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I recently made this Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake for a cast dinner held between two Saturday shows of an Easter play that my husband and our older three children were a part of. Each year, several of the churches in our town get together to put on a free Easter production for our community called “Once and For All” – It tells the Christ story, from the start of Jesus’s earthly ministry to his betrayal and death on the cross, to His victory over death, the crux of our Christian faith, – His resurrection on the third day. It’s a powerful show with not much left to the imagination, and our dear friends Leah and Carter head up the whole thing – and they do a fantastic job! Even though I would love to be involved with the actual production, it is not yet my season with the younger two kids still too little to participate, which gives me a unique opportunity to find other ways to serve. In this season, contributing to the feeding of the masses seems like a natural way jump in. This cake, topped with a Chocolate Ganache, along with my Banana Cream Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and a platter of Easy No Bake Cookies turned out to be the perfect set up to bring — easy to make, easy to transport, and perfect to serve a crowd.
This is one of those dependable desserts that works for just about any gathering. It’s rich without being fussy, and it looks impressive on a cake stand next to things like Bakery-Style Cinnamon Rolls, Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake, or even a simple tray of Easy Meringue Cookies when you’re putting together a dessert table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Starts with a cake mix but tastes homemade
- Extremely moist and rich
- Perfect for potlucks, holidays, and gatherings
- Easy to slice and serve a crowd
- Can be made the day before
- Topped with a simple chocolate ganache
- Foolproof recipe — hard to mess up
Ingredients
- Triple chocolate cake mix
- Instant chocolate pudding mix
- Eggs
- Water
- Oil
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Espresso powder (optional)
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Chocolate Ganache or Chocolate Buttercream for topping
Equipment
- Bundt Pan – A good bundt pan is essential for this recipe because it helps the cake bake evenly and gives it that classic, beautiful shape that looks impressive with very little decorating.
- Large Mixing Bowl – You’ll need a large bowl to mix the batter since this recipe makes a full bundt cake and the batter is fairly thick.
- Whisk – This batter comes together easily with a whisk, similar to when making Chocolate Chip Scones or Homemade Brownies, so you don’t need a mixer.
- Cooling Rack – Letting the cake cool on a rack allows air to circulate and prevents the bottom from getting soggy.
- Small Saucepan or Microwave-Safe Bowl – You’ll need this to heat the cream for the ganache before pouring it over the chocolate.
- Cake Plate or Cake Stand – This cake looks especially nice served on a cake stand, just like when serving Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake for birthdays or gatherings.
How to Make
This cake comes together using a simple mixing method, but a few small techniques make a big difference in the final texture. The goal is to build a smooth, rich batter without overmixing, which keeps the cake soft and tender instead of dense.
Start by mixing the wet ingredients together until they are smooth and fully combined. You want the eggs, oil, yogurt, and vanilla to form a cohesive mixture before adding the dry ingredients. This helps the batter come together evenly and prevents overmixing later once the flour is added.
Once the dry ingredients and pudding mix are added, the batter will become very thick and glossy. This is exactly what you want. The pudding mix is what gives this cake its rich texture and helps it stay incredibly moist after baking. At this stage, scrape down the sides of the bowl well to make sure everything is fully incorporated, but avoid mixing longer than necessary.
Chocolate chips are folded in last. Tossing them in a little dry cake mix before adding them helps keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan while baking, so you get chocolate in every bite instead of just at the bottom of the cake.
When transferring the batter to the pan, make sure your bundt pan is thoroughly greased and dusted with cocoa powder. Because this is a chocolate cake, cocoa powder works better than flour and keeps the outside of the cake from looking white or dusty. The batter is thick, so spread it evenly in the pan and smooth the top so it bakes evenly.
As the cake bakes, it will rise and form a slightly cracked top. This is normal for a bundt cake and actually a good sign that the cake has structure and will hold together well when turned out of the pan.
One of the most important steps is letting the cake cool in the pan before removing it. If you try to turn it out too soon, it can stick or break. Let the cake rest in the pan so it can set up, then carefully invert it onto a cooling rack. This resting time allows the cake to release cleanly and keeps the crumb soft and moist.
Once cooled, the cake is ready for glaze or ganache, and the texture should be rich, soft, and full of chocolate flavor.
If you cannot find a triple chocolate cake mix, you can use a Devil’s Food cake mix instead. When using Devil’s Food cake mix, add an extra 2 TBSP cocoa powder and an extra 2 TBSP chocolate chips to the batter to get a closer “triple chocolate” flavor and texture.
