Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Finished with rich bittersweet chocolate ganache frosting, this sour cream chocolate chip bundt cake is an easy dessert. Sprinkles are optional.

With the holidays and birthdays, December is a big baking month at our house. Parties, potlucks and school treats mean the kitchen is filled with the most delightful scents of chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon.

Bonus: the oven becomes another heat source on chilly days!

My son turned 5 a few weeks ago. As all parents wonder, where does the time go???

He loves to bake with me, so I asked my little sous chef what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday. Distracted by Legos, he told me he didn’t want a cake.

What?! I believe that you need to have at least a bite of cake on your birthday. It’s like an extra candle for good luck.

No celebration is official without some sort of dessert.

When he was less into playing with toys and more into chatting, we had the cake discussion again.

We looked through cookbooks and cabinets for ideas. Then we figured it out when we spotted the spiral bundt pan, and he said he wanted chocolate chips.

I’d been overthinking it with a layer cake or cupcakes. The geometric magic of a bundt pan sparked his interest.

We settled on a sour cream chocolate chip bundt cake. The sour cream didn’t mean much to him, but I knew it would add a subtle tang and richness while managing to keep the crumb tender and light.

Turning out a bundt cake from the pan is a moment filled with excitement and anxiety.

I had my fingers crossed, in my mind, as I flipped it onto the cooling rack. The spiral came out intact, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Once the cake cooled, I drizzled chocolate ganache over each ridge giving it a striped effect.

My son put the finishing touches on, showering the cake with rainbow sprinkles. After all that, it was the perfect cake to celebrate his birthday.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes + cooling
• Yield: 1 cake 1x

Finished with rich bittersweet chocolate ganache frosting, this sour cream chocolate chip bundt cake is an easy dessert. Sprinkles are optional.

Ingredients

For cake

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan

1–1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1–1/4 cups sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour plus more for dusting pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1–1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

For  ganache

2/3 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

1/3 cup heavy cream

Sprinkles for decorating, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan with butter. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time followed by the sour cream and vanilla extract until fully combined.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients along with the chocolate chips until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan spreading into an even layer.

Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Place a cooling rack on the top of the pan and carefully flip it over. The cake should drop out of the pan. If not, let it rest for an additional 5 minutes before lifting off the pan again and gently shaking, if necessary.

Let the cake cool completely before making the ganache. Place the chopped chocolate into a small bowl. Heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it is bubbling around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Let stand for a minute before gently whisking until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Slowly pour the ganache over the top of the cake and decorate with sprinkles, if using. Let the ganache set before serving.

Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Adapted from Serious Eats