version!
- Austin
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this Kahlua cake recipe:
Ingredient Notes
Kahlua: Widely available, Kahlua coffee liqueur can be found in most stores that sell mixers and liqueurs. You don't have to worry about serving this cake with a coffee liqueur - the alcohol bakes out so it's pregnancy- and kid-friendly. If you don't want to use Kahlua (or another spirit), you can use the same amount of strong coffee or espresso.
Canola oil: This Kahlua cake recipe uses canola oil instead of butter (no creaming here), so you can mix the batter with a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or just by hand.
Sour cream: Adds to the cake's overall moisture and crumb structure, which is helpful for a bundt cake.
Chocolate chips: Well...chocolate! The chocolate chips just adds to the cakes rich, chocolate flavor.
Powdered sugar: This cake is so moist and rich, no glaze is really needed - just a dusting of powdered sugar, and you're ready!
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Chocolate Kahlua Cake
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients together
Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until the mixture is well combined (photo 1). Sifting the flour or cocoa powder first is helpful so you don't have to go chasing lumps.
Step 2: Whisk the wet ingredients together
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl (if using a hand mixer), beat together the eggs and sour cream until combined. Add the Kahlua, canola oil, and vanilla and blend well (photo 2).
Step 3: Combine the wet and dry ingredients
Add flour mixture and stir on low speed until it’s just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand (photo 3).
Step 4: Bake the cake
Pour the batter into a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan that's been sprayed with baking spray, making sure to get in all the pan's nooks and crannies. Bake the cake at 350°F for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean (photo 4).
Do you see how the sides of the cake pulled away from the pan after baking? That's a good sign that the cake won't stick to the pan. Bundt cakes can be tricky to get out of the pan whole, which is why spraying the pan well helps.
Let the cake cool for 15 to 20 minutes in the pan, then invert it onto a wire cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Storage instructions
Kahlua cake can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container (or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap) for up 3 days. dust with powdered sugar just before serving. For longer storage, freeze the tightly wrapped cake for up to 3 months.
How to save an overbaked chocolate cake
It happens - I'm checking my chocolate bundt cake for doneness and keep thinking it needs "just another 5 minutes." When the cake is released from the pan after the required 15 minutes of waiting, I notice it feels a little too firm. Uh oh...I overbaked the cake. [ insert sad-face emoji here ]
Not to worry, I've got a fix! If this happens to you, you can re-moisten the cake by simply brushing the cake with simple syrup (a boiled combination of equal parts water and sugar).
But even better, since this is a chocolate cake, you can use my easy homemade Chocolate Syrup recipe to infuse the cake with moisture and flavor! Just make a quick batch (all you need is 5 ingredients and 5 minutes), poke a few holes all over the cake, and brush on a generous amount of the still-warm syrup with a pastry brush. The chocolate syrup will soak in, soften the cake, and save the day!
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Can I use something else besides Kahlua?
Like with my Port Wine Chocolate Cake, the alcohol bakes out so you're just left with a lovely undertone of coffee and rum (it's pregnancy- and kid-friendly.). If you don't want to use Kahlua, you can use the same amount of another spirit or strong coffee or espresso. Just know the flavor won't be quite the same - it's not Kahlua cake anymore.
Can I bake Kahlua Cake in a cake pan?
Like with most bundt-style cakes, you can bake it in different types of pans, like a round cake pan or a standard loaf pan. See below for some other pan substitution ideas.
You can also make a smaller bundt cake with this recipe. Just divide all the ingredients in half and bake in a small 6-cup bundt pan for 30 to 40 minutes. The cake in these pictures is made in a small bundt pan - it's got all the flavor in half the size!
How long do you let a bundt cake cool before removing from pan?
It's really important to let the baked cake rest in the pan for at least 15 minutes before turning it out of the bundt pan. This allows the cake to firm up and (hopefully) pull away from the sides of the pan, especially if you've sprayed the pan well with a good baking spray.
I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
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More bundt and loaf cake recipes to try
- Chocolate Kahlua Cake from Scratch
- Glazed Orange Cranberry Bread
- Coffeehouse Marble Bundt Cake
- Glazed Limoncello Cake
Recipe
Chocolate Kahlua Cake
Tammy Spencer
Chocolate Kahlua Cake is an easy chocolate bundt cake with a hint of Kahlua coffee liqueur and studded with chocolate chips, and it's made entirely from scratch - no box mix here!It's as perfect to bring to a potluck as it is to serve after a fancy evening or holiday dinner. Moist and rich, this is the ultimate chocolate bundt cake to make!
4.59 from 34 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Cooling Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 24 slices
Calories 220 kcal
Equipment
10- to 12-cup bundt pan
baking spray
sifter
stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder, Dutch-process, sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 cup Kahlua, see Recipe Notes
- ¾ cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 12 ounces chocolate chips, (2 cups)
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Spray a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan with baking spray, making sure you get all the pan's nooks and crannies.
Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until the mixture is well combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl (if using a hand mixer), beat together the eggs and sour cream until combined. Add the Kahlua, canola oil, and vanilla and blend well.
Add flour mixture and stir on low speed until it’s just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for 15 to 20 minutes in the pan in the pan, then invert it onto a wire cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Dust with powdered sugar, then serve and enjoy.
Storage instructions: Kahlua cake can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container (or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap) for up 3 days. dust with powdered sugar just before serving. For longer storage, freeze the tightly wrapped cake for up to 3 months.
Notes
You don't have to worry about serving this cake with a coffee liqueur - the alcohol bakes out so it's pregnancy- and kid-friendly. If you don't want to use Kahlua, you can use the same amount of another spirit or strong coffee or espresso. Just know the flavor won't be quite the same - it's not Kahlua cake anymore.
If you’d like a small bundt cake, just divide all the ingredients in half and bake in a small 6-cup bundt pan for 30 to 40 minutes.
Your Notes
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Nutrition
Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 220 kcalCarbohydrates: 31 gProtein: 2 gFat: 9 gSaturated Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 16 mgSodium: 168 mgPotassium: 64 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 22 gVitamin A: 50 IUVitamin C: 1 mgCalcium: 29 mgIron: 1 mg
