The best of two worlds come together in this recipe: chocolate cake and cheesecake. It's moist, full of chocolate flavor, and with that sweet surprise in the middle that makes it different. A fantastic recipe.
Cheesecake marbled cake
This is a stunning chocolate bundt cake with a cream cheese ripple that transforms a wonderful cake into something unique and even more delicious!
It's not only pretty, but oh so good. It's velvety and perfectly sweet, with a deep chocolate flavor and that cheesecake marbling running through it.
It's never the same when you cut it, as the swirl takes a life of its own and travels wherever it wants inside the cake.
I might venture to say that it will be my chocolate bundt cake of choice to take to gatherings or make for parties—well, maybe in addition to this chocolate hazelnut cake and the red velvet pound cake, as they're always a hit.
And it unmolds like a dream. Which is the ultimate test of a good bundt cake recipe.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Cocoa powder: always use unsweetened.
- Cream cheese: regular, full fat.
- Milk: use whole, full-fat milk for a richer cake. But reduced-fat milk also works well.
- Prepared coffee: it enhances the chocolate flavor. The cake won't taste like coffee.
- Baking powder: make sure it's not expired.
- Baking soda: make sure it's not expired.
- Sour cream: regular, full fat.
- Powdered sugar: also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar.
- Shortening: to grease the pan. In my experience, it's the best way to remove bundt cakes easily.
Preparing the bundt pan
If you bake bundt cakes often, you’ve likely had one stick to the pan. It’s frustrating—but preventable. Here are three reliable methods:
- Shortening and flour: Coat the pan thoroughly with soft shortening using your fingers or a brush, making sure to reach every corner, including the center tube. Dust with flour, rotating the pan to cover evenly, then tap out the excess over the sink.
- Cake goop (pan-release paste): Mix equal parts shortening, flour, and oil into a paste. Brush it onto the pan. Store leftovers in a jar—1 month at room temp or up to 3 months in the fridge. This is one of my favorite methods.
- Baking spray with flour: Only use baking spray that includes flour. Regular cooking spray isn’t enough and often leads to sticking. I rarely use this anymore.
The recipe matters too: When I find a bundt cake that releases cleanly, even without perfect prep, I hold onto it—it’s a keeper.
Steps to make cheesecake ripple bundt cake
Chocolate mixture
After you add the sour cream to it, it'll be unctuous and thick.
Cake batter
This is a large cake, and the creaming (beating soft butter with sugar and then eggs) is important. Use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Dry ingredients
It's important to sift the flour mixture to avoid clumps or impurities. And it helps with fluffiness.
You can sift them before or have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the butter mixture (my choice).
Make the layers
We'll be making 3 chocolate layers and 2 cheesecake layers.
You lightly marble them every time. This creates the best part, the swirl.
End with chocolate batter
The bundt cake pan should be filled ⅔ to ¾ of its capacity, no more than that. This way, the batter has space to grow and bake well.
Test for doneness
This is a large cake, so it takes time to fully bake. Make sure the oven is preheated and at the right temperature.
Use a toothpick or cake tester in the middle of the cake to check that it's done. It should come out clean.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
After incorporating flour in a cake batter, we don't want to develop gluten, as it will toughen the baked cake. So mix *just* until it's all well incorporated but don't overbeat. I like to end mixing with a silicon spatula to ensure the ingredients are fully integrated.
Sour cream glaze
I tested finishing this cake with a chocolate glaze and it was too much. The cheesecake part got a bit lost.
So I opted for a sour cream glaze that can also be made with cream cheese, like the one we use for the banana bread cake.
But the acidic nature of the sour cream balances the overall sweetness better.
Storing
- Room temperature and refrigerator: this chocolate cake can be left at room temperature for a day or two. After that, use plastic wrap to cover it well, and refrigerate for several more days. Take into account that the fridge dries up, so it will lose its softness after a few days. It will be denser but with a good flavor.
- Freezing: this bundt cake freezes well. Wrap it in plastic first and then aluminum foil. It keeps for a month. If freezing the whole cake, do so without frosting if you can. If you have leftovers, you might want to consider cutting slices before freezing.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: Keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Pan: make sure the bundt cake pan is correctly prepared.
- Cooling down: Always use a cooling rack (wire rack) to cool cakes, especially dense bundt cakes like this one. If you don't have one, put the pan on top of something that allows the air to flow below the pan. I sometimes place them on the gas stovetop (turned off!) because the burners allow that. And buy one if you want to bake often. They're an essential item.
