Are you ready for cake? Because I’ve got cake! This classic Chocolate Sour Cream Doughnut Bundt Cake is a nod to that irresistibly glossy chocolate doughnut that calls to you from the doughnut shop case…
I aim to please here at tvfgi, and when a reader asks for a chocolate version to be next up in my popular series of doughnut bundt cakes, I oblige! I have to say it was a pretty good idea, you readers are so smart :) I’m always open to suggestions…so let me know which doughnuts you crave in bundt cake form ~ drop them in the comments, I’m ready for #4!
My doughnut bundt cake series is growing ~ here are the first two in the lineup, they’ve already gotten rave reviews :
I think you can literally see how good this cake is…it’s chocolatey but not too rich, with a nice even ‘dough-nutty’ crumb. The sour cream and buttermilk make a nice tender cake. I use part oat flour just as I did in my previous doughnut bundt cakes, and I highly recommend you give it a try.
Why do I use oat flour in my bundt cake?
I’ve discovered that a combination of regular all purpose flour and oat flour results in a perfect cake crumb, along with an extra nutrition boost from the whole grain oats, and a lovely flavor. You can buy oat flour in most supermarkets, and you can always find it online.
How to make your own oat flour ~
If you’re interested, it’s super easy to make it yourself. See my post about How to Make Oat Flour for all the details!
Bundts are great because you get the ‘wow’ factor of a fabulous cake without all the fuss of a traditional layer cake. This recipe is so easy, you’ll just whisk the dry, whisk the wet, and whisk the two together. Bake, cool, then slather it with ganache (that’s the fun part.)
My chocolate sour cream doughnut bundt cake looks and sounds extravagant, but honestly, it’s not overwhelmingly sweet or rich. I don’t recommend it as an after dinner type of dessert, it’s truly a brunch or coffee break treat, not over the top at all. It’s the perfect ‘what can I bring‘ recipe for a brunch, office party, book club, etc. The glossy glaze and chocolate sprinkles guarantee it a good reception.
kitchen tool spotlight: a great basic bundt pan
Bundt pans come in all sorts of wonderful shapes and sizes, which is great, except that you never know how your pan is going to work with a specific recipe. I like to use this one from Wilton which is a basic, all purpose pan that’s sturdy, nonstick, and a standard size.
There’s a time and place for intricate shapes, but the streamlined design of this pan will never let you down, and always releases the cake perfectly.
- Cooking notes:
Sour cream and buttermilk make a tender, moist cake. You can substitute milk, but the end result will not be as moist. It’s the little things that make a cake special, like oat flour, sour cream, buttermilk, and, of course, chocolate ganache! That little bit of espresso powder? It encourages the chocolate flavor to bloom. Find it with the regular coffees in your supermarket.
This classic Chocolate Sour Cream Doughnut Bundt Cake is a nod to that irresistibly glossy chocolate doughnut that calls to you from the doughnut shop case…
Ingredients
- 1 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 and 1/2 cups oat flour
- 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil (I use safflower or canola)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee (powder, not liquid)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Prepare a bundt pan by carefully buttering the entire surface, and then dusting with flour. Shake off excess flour.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in a another bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just combined, don't over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. I always check my cakes on the early end, at 45 minutes. Give it a few extra minutes if it doesn't quite look done.
- Set the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then invert the cake and then let cool completely before glazing. It helps to loosen the edges with a small spreading knife first. Go along the outside edges and also the inside tube edge, gently prying the cake away from the pan to loosen it.
- To make the glaze, put the chocolate and the corn syrup in a bowl. Heat the cream until it comes to a simmer, I do this by putting it into the microwave for one minute, you can do it in a small saucepan if you like. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Then stir until the mixture is creamy and glossy, with no lumps. If there is any remaining unmelted chocolate you can microwave it for a short 15 second burst to reheat the mixture. Let the ganache sit for a few minutes to thicken if it seems too thin.
