this is a cake that my mom has been making for years. she made it almost every time we’d go over to her house because she knew it was my husband’s favorite – and who would blame him? it’s got sour cream to make it super moist, and pudding to make it fudgy. it may be called “death by chocolate” cake, but you’ll swear you died and went to heaven!
and may i also point out that my nephew, when asked what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday party said he wanted “the cake that nana makes with the hole in it.” move over disney-decorated cakes….
usually when i think of baking cakes i think of huge messes in the kitchen – flour everywhere, lots of dishes to clean, etc. but this recipe really couldn’t be easier to put together. and i only used my kitchen aid stand mixer – it was the only bowl i used. awesome.
the ingredients are probably ones you have in your fridge or pantry.
there are eggs, sour cream, oil, water, instant pudding, chocolate cake mix, and chocolate chips. that’s it!
the first thing you need to do is beat together the eggs and sour cream. the sour cream is what makes this cake unbelievably moist, just like it does in banana bread.
and then you just add everything else in and mix it up! it’s as easy as pie. well, actually, it’s as easy as cake. i was never good at making pie.
oops. i forgot the chocolate chips. just stir them in when you’re done mixing the rest of the batter, if you want. otherwise, just throw them in the bowl with everything else.
see how thick that batter is?! it’s going to make an amazing cake!
pour all the batter into a greased bundt pan (i use this non-stick bundt pan [aff link] but grease my pan just to be safe!) and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
and when it’s all done, let it cool down in the pan, and it’ll look like this:
when it’s cooled down, invert it onto a cutting board or cake stand. look – it even gives you portion sizes…little piece? big piece? you’ll definitely want a big piece.
cut yourself a big slice. it honestly cuts like butter, its incredible how moist it is.
and then if you’re feeling fancy, do what my mom always does and sift some powdered sugar on top. but only put that on when you’re about to serve it – piece by piece, if you need to. otherwise, the powdered sugar will start to seep into the cake (because it’s SO moist) and will like a little gummy. so powdered sugar is great, if used at time of serving. plus it makes it look so darn pretty.
for more chocolate goodness check out and follow my chocolate pinterest board! here’s the recipe!
- 4 eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup oil
- ½ cup water
- 1 small package instant chocolate pudding
- 1 chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Beat the eggs and sour cream together until well combined. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. The batter will be thick. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Enjoy!
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. So good!
🙂
Looks delicious! Can you tell me the number of ounces in the pudding box you used? Also, are you saying to just dump the dry pudding mix into the batter or do you reconstitute it with the milk before adding it to the batter? Thanks!
Hi Laura! Great questions. I used a 15.25oz (432g) devil’s food cake mix. And you’ll need to use the pudding mix dry – just open the box and sprinkle it right in the batter, no reconstituting needed 🙂 Thanks for asking!
I have made bundt cake this for years as well! I also add 1/3 cup of Kahlua to this recipe~~and sprinkle powdered sugar on top of cake when cooled! S C R U M P T I O U S!!!!
Thanks, Kimber!
This is my go to recipe for cakes! Use this the same recipe with butter and a little vanilla extract for yellow and chocolate cakes you can play with the pudding flavors as well! I always uesed Duncan Hines until they changed the box size and my cakes started failing. I was a little skeptical to Pillsbury because there is already pudding in the mix, but you sold me I will try it with Pilllsbury this time.
I made this for 4th of July weekend, and being a novice baker, I’d say this recipe was quick and easy. The flavor was great, although a bit dry for my mothers standards (she’s picky)! I’ll definitely make this one again. Thanks.
great recipe! I’m planning to make this for a friend’s housewarming party this weekend! I was wondering – how does it hold up the following day? I’m planning on baking the cake a day in advance, but not refrigerating it. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks! 🙂
Great question, Yenny – this cake holds up pretty well! You just need to keep it moist, so try putting plastic wrap around it and then if you have a covered cake stand or container with a lid, I’d put it in there, too, as an added measure. And then just leave it out on the counter overnight. Good luck!!
I have a question maybe its dumm, but i better ask.
I add the chocolate cake mix dry? right? the oil, whater and eggs you add in the ingredients are for the mic cake …
Tks
Hi Jessica! Not a dumb question at all! And yes, you are right – you add the cake mix dry. The other wet ingredients will moisten it up when you mix everything together. Thanks for asking, and enjoy your cake! 🙂
This is a definite keeper!!! I used all 12 oz of chocolate chips! Can’t wait to make this again!
I made this cake tonight for my husband. It was delish!
Hi I’ve never really baked anything before so I really don’t know a lot about ingredients but anways I just want to know what kind of sour cream you used ? Does it matter .. Thanks
Hi Rosa – shouldn’t matter what kind of sour cream you use. I just use a generic Costco brand. 🙂
It’s in the oven…….while baking I was reading all the comments which we’re all informative. I would have sprinkled the powered sugar on the whole cake. I know it is going to be good because licking the spoon it
was soooo good!
