The Only Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake You Need
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If you’re someone who believes vanilla desserts deserve just as much attention as chocolate ones, this Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake is for you.
This cake is unapologetically vanilla-forward, with a rich buttery crumb, plenty of vanilla flavor, and mini chocolate chips woven throughout every slice. The vanilla simple syrup keeps the cake exceptionally moist, and the silky vanilla bean frosting takes it over the top. (I mean seriously… I could eat the frosting with a spoon!)
It’s proof that you don’t need complicated ingredients or elaborate decorations to create a dessert that people genuinely remember.
Table Talk with Tawnie
If you want a REALLY GOOD go-to cake recipe, THIS is the recipe to make. It’s a simple, yet amazing cake and I am not sure how else to explain it other than that. It’s perfectly moist, has a dense crumb (like dense in the best way possible, you know what I mean!!) and is vanilla-forward which I love. And I just love those mini chocolate chips dotted throughout the cake. Kids and adults will love it!
You gotta love any dessert with chocolate chips, right? Check out my Banana Chocolate Chip Bars with a brown butter brandy frosting, my Single Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie, and my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes for more chocolate-chip-y goodness!
Ingredient Notes
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
- Cake Flour: Creates a lighter, more delicate crumb than all-purpose flour and gives this Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake its soft bakery-style texture.
- Unsalted Butter: The foundation of the cake’s rich flavor. Always use softened, room temperature butter (not margarine or spreadable butter) to ensure maximum volume in your cake. I take mine out of the fridge at least an hour before I begin baking!
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds subtle caramel notes and extra moisture, helping keep the cake soft for days.
- Vegetable Oil: A small amount of oil helps the cake stay moist even after refrigeration and keeps it tender longer than butter alone.
- Eggs + Egg Yolk: The extra yolk adds richness, moisture, and contributes to the cake’s velvety texture. Let your eggs come to room temperature before using in the recipe. This helps them incorporate better into the creamed butter and sugar mixture.
- Sour Cream: This is essentially an insurance policy to keep the Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake moist! Sour cream adds richness, moisture, and tenderness while helping create a fine crumb. Same as the eggs, let the sour cream get to room temperature before using. Cold sour cream is much thicker and doesn’t blend into the batter as easily. Room-temperature sour cream mixes in smoothly, helping maintain the emulsion you’ve created while creaming the butter, oil, and sugars.
- Cornstarch: Works alongside the cake flour to create an exceptionally soft, tender texture.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: I’ve found that using the mini chocolate chips works best because they’re lighter in weight and don’t sink to the bottom. Plus, you get more chocolate in each bite this way! Tossing them with flour helps prevent them from sinking.
- Vanilla Extract: This recipe uses a full tablespoon, giving the cake a warm, bakery-style vanilla flavor that pairs perfectly with the chocolate chips.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Used in the glaze for intense vanilla flavor and those beautiful vanilla bean flecks.
- Other Ingredients Needed: granulated sugar, whole milk, baking powder, kosher salt, powdered sugar, heavy cream, water, and shortening for preparing the Bundt pan.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Don’t be alarmed by the number of steps, I just want to help you perfect the technique so you get delicious results every time!
Prepare the pan & dry ingredients
Grease and flour the Bundt pan thoroughly, making sure to coat every nook and cranny. Whisk together the cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
Cream the butter & sugars
Beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil until light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk and sour cream.
Finish the batter
Alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream mixture to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined, then fold in the flour-coated mini chocolate chips.
Bake & brush with syrup
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 60–65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. While the cake cools, make the simple syrup. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack, poke holes all over the surface, and brush the syrup over the warm cake.
Glaze & serve
Once the cake has cooled completely, whisk together the vanilla bean glaze ingredients until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cake and garnish with additional mini chocolate chips if desired. Let the glaze set before slicing and serving.
Expert Tips
- Choosing your bundt pan: Material and color matter! The best type of Bundt pan to use is cast-aluminum or coated steel. I prefer the cast-aluminum because it distributes heat quickly and evenly to promote uniform rising, consistent baking and golden crust. (Nordic Ware is the brand I purchase). Note: light colored pans lend perfectly baked cakes and darker surfaces can overly brown crusts. You’ll need at least a 10 cup pan for this recipe.
- Grease the Bundt pan properly: You will want to make sure every crevice is coated so none of the cake will stick when you invert it. There are a few methods that work well:
- Use shortening & flour: Dip a paper towel in a generous amount of shortening and spread the shortening around the pan, making sure to coat all of its nooks and crannies. Lightly dust the greased pan with flour (using a sift works well for this). Tap and rotate the pan to create a thin, even coating of flour across the pan’s interior. Gently tap out any excess flour over the sink.
- Spray: Spraying the Bundt pan liberally with non stick baking spray and then a light coat of flour works wonders!
- Cream the butters and sugars thoroughly: Don’t rush this step. Creaming the butter and sugars for 3–5 minutes incorporates air into the batter, which helps create a lighter crumb and gives the cake its beautiful rise.
- Don’t over-beat the eggs: When you add in each egg one at a time, mix just long enough for the yellow to disappear (about 30 seconds). Beating the eggs too long can result in a collapsed and fragile crust.
- Alternate dry ingredients & sour cream: Adding the flour mixture and sour cream mixture in alternating additions helps keep the batter smooth and prevents overmixing. Start and end with the dry ingredients for the best texture.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Once you begin adding the dry ingredients, mix only until combined. Overmixing develops too much gluten, which can lead to a heavy, tough cake instead of a soft, tender crumb.