- Pour the glaze evenly over the entire cake, and immediately shower with sprinkles.
Make this Chocolate Sour Cream Doughnut Bundt Cake your own ~
- You might have noticed I left the nutmeg out of this cake, even though it was in both previous doughnut cakes…I think the flavor will get overpowered by the chocolate, but feel free to add it if you like.
- Use mini chocolate chips instead of sprinkles. You can even fold regular chocolate chips into the batter for a more ‘chocolatey’ cake.
66 Comments
Susana Garcia
July 29, 2019 at 6:02 amI always use espresso coffee powder and cinnamon powder in my chocolate cakes (Peter Reinhart said in one of his books than both intensifies the chocolate flavor) but I also add 1/4 tsp of nutmeg (which I love) and my chocolate cakes are delicious ;)
Sue
July 29, 2019 at 6:48 amTotally agree, all those flavors are so great with chocolate!
Lise
July 7, 2019 at 2:04 pmHey there. Thanks for sharing this recipe! Waiting for it to cool to frost it…. I just wanted to give a little advise when using a bundt cake pan. I’ve had problems in the past with cake sticking to the bottom when turning it out. I now use a brush dipped in room temp butter to get inside all those corners & crevices….. Cakes don’t stick anymore. Can’t wait to cut into this cake as soon as possible! Still too warm LOL….. Thanks again!
Sue
July 7, 2019 at 3:36 pmLove that tip, thanks Lise!
Cecile
June 2, 2019 at 10:44 amCan I use white flour instead of oat flour?
Sue
June 2, 2019 at 11:14 amYes!
monika
May 28, 2019 at 11:40 amwhat makes a doughnut cake a doughnut cake – is it the texture?
Sue
May 28, 2019 at 12:52 pmI have a little series of doughnut cakes going, and the ‘doughnut’ effect varies from cake to cake. Sometimes it’s the texture, or the flavor. In this case it’s the texture, and just the fun appearance. I often use nutmeg in other doughnut cakes to create a doughnut flavor, but didn’t use it in this chocolate version since it didn’t seem appropriate.
Judy
April 13, 2019 at 4:58 pmI am going to make it with wheat free flour. Do you have any suggestions?
Sue
April 13, 2019 at 5:25 pmI would try with a good gf baking mix, I think you’ll have the best chance of success that way.
Judy
April 14, 2019 at 10:43 amLoved the cake. I used Better Batter brand GF flour and it turned out perfect. Thank you.
Sue
April 14, 2019 at 12:43 pmOh, thanks so much for coming back here to let us know Judy, I’m sure there are lots of others who would love to do a gf version :)
ShariG
January 27, 2019 at 11:54 amThis is my favorite kind of doughnut. However, I am allergic to oats. Can I substitute more AP flour or another flour instead?
Sue
January 27, 2019 at 12:12 pmYes, absolutely.
Kelly
October 12, 2018 at 7:27 amHi Sue, this looks great! I was just wondering if you thought this would be OK to make a day ahead. Thanks!
Sue
October 12, 2018 at 7:44 amThat should be fine Kelly.
rosa garrido
October 4, 2018 at 9:49 amhi, for chocolate you use cocoa power for dutch power- you have great recipes – thank you
Sue
October 4, 2018 at 9:53 amNot sure what your question is but you can use any type of cocoa powder for this cake, regular, or Dutched cocoa powder. Hope this helps, and thanks Rosa!
Laura | Tutti Dolci
October 1, 2018 at 4:56 pmBe still my heart… this cake looks seriously dreamy!!
Lois Gillespie
October 1, 2018 at 2:42 pmCan you use coconut oil?
Sue
October 1, 2018 at 2:57 pmSure, just be sure it’s in liquid form, and I would use refined oil because virgin coconut oil is pretty strongly flavored.
Jodi
September 30, 2018 at 8:09 pmI’m loving the doughnut bundt cakes. Wonderful idea! Please do a maple doughnut bundt; I known it’d be amazing.
