This is the most ridiculous chocolate pudding cake ever, baked in a bundt pan and topped with creamy chocolate frosting. It’s seriously delicious and so easy to make by doctoring up a chocolate cake mix. Everyone goes crazy for this ultra-moist chocolate cake recipe!
If you love this easy chocolate cake, try my ridiculous vanilla cake, too!
I’m never opposed to using a good old-fashioned boxed cake mix from time to time. I treat it just like any other ingredient, and sometimes there really is no substitute. Take my earthquake cake or fudgy cake mix brownies, for example. Or, there’s this outrageously moist, positively irresistible, completely ridiculous chocolate pudding cake!
The texture of this chocolate cake is so soft and decadent, made with a cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, and lots of chocolate chips. This is the perfect chocolate bundt cake to take to any party, or even whip up on a weeknight because it’s that easy.
Some would say this is too much chocolate cake. And to them, I say, that’s the point! It wouldn’t be ridiculous if this cake weren’t completely over the top in all the best ways possible.
What Makes This Chocolate Pudding Cake So Ridiculously Good
Just look at that insanely moist crumb! It is hands down one of the best chocolate cake recipes I’ve ever made. And in case the photos aren’t enough to convince you, here’s why:
- Out-of-this-world chocolatey. I don’t think any chocolate cake rivals the level of rich, fudgy chocolate flavor and soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of this cake.
- So easy to make. Dare I say, ridiculously easy. There is a time and place for “from scratch” cakes, but not today. This recipe uses store-bought chocolate cake mix and a handful of other ingredients that you dump and mix.
- One bowl. The chocolate cake batter comes together in a single bowl for easy clean-up.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The name of the game here is moisture. All the ingredients layered together make the most absolutely moist and decadent chocolate cake, smothered with chocolate frosting. Below you’ll find a quick overview, with the full ingredient amounts available in the recipe card.
For the Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Cake Mix – You can use your favorite box of chocolate cake mix, whether it’s regular Duncan Hines chocolate cake, devil’s food, triple chocolate, German chocolate cake, or another kind.
- Chocolate Pudding – Instant chocolate pudding mix adds even more flavor to the cake while keeping the texture super soft. Some cake mixes have pudding already “in the mix.” It might be tempting to omit the pudding and use a cake mix with it already added, but adding your own pudding mix separately is just better. Trust me.
- Sour Cream – Another secret to the best moist chocolate cake is sour cream. I go all out and chuck in the whole container. Ridiculous? Exactly. If you don’t have sour cream, you can use equal parts plain Greek yogurt instead.
- Eggs – For richness and structure.
- Oil – This cake replaces butter with vegetable oil for added moisture that doesn’t weigh down the crumb.
- Chocolate Chips – I up the chocolate factor in this cake recipe with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
For the Frosting
- Butter – I recommend unsalted butter, brought to room temperature so that it’s easier to combine.
- Cocoa Powder – Use high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder. Dutch process cocoa powder will yield a darker color and fudgier flavor.
- Powdered Sugar – Also called confectioner’s sugar, to sweeten the frosting without making it grainy.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is best to enhance the flavor.
- Heavy Cream – Full-fat heavy whipping cream will make the creamiest frosting.
How to Make Chocolate Pudding Bundt Cake
Who’s ready to have their mind and taste buds blown by a homemade chocolate cake? Cake recipes really don’t get any easier than this:
- Combine the ingredients. Add all the cake ingredients to a bowl and mix until smooth. Next, stir in the chocolate chips.
- Bake the cake. Pour the cake batter into a well-greased bundt pan, then bake at 350ºF for about an hour, until set. Let the cake cool in the pan for a bit before inverting it onto a plate to cool completely before you frost it. If you aren’t frosting the cake (borderline blasphemy, but I’ll let it slide), try it warm and die at how good it is.
- Make the frosting. When the cake is cool, whip up a quick batch of chocolate frosting. Begin by creaming together butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar, then add the vanilla and cream. Continue to beat until the frosting is thick and creamy.
- Frost the cake. Spread the frosting in a generous layer all over the cake. I like to sprinkle a few spare chocolate chips on top at this point, because why not?
Watch This Chocolate Pudding Cake Come Together
This pudding cake is made in just a few quick steps. Watch everything come together below:
Can I Make This Cake in Another Pan?
Absolutely. You can make this chocolate cake recipe in a sheet pan or as a layer cake. Just adjust your bake times accordingly. Here are some quick guidelines:
- For the layer cake. Divide the batter between 2 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350ºF for 25-35 minutes, until set. You will also need to scale up the frosting recipe to fill the layers.
- For the sheet cake. Add the batter to a 9×13-inch baking pan and bake at 350ºF for about 35-40 minutes.