Yay! Soooo rich! 🙂
I got this recipe years ago form my Aunt ( I think it’s from pampered chef ) and I do sprinkle the whole top of the cake with powdered sugar. It’s my family’s favorite cake 🙂
Really, really amazing recipe! I tried it out (minus the fudge pudding mix and powdered sugar unfortunately) and it was AMAZINGLY soft and moist: http://www.inmyyellowcardigan.com/2013/09/05/the-secret-life-of-chocolate-bundt-cake/
There is such a clear and distinct taste and texture difference with and without the sour cream it’s uncanny. It was awesome! Thanks for posting this! Also, next time I do believe I’m going to try sprinkling pecans or chopped almond slices into it. Could be another game-changer/enhancer! Thanks for posting this!
Glad it turned out Marissa. Cheers!
My daughter’s birthday is today. Looks like I found a cake to make! She LOVES chocolate!!
Has anybody tried to make this as cupcakes?
I call this chocolate killer cake. It’s been my son’s favorite for almost 30 years. I use Devil’s Food cake mix. Sometimes we add miniature marshmallows to create a rocky road effect. Yummmmmm.
yum! mini marshmallows sound delicious – can’t wait to try it! thank you!
Can this be used as a frosted cake?? I wanted to use the recipe for a birthday cake, but I saw that you said when sprinkling with powdered sugar to do it last minute as it can make the cake gummy. So, I wondered if frosting it would mess it up as well?
Hi Laurie! With powdered sugar, you want to do it just before serving because the cake is moist and the powder is dry and will start to absorb into the cake. But I think frosting it should be fine – I haven’t frosted it with icing before personally, but it don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Maybe I’ll try doing that next time….
Do you change the temperature or time if the Pan is dark?
not that i know of. my pan’s neither light nor dark. but if you do have a dark one, you could always adjust the time and/or temperature and check on it until it’s done. what a great question! sorry i don’t have an exact answer.
Made this last weekend for a family lunch. My husband doesn’t like chocolate so I used lemon cake mix and pudding and white chocolate chips. Absolutely delicious! Even my mother-in-law raved about how good it was. Can’t wait to try the chocolate version!
Just made for Thanksgiving….UH MAZE ING….so moist and incredible. I modified and used reese’s peanut butter chips instead. HEAVENLY
oh, i’ll have to try the reese’s pb chips! that sounds amazing!
I’m going to try this recipie for my boyfriends birthday…It sounds awesome! I’m going to use 2 round cake pans. Should I double this recipie or will one be enough for the two pans? Thanks 🙂
Hi Jamie Lee – I’ve never tried it in two round cake pans before, but my bet would be that a single recipe should be okay…it tends to rise quite a bit in the bundt pan.
What size round pan’s did you use? If I was going to use a square pan do you think a regular 9×13 would work? I’m making this as a birthday cake so kinda want it to look like a more traditional birthday cake. Very excited though! Sounds AWESOME! and with all the positive reviews I can’t wait!
Hi Leslie! I’ve only ever made this cake in a bundt pan, but I would guess that a 9×13 would work? There was another reader who said she was going to try 2 round cake pans – I wonder how it worked out? If you do try a 9×13, I’d be interested in knowing how it went!
I should be trying the 9×13 this week (unless I chicken out and buy a bundt pan!)! I will definitly comment in the results! Thanks for responding!
Awesome! Can’t wait to hear how it went! 🙂
I just stumbled on this on Pinterest. My mom used to make this exact cake too. She got it from her friend Phyllis. I wonder if your MIL and Phylis got the recipe from the same place.
Maybe! Small world if so! Glad you liked it. 🙂
I made this the other night. It was tasty, but not as fudgey as I’d hoped. Not quite sure what I did wrong. Could it have been that I used a fork to mix rather than a beater? Or that I floured the pan rather than spray it? :/
Hi Natasha! Thanks for your comment. I’m not sure what would have happened, though based on what you said, I know that the batter does have to all be incorporated thoroughly, and maybe the extra flour from the pan dried it out a little? It’s hard to say. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Maybe a bit overbaked? That will make a dry cake as it bakes out the moisture.
This is my husband’s favorite cake. He asks for it every year on his birthday. My aunt used to make it with yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding and chocolate chips. Tastes like a big chocolate chip cookie cake! I’ve made it before with chocolate cake mix and vanilla pudding. Rather than fudgy the cake tastes more like milk chocolate. The combinations are endless!
yum! those sounds great – i’ll have to give them a try! thanks for sharing!
This cake is so easy and soooooo yummy. I have made it many times and everyone who tries it loves it!!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for commenting, Patty!! Glad you like it!
I LOVE this cake!! But instead of 3/4 cup of sour cream I use the whole cup!! Makes it absolutely scrummdiddlyumptious! 🙂 Oh and I use the mini chic chips otherwise they all sink to the bottom of the bundt pant and it gets stuck aghhh mega mess LOL. Thank you for sharing!!
glad you liked it! thanks for commenting!
