Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box Devil’s Food cake mix
- 1 box (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 5 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sour cream or buttermilk
- 3/4 cup brewed coffee
- 2 cups Nestle Toll House chocolate chips
Ganache‑Style Icing
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 cup pecan pieces
Equipment
Ingredient Notes and Roles
Devil’s Food cake mix + instant chocolate pudding mix
The cake mix provides a reliable base, while instant chocolate pudding intensifies the chocolate flavor and makes the crumb velvety and incredibly moist. This pudding‑cake combo is a classic trick for “too much chocolate” and death‑by‑chocolate‑style bundts.
Eggs (5 large)
Five eggs add richness, structure, and extra moisture, helping the cake rise tall in the bundt pan and slice cleanly without crumbling. The extra egg compared to many doctored‑mix recipes contributes to that dense, almost brownie‑like texture.
Vegetable oil (3/4 cup)
Oil keeps the cake soft for days and adds a plush, tender crumb. Unlike butter, oil stays soft even when the cake is chilled, so leftovers still taste moist.
Sour cream or buttermilk (1 cup)
Sour cream or buttermilk adds tang and fat, which both deepen the flavor and keep the cake moist without thinning the batter. This is the “secret” to that rich, never‑dry crumb found in most popular chocolate pudding bundts.
Brewed coffee (3/4 cup)
Coffee doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee; it amplifies the chocolate notes and adds depth. Many Toll House and chocolate bundt recipes use coffee or espresso for exactly this reason.
Nestle Toll House chocolate chips (2 cups)
A full 2 cups of Toll House chips give you melty pockets of chocolate throughout the cake. They sink slightly into the batter as it bakes, creating streaks and pockets of chocolate rather than a uniform crumb.
Cocoa‑pecan icing ingredients
Salted butter, cocoa, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla make a quick stovetop icing with a glossy, pourable consistency; folding in pecan pieces adds crunch and a nutty contrast to all the chocolate. This icing behaves like a loose ganache glaze that drips beautifully over the bundt ridges.
Step‑by‑Step Instructions
- Prep the pan and oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a bundt cake pan with butter or baking spray, making sure to get into every groove; this is crucial for a clean release with such a moist cake. - Combine dry mixes
In a large mixing bowl, add the Devil’s Food cake mix and instant chocolate pudding mix. Whisk or briefly mix to combine so the pudding is evenly distributed through the cake mix. - Add wet ingredients
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, sour cream (or buttermilk), and brewed coffee to the bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until the batter is smooth and thick with no dry pockets of mix remaining. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once to be sure everything is incorporated. - Fold in chocolate chips
Gently fold in the Nestle Toll House chocolate chips with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Over‑mixing at this point can knock out air and make the chips clump at the bottom. - Fill the bundt pan
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, smoothing the top with a spatula so it bakes evenly. The pan will be fairly full but should still have space for the cake to rise without overflowing. - Bake the cake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, with just a few moist crumbs (but not wet batter). Since there are chocolate chips, be sure you’re not just hitting a melted chip when you test. - Cool and invert
Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. This allows the structure to set so it doesn’t break when inverted. After 10 minutes, carefully invert the bundt onto a cake plate or platter and lift off the pan. If the pan was well‑greased, the cake should release cleanly. - Make the cocoa‑pecan icing
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the salted butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth, then gradually whisk in the powdered sugar, followed by the milk and vanilla extract, until the icing is glossy and pourable. If it’s too thick, add a splash more milk; if too thin, whisk in a bit more powdered sugar. Fold in the pecan pieces. - Glaze the cake
Let the cake cool until just warm or room temperature so the icing doesn’t completely slide off. Pour the warm cocoa‑pecan icing over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip naturally down the sides and into the center. - Serve
Slice and serve the cake slightly warm for the most indulgent texture, with molten bits of chocolate and soft icing. Pair with vanilla ice cream for a classic “death by chocolate” experience; you can reheat individual slices in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to recreate that fresh‑from‑the‑oven feel.