- Glaze: let the cake cool completely before glazing. Otherwise, it will not be thick due to the warmth of the cake.
- Serving it: I highly recommend serving it at room temperature for the best experience. The flavors are somewhat numbed when they are cold.
Related recipes you might like:
One last thing
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Chocolate Cream Cheese Filled Bundt Cake
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Ingredients
For the cream cheese swirl:
- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg, large, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the chocolate cake:
- 2 tablespoons shortening, soft, to grease the pan
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup water, warm
- ½ cup prepared coffee, warm
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, or cake flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, 6 ounces, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 3 eggs, large, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sour cream, at room temperature
For glaze:
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º (180°C).
For the cheesecake swirl:
- Mix 12 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small bowl. Reserve.
For the cake:
- Grease with 2 tablespoons shortening a bundt cake pan and coat it with flour, shaking off excess.
- In a medium bowl, mix ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder with ¼ cup water and ½ cup prepared coffee. Stir and reserve.
- In a large bowl beat ¾ cup unsalted butter and gradually add 1 ¾ cups sugar. Beat until very creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add 3 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat for 1 minute after the last one is added.
- Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and ¾ cup sour cream to the chocolate mixture and mix.
- Sift 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add dry ingredients in three additions to the butter mixture, alternating with the chocolate mixture in two additions. Don't worry if the batter looks a bit curdled at times.
- Pour ⅓ of the batter into the prepared pan, smooth top.
- Spoon ½ of the cream cheese mixture, trying no to let it overflow to the sides. Marble slightly.
- Spoon another ⅓ of the chocolate batter on top, spreading it to cover the white batter. Some white spots might remain, don't fret about it. Marble lightly.
- Cover with the remaining chocolate cake batter.
- Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. This is a large cake and can take longer depending on your oven and bundt pan.
- Let cool for about 15-20 minutes on a wire rack, and carefully remove it from the pan. It's still hot and tender, so make sure it's not stuck by slightly shaking the pan; you'll feel the cake is loose. Return it to the wire rack and cool completely.
- Pour glaze slowly over cake and let it drip down the sides.
For the glaze:
- Mix ½ cup sour cream, 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from Baking for all Occasions, by Flo Braker
Aurica says
damn, it came so good, so delicious, so creamy, i just love the chocolate..
Laura says
Yum! Love the sour cream ripple!
Medeja says
You are a queen of bundt cakes! Another great recipe! 🙂
Rachel @ yourtablecloth.com says
Yum!Can't wait to try this recipe!
Terra says
Your cake is so pretty! I love that delicious layer inside the cake, so creative and fun! Hugs, Terra
yummychunklet says
Love the glaze!
Susan says
This cake looks amazing!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
I'm the same as you, Paula, I don't usually bake repeats (especially now when I'm constantly trying out new things for the blog) and only do so when it's a standby. I'm sorry you lost your pix but that meant you got to bake and eat this gorgeous cake a second time. Wow and I mean WOW! You've got everything I love in there - chocolate (naturally) and an amazing tunnel of cheesecake and pecans. This is stunning and I'm sure it tasted exquisite!
Laura Dembowski says
Love when bundt cakes unmold perfectly. I also love when I have an excuse to make a recipe I love again. With the blog, I'm always making new things and sometimes my favorites go by the wayside. It would be so cool to celebrate Christmas in summer!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I usually make a chocolate bundt cake every year for my annual Christmas party. This will be on my table next time...it sounds wonderful.
Guru Uru says
This cake has everything I could possibly need to indulge 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Deb says
I am gallantly resisting the year end frenzy! But the week just before Christmas seems to always suck me into it's swirling vortex! It is then that I must try new recipes, new techniques and convince myself that nothing is impossible, LOL! Your Chocolate Port Bundt Cake is just the solution for the season of too much. Great flavor, easy to prepare and a joy to share!
amy @ fearless homemaker says
This cake looks absolutely divine - so perfect! I could go for a slice right now. =)
Parsley Sage says
Ack! So sorry you lost your pictures, but not really all that sorry since you got to make another of this GLORIOUS cake 🙂
Renee Dobbs says
Oh what a beautiful bundt. It looks so perfectly moist and chocolatey. It is certainly a cake for me.