Found vintage bundt pan, going to use this recipe today. Have football party. Should go good with pasta. Going to add espresso powder and ganache on top!! Can’t wait!
vintage – i love it!! and ganache would be great on top of this cake. have fun!!
Sounds like fun! Enjoy!
Can I make this using a homemade cake mix not a box mix? My kids don’y like a box mix.
Hmm…good question. I haven’t tried it before, so I don’t know. If you do try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
I just made this, still in the oven, but oh my!! It looks delightful. I didn’t have a choc. cake mix, but several yellow mixes, so I added 4 Tbsp. of cocoa (dark) to it and it turned out great…so far. Very easy, having this with some home made coconut ice cream I just made….YUMMMY!!!
coconut ice cream…sounds delicious! lmk how the yellow cake mix + cocoa turned out – i’m really curious! it sounds great! 🙂
Can I add a banana to this recipe. I am looking for a chocolate cake recipe using chocolate cake mix, chocolate chips, bananas sour cream.
I don’t know – I’ve never tried it! If you do try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
i grew up with this cake. My mom made this for every family event. This was over 40 years ago!
Best when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
I too, have only ever used Dunkin Heinz.
it’s a good one! 🙂
Could I add zucchini to this cake or would it be too wet?
I’m not sure – I haven’t tried zucchini in this yet, but it sounds like it would taste amazing! Let me know how it goes if you decide to try it!
Can’t wait to try this. My boys love chocolate bunt cake. I also think you could use a yellow cake mix with vanilla pudding mix and add blueberries!
that sounds delicious! i think i might try that next 🙂
we have been making this cake for years – super easy and moist!! The only difference is that we start with a yellow cake mix – still very chocolately!! With that change you can also make a SUPER coconut bundt cake by substituting coconut for the chocolate chips and coconut pudding for the chocolate pudding. Both are staples at our house!!
Great suggestions – can’t wait to try them!
Delicious, substituted strong black coffee for the water to boost the chocolate flavor, thanks for sharing.
Glad you liked it Maureen!
I have been making this recipe for 40+ years. I got it from my friend’s mom when I was about 11 years old back in the 1970’s. I dubbed it the YumYum Cake!….Glad to see it’s still going strong!!
🙂
I don’t like anything chocolate but hubby is a big fan. So I made this for him. I found using half sour cream /half vanilla yogurt
Makes this cake extra moist. I usually substitute half the oil a recipe calls for with yogurt anyway. It isn’t rocket science ,it’s so easy and the difference in the moisture is amazing.
Glad your husband liked it!
Hey I just wanted to know could you use like a strawberry cake mix with maybe vanilla pudding or a completely different combo?
I’ve never tried anything but chocolate, but if you do end up trying a combination like what you suggested, I’d love to know how it turned out!
I’m sorry to say this cake turned out dry and rubbery for me. I don’t understand how a cake can be both dry and rubbery. But it was. I am a seasoned baker, but this really shook my confidence. I took it to a BBQ yesterday, and I took one bite and was embarrassed. I give up on doctored up cake mixes. I think I’ll stick with from-scratch baking and keep looking for a chocolate pound cake recipe that compares in taste and quality to my regular pound cake.
Sorry it didn’t turn out for you like it did for everyone else. Good luck finding another recipe you like!
Love this cake! Have made it several times, do you think the recipe would be okay for cupcakes?
I’ve never tried it for cupcakes! If you do end up trying it, I’d love to know how it turned out!
For the chocolate pudding, can I use jell-o cook and serve pudding and pie filling?
I haven’t tried it with the cook and serve, only with the instant pudding. if you try it out, I’d love to know what you think of the cook and serve!
Do you have to use sour cream in this cake.
I’ve never tried it without, so I don’t know. But the sour cream does make it really moist!!
I was wondering what kind of oil to use? It looks like in your picture it is Canola oil but would vegetable oil work?
Hi Jennifer! Yes, I always use canola oil. My understanding is that canola and vegetable oils are similar or could at least be used in place of each other, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Thanks for the question.
I found your recipe on Pinterest today. I just took it out of the oven. Lord does it ever smell good in my apartment! It overfilled my bundt pan a tad so when I took it off the baking sheet there was a little round piece of cake on the pan, so I got to try the cake before I’ve even iced it and can testify that it is YUMMY!! I’m going to ice it with a chocolate ganache just because it needs extra calories, lol. Thanks so much for the recipe!
yum, the ganache sounds heavenly! i’m so glad you like the recipe!
I made this cake last night and it was delicious.
Glad you liked it Gracie!
This sounds good, I think I’ll be making on today. What about an icing? I have a hard time imagining a chocolate cake with out one??? Any thoughts on this?
I’ve never put icing on it and we love it just as it is! It really is a smooth, fudgy cake, so you don’t need the icing. But then again, icing never hurt anyone 😉
Your recipe is soo easy yet soo yummy! Since I did not have a chocolate pudding mix, I used what I have in my storage, butterscotch pudding. I also used a rum glaze and poured it over while cooling. It’s soo delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
awesome! i’ll have to try it with the butterscotch pudding sometime! thank you 🙂