Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes

Name: Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature); 1 egg; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup cocoa powder (plus a little extra for dusting the pan); 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature); 1 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 3 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 2 cups powdered sugar; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 tablespoon hot water; sprinkles (to taste)

We can’t get enough of these mini cakes in our household! They are loaded with chocolate flavor, and the cheesecake mixed into the batter and vanilla glaze with sprinkles makes them extra special.

I love all Bundt cakes – you must try my pumpkin Bundt and Jamaican rum cake – but, unsurprisingly to those who know how much I love mini cupcakes, these chocolate ones are my favorites. You bake them in a special pan [paid link] that makes six at a time so they are totally perfect for sharing. Everyone loves getting their own personal cake!

Ingredients and Tools

The cheesecake component is cream cheese-based; make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before starting.

Most Bundt cakes, including this recipe, call for buttermilk. If you don’t have any, you can make buttermilk by placing 1 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar in a liquid measuring cup and then adding milk to the 1/2 cup line. Let it sit for ten minutes before using it.

You’ll need a mini Bundt cake pan [paid link] to make this recipe. If you don’t have one, you can make this as a full-sized cake; you’ll need to increase the bake time.

How It’s Made

Chocolate Cakes

Start by making the cheesecake batter – just mix all ingredients together in a bowl and set aside!

Next, prepare the mini Bundt pan by greasing each well and dusting with cocoa powder.

Next, make the cake batter by whisking together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set that aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. (I recommend a stand mixer or electric mixer for this step.)

Add the cheesecake mixture to the batter and stir gently so you see a swirl. Do not overmix. You want the batters swirled together, not fully combined.

Pour batter evenly into the wells of your mini Bundt pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cake comes out clean.

Decorating

I used to think that, to get a perfect drip glaze, the glaze should be really thin and drippy. I was wrong! Your glaze should be nice and thick.

To make the glaze, mix all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Add extra water if needed to make the glaze flow very slowly off of a spatula.

Then, wiggle the cake or shake the plate it’s on up and down to encourage the glaze to gently slide down the cake.

Expert Tips and FAQs

I don’t want to buy buttermilk for this one recipe. Is there a substitute?

You can actually make buttermilk if you have vinegar and milk – pour 1 1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar into a liquid measuring cup and then add milk to the 1/2 cup line. Let it sit for ten minutes before using it.

How do I make sure the cheesecake’s texture is right?

Make sure that the cream cheese you’re using is at room temperature. If it’s too cold, it won’t mix well and you’ll end up with lumps.

Can I get the Bundt cakes to release cleanly from the pan?

There are several things you should try to make sure the cakes don’t stick. Grease each cavity really well with melted butter or cooking spray. Dust each well with cocoa powder; this helps the chocolate cakes to easily release without adding white specks to the exteriors of the cakes that you would get from dusting with flour. Finally, let the cakes rest for just five minutes before turning them out.

Can I bake this in a normal Bundt pan?

If you don’t have a mini Bundt cake pan [paid link], you can make this as a full-sized cake; use a 10″ Bundt pan and increase the bake time to an hour.

Variations

To make a holiday version of this cake, mix 12 melted Candy Cake Hershey’s Kisses into the cheesecake filling and top the glaze with crushed candy canes instead of sprinkles!

To make it extra chocolaty, try topping cakes with chocolate ganache instead of the vanilla glaze.

I prefer the cheesecake swirled throughout the batter, but you can also layer the chocolate batter with the cheesecake batter if you want to see a clear cheesecake layer in the cake. Or, you can leave the cheesecake out entirely if that isn’t your thing.