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PrintTriple Chocolate Bundt Cake
This Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake is rich, moist, and full of chocolate flavor using a triple chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding, Greek yogurt, and chocolate chips. The cake is finished with a chocolate ganache topping, making it perfect for holidays, potlucks, and chocolate lovers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12-16 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 box triple chocolate cake mix (reserve 1 TBSP dry mix for chocolate chips)
- If you can’t find this cake mix, see the post on how to substitute for a devils food cake mix instead
- ½ box instant chocolate pudding mix
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup oil
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp espresso powder (optional)
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a bundt pan thoroughly, then dust with cocoa powder.
- Remove 1 TBSP dry cake mix from the box and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake mix, chocolate pudding mix, salt, and espresso powder.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, water, oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix for about 2 minutes until the batter is smooth and thick.
- Toss the chocolate chips with the reserved 1 TBSP dry cake mix, then fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Once completely cooled, top with chocolate ganache.
Notes
- This cake mix already contains pudding and mini chocolate chips, so only a small amount of additional chocolate chips is needed.
- Tossing chocolate chips in dry cake mix helps prevent them from sinking.
- Dusting the bundt pan with cocoa powder prevents white residue on the cake.
- Do not overbake; chocolate cakes should have moist crumbs on the toothpick.
- This cake tastes even better the next day.
Recipes That Pair Well With This
- Chocolate Ganache (Easy Chocolate Glaze)
- Bakery-Style Cinnamon Rolls (Same Day or Overnight)
- Easy Meringue Cookies
- Perfectly Easy No-Bake Cookies
- Classic Scotcheroos (No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars)
- Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Almond Buttercream Frosting
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Banana Cream Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
More Recipes to Try
- Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
- No Bake Birds Nest Cookies
- Perfectly Easy No-Bake Cookies
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Almond Buttercream Frosting
- Sturdy White Cake (Great for Layering!)
Tips for Little Helpers
Kids can help measure and pour ingredients into the bowl, whisk the batter, and sprinkle in the chocolate chips. Letting kids help pour the ganache over the cake is also a fun way to involve them in the kitchen since it’s a simple step but makes them feel like they helped decorate the cake.
Tips for Success
- A good bundt pan makes all the difference for this recipe. The shape helps the cake bake evenly and gives it that classic, beautiful presentation that doesn’t need much decorating.
- I top mine with a simple Chocolate Gnache, but you could easily frost this cake with a Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. If that feels like too much chocolate, I think you could get away with a Classic Vanilla Buttercream, a Cream Cheese Frosting, or even an Almond Buttercream Frosting.
- Make sure to grease the bundt pan very well so the cake releases cleanly.
- Dusting the pan with cocoa powder instead of flour helps keep the cake looking nice and chocolatey on the outside.
- Tossing the chocolate chips in reserved dry cake mix helps keep them from sinking.
- This cake is even better the next day, so it’s a great make-ahead dessert.
FAQs
Can I use Devil’s Food cake mix instead of triple chocolate?
Yes. If you use Devil’s Food cake mix, use a full package of chocolate pudding mix instead of 1/2 like this recipe calls for, and add 2 TBSP cocoa powder and 2 TBSP extra chocolate chips to make up for the difference and keep the cake rich and chocolatey.
Do I have to use espresso powder?
No. Espresso powder just enhances the chocolate flavor and does not make the cake taste like coffee, but the cake will still be delicious without it.
Why use Greek yogurt in cake mix?
Greek yogurt adds moisture and richness to the cake, making it taste more like a homemade cake instead of a standard cake mix cake.
How do I keep a bundt cake from sticking?
Grease the pan very well and dust with cocoa powder instead of flour. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack.
Storage
Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Because this cake is very moist, it keeps well and does not dry out quickly.
Freezing Instructions
This cake freezes very well. You can freeze the entire cake or individual slices. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Variations
You can use Devil’s Food cake mix instead of triple chocolate cake mix. If you do, use the full package of chocolate pudding mix, and add 2 TBSP cocoa powder and 2 TBSP additional chocolate chips to the batter to maintain the rich chocolate flavor.
You can also add mini chocolate chips instead of regular chocolate chips for a more even chocolate distribution, or add a handful of chocolate chunks, or a chopped chocolate baking bar for a more bakery-style texture.
Browse all my Dessert Recipes for even more tasty inspiration!
Final Thoughts
This is one of those recipes that proves a cake mix can still turn into something really special. It’s dependable, easy, and always gets compliments when served at gatherings. Whether you’re making it for a potluck, holiday dinner, or just because your family wants chocolate cake, this is a recipe you’ll find yourself coming back to again and again.
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