Chocolate Bundt Cake With White Glaze

Alright, so you’re staring into your pantry thinking “I should make something impressive but I don’t want to spend 5 hours decorating tiny fondant flowers.” Say no more. This chocolate Bundt cake with white glaze is basically the little black dress of desserts—classic, always impressive, and honestly, kinda hard to mess up. Plus, that glorious ring shape makes everyone think you’re fancier than you actually are. Win-win!

Why This Recipe is Awesome

Listen, I could give you a dozen reasons why this cake deserves your time, but let’s cut to the chase. First, it’s chocolate, which automatically makes it better than 90% of other desserts (this is science, don’t question it). Second, that white glaze creates this gorgeous contrast that makes people whip out their phones for Instagram before you’ve even finished serving. And third, the Bundt pan does all the decorative work for you, which means you can be a total klutz with frosting (like yours truly) and still create something that looks professional.

Oh, and it stays moist for days. Seriously, this cake might actually taste better on day two. How many desserts can claim that superpower?

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (the regular stuff, nothing fancy)
• 1¾ cups granulated sugar (because 2 cups would just be excessive, right?)
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the good kind, not the chalky stuff from the back of your pantry)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda (yes, soda not powder—they’re different, trust me)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (to make the sweet sweeter—kitchen magic)
• 2 large eggs (room temperature, because cold eggs are party poopers)
• 1 cup buttermilk (makes everything tender, like a cake therapist)
• ½ cup vegetable oil (keeps it moist without hogging the spotlight)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the real stuff, not that imitation nonsense)
• 1 cup hot coffee (brings out the chocolate flavor and gives you something to sip while baking)

For the white glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted if you’re feeling fancy)
• 3-4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (cream makes it richer, milk works if you’re being virtuous)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (again, the real deal)
• Pinch of salt (trust me on this one)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep your stuff. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your Bundt pan like your cake’s life depends on it—because it does.
2. Mix the dry team. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Break up any cocoa clumps—nobody wants to bite into a powder bomb later.
3. Assemble the wet crew. In another bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until they’re getting along nicely.
4. Create cake harmony. Slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Don’t overmix—we’re making cake, not bread. The batter will be pretty thin, and that’s perfectly fine.
5. Add the secret weapon. Stir in the hot coffee. Yes, the batter gets even thinner—this is normal, not a disaster. The coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like your morning brew.
6. Bake it up. Pour the batter into your prepared Bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
7. The waiting game. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip it onto a wire rack to cool completely. This is not the time to be impatient—a hot cake will break, and then you’ll have to pretend you meant to make trifle all along.
8. Glaze time! Mix powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk/cream, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Add more liquid if needed until you reach a thick but pourable consistency. You want it thick enough to cling to the cake but thin enough to drizzle.
9. Make it rain. Once the cake is completely cool, place it on a serving plate and drizzle the glaze all over the top, letting it run down the sides in an artistic fashion. You can pretend you calculated each drip, I won’t tell.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

We all mess up sometimes, but let’s try to avoid these classic blunders:

Skimping on the pan prep. If you don’t grease and flour every nook and cranny of that Bundt pan, your cake will stick like it’s trying to make a permanent home there. Not cute.

Opening the oven too early. I know you’re excited, but peeking at your cake before the 30-minute mark is just asking for a sad, deflated center.

Rushing the cooling process. Hot cakes are like emotional people—they fall apart easily. Give it time to get itself together before attempting any movement.

Making the glaze too thin. If your glaze is running off the cake faster than guests at a boring party, add more powdered sugar. You want elegant drips, not a sugar puddle.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Because sometimes we realize we’re missing stuff halfway through mixing:

No buttermilk? Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Boom—fake buttermilk that totally works.

Coffee hater? Use hot water instead. You’ll lose some flavor depth but the cake will still be delicious. Or use hot chocolate for an even more chocolatey experience—I mean, who would complain about that?

Gluten issues? A good quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend usually works in this recipe. The texture might be slightly different, but the taste should still knock socks off.

Want to booze it up? Add a tablespoon of Kahlúa or Baileys to the glaze. I’m not saying alcohol makes everything better, but I’m not not saying that either.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! This cake actually gets better after a day, as the flavors have time to get cozy with each other. Just store it under a cake dome or in an airtight container at room temperature.

Do I really need a Bundt pan?
I mean, it’s kinda in the name of the recipe, but no judgment here. You can use two 9-inch round pans instead—just reduce the baking time to about 30-35 minutes.

Can I freeze this cake?
You bet! Freeze it unglazed, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw at room temperature and add the glaze fresh before serving. Future You will be so grateful to Past You.

My glaze hardened before I could drizzle it. Now what?
Add a few more drops of milk and stir until it loosens up. If you went too far and it’s now too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. It’s basically a never-ending cycle of corrections until you get it right or give up and just pour it on anyway.

Will this cake impress my mother-in-law?
If your mother-in-law isn’t impressed by this cake, I’m sorry to tell you that nothing from your kitchen ever will. Maybe try buying her affection with jewelry instead?

Final Thoughts

Congrats! You now have in your arsenal a chocolate Bundt cake that looks like it took way more effort than it actually did. This is the kind of recipe that builds reputations—pretty soon you’ll be the person everyone begs to bring dessert to every gathering.

Remember, the best part about baking is that even the “failures” are usually still delicious. So if your cake sticks or your glaze doesn’t look Pinterest-perfect, just own it. Call it “rustic” or “deconstructed” or whatever fancy term makes you feel better, then serve it with ice cream. Because IMO, ice cream fixes everything.

Now go forth and create chocolate magic. Your taste buds (and anyone lucky enough to score a slice) will thank you!