Sue
September 30, 2018 at 8:12 pmYou read my mind Jodi ;)
Judy Erdelyan
October 1, 2018 at 7:21 amIs there a maple flavored posted somewhere?
Sue
October 1, 2018 at 7:46 amA couple of people have mentioned that so it’s on the short list!
Aileen Merriam
September 30, 2018 at 8:29 amExpecting a gluten free guest. Can I make the chocolate sour cream cake using corn flour in place of the all purpose?
Sue
September 30, 2018 at 8:53 amI tend to think that gf baking mixes have a better chance of success than just substituting one type of flour, Aileen.
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
September 28, 2018 at 12:22 pmOat flour, sour cream and chocolate? You’re speaking my language!! I love using oat flour especially since I recently had to go GF :/ I love it so much I bought a 60lb bag of gf oats!! lol! This looks so rich and decadent, I need to make a doughnut cake stat!!
Sue
September 29, 2018 at 1:42 pmomg you’ve got oats for life!
HanaS
September 28, 2018 at 6:08 amOh, the cake looks wonderful, thank you for sharing the recipe. I have a question regarding the ingredients: You mention “1 2/3 cups all purpose flour”. Is it to be read 1 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour as you use the “and” in the other ingredients? Thank you. I have all ingredients ready so I just need to make sure I have the right amount of flour.
Sue
September 28, 2018 at 8:13 amYes, the font is a little hard to read when I write fractions, it’s 1 and 2/3.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
September 27, 2018 at 8:12 amI’m sooooo ready for this cake Sue! Nothing beats a bundt and this looks decadent!
Alexandra
September 26, 2018 at 10:02 pmA wonderful inviting cake! Have never tried sour cream and buttermilk together before, it looks moist and subtle! Great recipe, Sue
2 Sisters Recipes
September 26, 2018 at 1:23 pmSue this bundt cake sounds and looks amazing !! You are killing it with these recipes !! Can’t wait to try it and Pinning !!
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 4:19 pmI feel like I have to get this series going before Halloween and the Holidays take over the airwaves…it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it ;)
Tara | Deliciously Declassified
September 26, 2018 at 10:27 amWOW! Gorgeous photos of a delicious cake. That cake looks like something my whole family would devour. I’ve never used oat flour before but I’m going to try it when making this cake. Thanks for sharing :)
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 4:20 pmThanks Tara, I think this is something the whole family can agree on for sure :)
Jean
September 26, 2018 at 10:04 amI made your Glazed Old Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnut Bundt Cake for our church fall festival. It was soooo good and so easy to mix up. Can’t wait to try the Apple Cider and Chocolate Bundt cakes. I really like how you incorporate the oat flour in your recipes. It really makes a difference in the turn out of the cakes. I now buy the large container and make my own flour as needed.
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 10:29 amThanks so much Jean, I love to hear that. These cakes are perfect for fall festivals, I’m jealous!
Rae
September 26, 2018 at 9:52 amDid you say doughnut and cake in the same sentence? It’s been ages since I’ve made a bundt cake. This looks absolutely delicious!
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 10:28 amHaha, it has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Bundt cakes are a little bit retro, but due for a comeback!
Ruth Justice
September 26, 2018 at 9:19 amMy favorite doughnut is the cake dough one rolled completely in peanuts. 2 nd favorite is the Barvarian cream one
Hope you find these interesting to try for a cake.
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch)
September 26, 2018 at 9:16 amPinning, This looks incredible Sue.
Gabi
September 26, 2018 at 9:05 amWow! If I could just grab the fork with the slice of cake, this looks so yummy. I have a similar recipe for a chocolate sheet pan cake which also uses sour cream. I can imagine that the taste of your bundt cake is similar delicious.
