Chocolate Chip Pound Cake Bundt: Rich, Buttery, and Full of Chocolate Chips
If you need a dessert that feels a little special but comes together with basic ingredients, this chocolate chip pound cake bundt is the one. It bakes up buttery and tender with a tight, velvety crumb and chips in every bite.
The bundt shape does all the work for you, no layering or frosting required. Just a dusting of powdered sugar and you have a striking, old-fashioned cake that keeps well for days.
Why This Pound Cake Works
I keep coming back to this pound cake because it’s the one that actually tastes as good on day three as it does fresh from the oven. The crumb stays moist thanks to a generous amount of butter and sour cream, and it gets a slight crunch around the edges from the bundt pan.
The chocolate chips stay suspended instead of sinking to the bottom, so every slice has a fair share. A hint of vanilla rounds it out. No mixer acrobatics needed, just a bowl and a spatula for the chips.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened: bring to room temperature so it creams smoothly
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature: cold eggs can make the batter curdle
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour: for tossing the chocolate chips
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream: the secret to a moist crumb
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups mini semisweet chocolate chips: mini chips distribute evenly and sink less
Variations and Substitutions
- Swap the chocolate: use white chips or peanut butter chips for a different twist.
- Add crunch: fold in ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chips.
- No sour cream: full-fat Greek yogurt works just as well.
- No bundt pan: divide the batter between two greased 8×4-inch loaf pans and start checking for doneness around 50 minutes.
Red Velvet Bundt Cake is another reader favorite dessert worth making next.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Pound Cake Bundt
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). In a large bowl, beat the 1 cup softened butter and 2 cups sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
The mixture should look noticeably paler and feel almost gritty if you rub a bit between your fingers. The volume will increase as air works in; that air is what gives the cake its rise.
Step 2: Add the Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in the 4 eggs, one at a time, then add the 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix just until each egg disappears, about 30 seconds per egg. Scrape the bowl again.
The batter may look a little curdled or broken after the eggs go in. That’s fine. It will smooth into a creamy, cohesive base once you add the flour.
Step 3: Alternate the Dry Ingredients and Sour Cream
In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the 1 cup sour cream in two additions. Start and end with the flour. Mix just until no dry streaks show, then stop.
You’re looking for a thick, smooth batter. Overmixing at this point can develop too much gluten and make the cake tough, so stop the mixer the moment the flour disappears.
Step 4: Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Toss the 1½ cups mini chocolate chips with the reserved 1 tablespoon flour. Gently fold them into the batter with a spatula until evenly scattered. Scrape the batter into a generously greased and floured 10- to 12-cup bundt pan, and smooth the top.
The chips should be suspended throughout, not clustered in one spot. The light flour coating gives them a little grip so they hold their place during baking instead of sinking.
Step 5: Bake and Cool
Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 15 minutes, then invert it onto the rack to cool completely.
The crust will be deep golden and the cake should release cleanly if the pan was prepped well. Moving too soon can cause it to stick; waiting longer than 20 minutes can let it steam and cling, so 15 minutes is the sweet spot.
Step 6: Dust with Powdered Sugar and Slice
Once the cake is fully cool, set it on a serving plate and dust generously with powdered sugar. Slice with a serrated knife, using a gentle sawing motion to get clean slices without squashing the crumb.
The sugar settles into the bundt grooves, and the slices reveal a tight, buttery crumb dotted with chocolate. Serve thick pieces with coffee or tea.
Tips for This Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
- Bring everything to real room temperature. Cold eggs and butter won’t cream properly; let them sit out for about an hour before you start.
- Prep the pan thoroughly. Brush every crevice with shortening using a pastry brush, then dust with flour. Nonstick bundt pans still need this step.
- Don’t rush the cool. Inverting the pan at the 15-minute mark gives the cleanest release. If the cake sticks, gently tap the pan against the rack.
- Slice with a serrated knife. A back-and-forth sawing motion cuts through the chocolate chips without pressing the cake.
Bake times vary a bit by the pan material you use.
| Pan Material | Bake Time |
|---|---|
| Light-colored aluminum | 65 to 75 minutes |
| Dark or nonstick | 60 to 70 minutes |
Storing Leftover Pound Cake
Refrigerate: Wrap the cake tightly and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. The crumb stays moist and the vanilla flavor deepens.
Reheating: A 10-second zap in the microwave or a few minutes in a toaster oven brings back that just-baked warmth.
Serve Cold: This cake is lovely straight from the fridge, especially alongside a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular chocolate chips instead of mini?
Yes. Mini chips distribute more evenly and sink less, but regular chips work fine. Toss them in a little extra flour and fold them in gently.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
A fallen center usually means the cake was underbaked or the oven door was opened too early. Always test with a toothpick before pulling it out, and resist the urge to peek during the first hour of baking.
Can I freeze this pound cake?
Absolutely. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
My cake turned out dry. What went wrong?
Overbaking or too much flour are the most common causes. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping. Check for doneness a few minutes before the earliest bake time.
Chocolate Chip Pound Cake Bundt Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla, mixing until combined after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream in two additions, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until no streaks remain.
- Toss the chocolate chips with the 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold into the batter until evenly distributed. Scrape the batter into a generously greased and floured 10- to 12-cup bundt pan.
- Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto the rack to cool completely.
- Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar and slice with a serrated knife.
Notes
