Moist, fluffy chocolate cake baked into adorable mini bundt cakes and finished with a glossy chocolate ganache. This recipe yields 12 perfectly portioned mini bundts that work beautifully for parties, gifts, or a special dessert at home.
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You’ll love how easy these mini bundts are to make. The crumb is tender and moist, the chocolate flavor is rich without being overpowering, and the small size means even novice bakers can portion and decorate each cake with confidence. They keep well, travel nicely, and are endlessly customizable with toppings or glazes.
Mini bundt cakes are a fun alternative to cupcakes — each cake is a little canvas for sprinkles, chopped candy, toasted nuts, or colored icing. They’re perfect for celebrations or an everyday treat. Ready to bake?
How to make mini bundt cakes
What you’ll need:
- Hot, strong coffee
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Packed dark brown sugar
- Unsalted butter and vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Greek yogurt (5% fat) or full-fat sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- Semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream for the ganache
- Two 6-cavity mini bundt pans and baking spray (cooking spray with flour)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously spray the mini bundt pans with baking spray and set them aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the hot coffee and cocoa powder until smooth. Let this mixture cool to room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter, vegetable oil, and packed dark brown sugar. Beat on low just to combine, then increase to medium-high and beat about 4–5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
- Turn the mixer to low and pour in the cooled coffee-cocoa mixture. Mix just until combined, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture to the batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Add the flour in three additions and the buttermilk in two additions. Mix until no flour streaks remain, taking care not to overmix.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag or spoon it into the mini bundt cavities, dividing it evenly among 12 cavities. Bake at 350°F for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream until just simmering, then pour it over the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let the ganache cool slightly, then transfer to a piping bag or spoon and drizzle over the cooled bundts. Add sprinkles or other decorations as desired.
Substitutions and variations
- If you don’t have buttermilk, make a quick substitute by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then add milk to reach 1 cup total. Let it sit 5 minutes before using.
- Greek yogurt can be swapped for full-fat sour cream if you prefer.
- No coffee? Use hot water instead — the coffee deepens the chocolate flavor but is not essential to the texture.
- For ganache, swap semisweet chocolate for bittersweet or white chocolate. For a simple white glaze, use a vanilla icing or try different flavored frostings for seasonal variations.
Some other recipes you might love
Full Sized Chocolate Bundt Cake
Crack Cake (White Wine Bundt Cake)
No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Bites
Cheesecake Bites
Mini Cheesecakes
Tips
- Use baking spray for the pans. A cooking spray that contains flour helps the cakes release cleanly and prevents the white flour patches that can appear when you grease and flour by hand.
- Bring ingredients to room temperature. Room-temperature eggs, dairy, and butter blend more evenly and help produce a uniform, tender crumb.
- Let the cakes rest in the pan for 10 minutes. This brief rest helps the cakes pull away from the pan and reduces the risk of breakage when inverting.
- Cool completely before glazing. Apply ganache only after the cakes are cool so the glaze sets nicely instead of melting away.
- Have fun decorating. Try different sprinkles, chopped candy, toasted nuts, or flavored glazes to suit the occasion.
Preventing mini bundt cakes from sticking
Baking spray designed for cakes is the simplest way to prevent sticking and to coat the pan evenly, including the crevices of mini bundt molds. If you prefer the traditional method, be thorough when greasing and flouring the pan so every nook is covered. For gluten sensitivities, dust the pan with almond flour instead of all-purpose flour.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Many standard bundt recipes work well for mini bundts. Avoid very egg-heavy batters like angel food or sponge cakes. A batter sized for a standard 10″ bundt (about 8 cups capacity) will usually make roughly 12 mini bundts. Start checking for doneness early, since mini bundts bake faster than a full-size cake.
A cake mix formulated for a 10″ bundt (about 8 cups of batter) generally yields about 12 mini bundt cakes.
For this recipe, bake at 350°F for about 18–20 minutes. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
If a cake breaks when unmolding, you can press pieces back into place using a bit of icing or ganache and cover imperfections with additional glaze or decorations.
These mini bundts are roughly 4–4.5 inches at their widest point — similar in size to many commercial bundtlets.
Yes. Freeze completely cooled cakes on a tray, then wrap each individually in plastic and place in an airtight, freezer-safe container. They keep up to one month. Thaw covered at room temperature before serving. For best results, freeze without ganache and add the glaze near serving time.
Storing your mini bundt cakes
Store cooled mini bundts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If making in advance, bake and wrap the cakes (without icing) 1–2 days ahead and keep at room temperature. Add the ganache the day before or the day of service for the freshest appearance.
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Moist Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cups strong brewed coffee, very hot
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (5% fat) or sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray mini bundt pans with baking spray. Set aside.
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Whisk hot coffee and cocoa powder until smooth; let cool to room temperature.
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Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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Combine buttermilk, yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla. Set aside.
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Beat butter, oil, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes.
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Add eggs one at a time on medium speed, mixing until each is incorporated.
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Mix in the cooled coffee-cocoa mixture on low, scraping the bowl once.
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With the mixer on low, alternate adding dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until combined.
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Divide batter among 12 mini bundt cavities and bake 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
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Heat cream and chocolate together until smooth, let cool slightly, then drizzle over cooled cakes and decorate.