- Use mini chocolate chips: Mini chocolate chips are lighter than the regular morsels which gives them a better chance of not sinking to the bottom.
- Lightly coat chocolate chips in flour: Simply tossing chocolate chips in a little flour can help suspend them in your batter and prevent sinking.
- Let the cake cool before inverting it onto a wire rack: Try not to rush this process. Allow cake to cool 10-15 minutes.
- Don’t skip the simple syrup: The vanilla simple syrup adds moisture and flavor while helping keep the cake soft for days. Brush it on while the cake is still warm so it can soak in properly.
Storage / Freezing
- Storage: Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Because of the frosting, you can also refrigerate it for up to 5 days. Allow refrigerated slices to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freeze the Whole Cake: For best results, freeze the cake before frosting. Wrap the completely cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before glazing.
- Freeze Individual Slices: Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for an easy dessert whenever the craving strikes.
FAQs
How do I invert a bundt cake?
Turn a cooling rack upside down on top of the pan. Put one hand on the cooling rack and the other under the bundt pan. Then, you flip it! After that, carefully lift the pan from your cake.
Why do my ingredients need to be at room temperature?
Cold eggs, milk, and sour cream can cause the butter mixture to curdle and prevent the batter from emulsifying properly. Room-temperature ingredients blend together more easily, creating a smooth batter and a tender, evenly baked cake. I recommend taking the eggs, sour cream, and milk out of the fridge ~1 hour before you begin baking.
How can I tell when my butter is softened?
The butter is softened when you can make a small indentation in the butter with your finger. Butter should keep its shape. If it’s too soft and loses shape, place it back in the fridge for 15-20 minutes or so. (Ps. I wrote a whole post about How to Soften Butter Fast!)
Can I use a different kind of flour?
You can use All-Purpose flour if you can’t find cake flour. Texture may be less cakey and not have as much of a delicate, tender crumb. Be sure to use the spoon and level method to avoid using excess flour and creating a dense, dry cake.
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Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 3 cups cake flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt (or ½ tsp. fine salt)
- 3 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk (room temperature)
- 1 cup sour cream (room temperature)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips (plus more for garnish, optional)
- 2 tsp flour
- 2-3 Tbsp. shortening (to grease bundt pan)
- 2 Tbsp. flour
For the Simple Syrup
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Bean Frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted if needed)
- 3 Tbsp. heavy cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
- pinch of salt
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Grease the bundt pan: Dip a paper towel into a generous amount of shortening and spread it around the pan, making sure to coat all its nooks and crannies. Lightly dust the greased pan with flour (using a sift works well for this). Tap and rotate the pan to create a thin, even coating of flour across the pan’s interior. Gently tap out any excess flour over the sink.2-3 Tbsp. shortening, 2 Tbsp. flour
- Mix dry ingredients: Combine the cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Cream ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed for ~3-5 minutes or until butter becomes noticeably lighter in color and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- Whisk sour cream: Meanwhile, whisk together the sour cream and milk in a measuring cup or small bowl.1 cup sour cream, 3/4 cup whole milk
- Add eggs & vanilla: Decrease mixer to low and beat in the eggs & egg yolk, one at a time. Beat each egg just long enough for the yellow to disappear (about 30 seconds). Then add vanilla extract.3 eggs, 1 large egg yolk, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- Add flour: Gradually add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat just until combined after each addition. Overmixing can lead to dry, tough cakes.
- Add chocolate chips: Place the mini chocolate chips in a small bowl and toss them with ~2 teaspoons of flour until evenly coated. This light coating helps prevent the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the cake as it bakes. Gently fold the flour-coated chocolate chips into the batter until evenly dispersed.1 cup mini chocolate chips, 2 tsp flour
- Fill bundt pan: Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan and gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake: Bake until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs, ~60-65 minutes. Start Timer Be careful not to over bake. Cake will continue to cook in pan after you pull it out of the oven.
- Cool: Cool the cake in pan for ~10-20 minutes. Start Timer Cooling allows cake to slowly begin to release itself from the sides of the pan. Resist the urge to pull it out immediately.
- Make the simple syrup while the cake cools: Pour sugar and water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until all sugar has dissolved. (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup filtered water, 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Invert cake: Place a parchment paper-lined rack or baking sheet over the pan, then flip both over in one motion. Slowly lift the pan from the cake. YAY!
- Add simple syrup to cake: Poke holes all around the cake with a fork or toothpick and brush the syrup over the cake using a pastry brush, letting it soak into the holes. Allow the syrup to sink into the cake, then add more syrup. Repeat until all syrup is used.
- Make vanilla bean frosting: Allow the cake to cool, then make the vanilla bean frosting. Whisk ingredients for glaze together into a medium-sized bowl, it should be thick but still pourable.
- Frost cake: Pour over the cake. Garnish with more mini chocolate chips if desired. Let sit until set before slicing the cake and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
This recipe was originally published in May 2021. It was updated with a new and improved recipe, new photos, and additional tips and tricks in June 2026.
📸 Photos by Amanda Chasten Photography
Hello can all purpose flour be substituted for cake flour ?
Hi! Yes! 🙂
This Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting was off the chain delicious, and our family loved it. Saving to make your recipe again.
The vanilla bean frosting won me over before even making it. The flavors are just perfect together.
Wow, this bundt cake is absolutely amazing! The flavor and all the chips, just incredible.
This bundt cake was the absolute perfect dessert for our family dinner this week! It was moist and perfectly sweet and you could totally taste the vanilla in the frosting!
I love bundt cakes, and vanilla bean paste takes everything to the next level! I can’t wait to wow my family with this!!