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 9:18 amI use buttermilk all the time in baking, but sour cream more rarely, and I love the result!
c
September 26, 2018 at 9:01 amThis is a cake that I don’t think I could stop at just one slice! YUMMMMM
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 9:18 amthe story of my life…;)
Judy
September 26, 2018 at 8:45 amThese bunds cakes look wonderful and I intend to bake every one of them. My question is…the bunds pan you recommend is only 9″. Is that big enough for all of this batter? My pan is lousy and am always trying to piece the cake back together. But it’s a 10 incher.
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 8:47 amDefinitely invest in a new pan if you have trouble with yours, Judy, they’re so inexpensive. And the one I recommend I think is 9.75 inches or something, but in any case it’s plenty big for this recipe. I don’t think I’ve ever had a recipe that didn’t fit in this pan.
ali randall
September 26, 2018 at 8:42 amSour cream always makes any kind of bread or cake so moist. This cake looks sinfully delicious. I’m going to hang on to this recipe.
JC
September 26, 2018 at 8:34 amI don’t have a bundt pan but would like to try this recipe. What size cake pan would work for this?
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 8:42 amI haven’t tried it in a different pan, but you might try a 9×13, just watch the cooking time carefully, and don’t over bake.
Deana
September 26, 2018 at 8:28 amHi,
I just finished baking your zucchini, apple, walnut cake yesterday and my family loves it as do I. Now I have my eyes set on making this chocolate sour cream doughnut one. Looks wonderful! I was wondering if you could share how you pour ganaches or other glazes over cakes? Mine never look very nice when I do it.
Love your blog and recipes!
Thanks,
Deana
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 8:45 amThat’s a great question, and if I do a video of this cake I’ll be sure to focus on that. The ganache for this cake is fluid and pourable, so I just put it in a pyrex measuring cup with a spout and kind of hover over the top and zig zag back and forth slowly until I’ve gone around the whole cake, If there are any bare spots I go over them quickly. You can also do this with a big spoon. The technique doesn’t matter quite so much with this cake because the aim is to cover as much of the cake as you can. With other cakes you might want the drizzles to be nice and even.
Leslie
September 26, 2018 at 8:25 amThis looks incredibly moist and rich. I will have to try using oat flour in baked goods.
Liz
September 26, 2018 at 8:21 amI tried the apple cider doughnut cake and it was AMAZING and a huge crowd pleaser. Excited to try this chocolate one. I’d love a bundt cake version of the blueberry cake doughnut!
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 8:26 amThanks Liz ~ you’re the second vote for a blueberry version!
Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme
September 26, 2018 at 8:20 amWell, let me hop a flight and book a hotel because I need to come over to visit if y’all are baking this cake often! I need at least two slices.
CMH
September 26, 2018 at 8:04 amShould I use a Natural or Dutch process cocoa here? I have fabulous Bensdorp cocoa in the pantry but perhaps a natural cocoa would be better would be better in this recipe. I love your salad recipes. Thanks so much.
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 8:25 amI used a natural Sharfen Berger cocoa that I happened to have on hand, but I think really you can use either. I often use my Hershey’s Special Dark, which is a blend of the two, when I want an intense dark color. I promise I’ll get back to salads asap ;)
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
September 26, 2018 at 6:56 amWell I for one am all for this doughnut bundt cake trend :) This one looks fabulous! Love chocolate donuts!
Tricia
September 26, 2018 at 6:43 amThis is one gorgeous slice of deliciousness Sue! And I think I hear it calling my name :) I CANNOT wait to give this a try and hope nobody stops by for a few days – haha. Mine, all mine!!!
R
September 26, 2018 at 4:31 amBlueberry Glaze for number 4? This one is definitely going to be my go-to for brunches!
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 7:30 amI’m writing it down, that sure would be pretty :)
angiesrecipes
September 26, 2018 at 3:40 amIt looks incredible! How did you finish all the baked goods? Do you need help :-)))
Sue
September 26, 2018 at 7:31 amDon’t ask, Angie….don’t ask.