Tips for the Best Pudding Cake
Cake mix recipes are basically foolproof, so I know yours will turn out great. Here are some additional hot tips to ensure your chocolate pudding bundt cake is a slice of perfection:
- Don’t over-mix the cake batter. Even cake mix cakes can be over-mixed to the point where they turn out dense and tough. Make sure to only mix until the ingredients are just combined, to keep the batter light and airy.
- Don’t over-bake the cake. To avoid ending up with a dry chocolate cake, pull it out once the top is set and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Keep the chocolate chips from sinking. The cake batter for this recipe is so thick that the chips hardly sink at all. If you’re concerned about it, however, you can toss your chips in the dry cake mix at the start of the recipe to help keep them dispersed.
Decorating Ideas and Recipe Variations
You honestly could skip the frosting and dust it with a little powdered sugar if you feel so inclined, but since frosting-skipping is against my religion, I won’t press the issue.
- Frosting: Change up the frosting and try mint chocolate chip frosting, fluffy marshmallow frosting, or chocolate cream cheese frosting.
- Fruit: Top this cake with fresh, tart strawberries or raspberries, candied lemon, or orange slices.
- Chocolate: Garnish with chopped dark chocolate or chocolate shavings.
- Birthday Cake: Making this recipe for a birthday? Try frosting it with perfect party frosting and decorating it with rainbow sprinkles.
How to Store Homemade Chocolate Cake
Store your ridiculous chocolate cake in an airtight container or cake saver on the counter for up to 3 days, or for up to 1 week in the fridge. If you do keep it refrigerated, make sure it’s tightly covered and let it come to room temperature again before serving.
Can I Freeze Chocolate Pudding Cake?
Yes, but I recommend freezing the bundt cake before it’s frosted. Once the cake is cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap plus a layer of foil, and store it frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost your chocolate bundt cake in the fridge, then frost it as usual.
More Easy Chocolate Cake Recipes
Ridiculous Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This has to be the most ridiculous chocolate cake I’ve ever made. Made from chocolate cake mix, pudding mix, and sour cream, it’s the ultimate moist chocolate cake recipe topped with fudgy homemade frosting.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box chocolate cake mix
- 1 (3.9-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding
- 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the Chocolate Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally grease a 10-inch bundt pan with butter or shortening and lightly dust with flour. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine all the cake ingredients. Mix on low for 30 seconds until combined and then on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, until the cake is set. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert the pan onto a cake plate. Cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed, beat the butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar until combined. Add in the vanilla and cream and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Frost the top of the cake and garnish with more chocolate chips if desired.
Notes
- To store. Store your ridiculous chocolate cake in an airtight container or cake saver on the counter for up to 3 days, or for up to 1 week in the fridge. If you do keep it refrigerated, make sure it’s tightly covered and let it come to room temperature again before serving.
- To freeze. I recommend freezing the bundt cake before it’s frosted. Once the cake is cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap plus a layer of foil, and store it frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost your chocolate bundt cake in the fridge, then frost it as usual.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 545
- Sugar: 51.9 g
- Sodium: 363.3 mg
- Fat: 27.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 75.1 g
- Protein: 7.2 g
- Cholesterol: 65.3 mg
Yummm! Super moist chocolate cake. Followed recipe exactly, except I made 24 cupcakes. Only took about 15 minutes to bake. I made a white buttercream frosting.
How many cupcakes does it make?
I just made this with vanilla cake mix/pudding (omit chocolate chips) in two 8″ cake pans. vanilla cream frosting and a layer of fresh raspberries in the middle and on top and my husband says it is the best cake he’s ever had! Extra moist on day two with berries that it turned into more of a pudding cake and still ridiculously good!!
I’ve made the doctored chocolate cake mix recipe with one cup sour cream and more oil before and it was really good, but this was even better!
Thanks!
I am totally trying a vanilla version!
Can you use a 9×13 pan for this recipe? Thanks!
I’ve never tried it in a 9×13, but I am sure it would work, you would just need to adjust your bake time down!
I liberally greased and floured the bundt pan but half the cake stayed in the pan. Any idea what to do differently?
This seems to be the same cake my Mom used to make back in the seventies, but she used mini chip. Skipped the frosting, and severed warm with whipped cream. I don’t care for chocolate, but I could eat a small piece of her cake.
Would this cake be “stable” enough to use as stacked birthday cake with fondant over it?
Yes, I believe so.
I made this cake tonight and it was easy and very moist. I did substitute the coffee for the water. Wouldn’t know it was in the cake. Just brings out the chocolate flavor. Turned out great. Loved it!
Can I use a different cake pan?
Excellent question. Following this thread. Also, any tips to get my cakes to NOT stick in a bundt. I have awful luck.
Do you have to use sour cream?
You can use Greek Yogurt 🙂
I have been making a version of this cake for years and it’s always a hit. I use DH moist supreme Devils food which does have pudding in the mix and I add an extra egg. I never frost, just add preferred powdered sugar. This is the only cake I make that I can keep in my cake carrier sealed, which is the trick to keeping it moist.