This Chocolate Kahlua Cake is tender and rich thanks to sour cream and chocolate pudding mix stirred into the batter. A silky smoother Kahlua-based glazed is drizzled over the top for a stunning finish. Delicious as-is or served warm with a scoop of ice cream!
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Pin RecipeIf you’re looking for a new chocolate cake recipe to add to your cake repertoire, this one is a total keeper. For something extra special, make a chocolate Kahlua cake—it’s dark and decadent and absolutely loaded with chocolate flavor and a little kick from the Kahlua.
This is a show-stopper for sure!
Decadent Chocolate Kahlua Cake Recipe
Do you love chocolate cake? I certainly do. Now imagine your favorite chocolate cake, but as a chocolate Kahlua cake. No ordinary cake, this one has a hint of coffee flavor and a glossy, Kahlua-spiked glaze drizzled over the top. You will definitely need more than one piece.
This is a super rich, moist cake because of the chocolate pudding that’s stirred into the batter. There’s even more chocolate added in the form of mini chocolate chips. Then you’ll whisk in a little bit of instant coffee powder to the glaze to enhance the chocolate flavor. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Chocolate Kahlua cake might just be the best chocolate cake of all time!
I love this recipe not only for how jam-packed with chocolate flavor it is, but for its simple ingredient list. Boxed cake mix and boxed chocolate pudding make prep a breeze. This is a great recipe to keep ready for a last-minute dinner party or date night at home—or any night of the week a chocolate craving strikes.
Want more chocolate cake? Try my Homemade Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Pound Cake, Chocolate Poke Cake, or Chocolate Zucchini Cake!
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Ingredients for Chocolate Kahlua Cake
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Nonstick cooking spray – Always essential when using a Bundt pan.
- Devil’s Food cake mix – If you can’t get Devil’s Food cake mix use a chocolate cake mix of your choice.
- Instant chocolate pudding – For texture and moisture.
- Sour cream – Full-fat sour cream really makes this cake rich!
- Eggs – To bind the batter together.
- Vegetable oil – You can also use canola or olive oil.
- Kahlua – See my suggestion below for how to substitute for Kahlua.
- Mini chocolate chips – I use semisweet chocolate chips but you could use bittersweet or milk chocolate.
Kahlua Glaze
- Confectioners’ sugar – To sweeten the glaze. You may want to sift the sugar before adding it to the glaze to remove any lumps.
- Kahlua – Kahlua gives a nice hint of coffee flavor.
- Milk – I use whole milk in this recipe.
- Instant coffee powder – You can also use instant espresso powder.
How to Make Chocolate Kahlua Cake
- Heat the oven and prepare a Bundt pan: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Coat a Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
- Make the batter: In the large mixing bowl or stand mixer, add the cake mix and pudding mix and whisk together until combined. Add the sour cream, eggs, vegetable oil, and Kahlua. With a hand mixer or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, mix until the batter is completely smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, then bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool the cake: Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Glaze: To make the glaze, add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and no lumps remain. Drizzle over the cake while still slightly warm to serve.
Quick Tip
If you don’t drink or can’t get Kahlua, you can make a simple coffee syrup as a substitute. Combine 1 cup brewed coffee with 1 cup sugar and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
How to Store Chocolate Kahlua Cake
Store leftover chocolate Kahlua cake tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Serving Suggestions
Chocolate cake is delicious with toppings, as well as with a piping hot cup of coffee! Here are a few ways to serve it:
- Warm, with a scoop of ice cream – For chocolate Kahlua cake a la mode, top warm slices of cake with vanilla ice cream. If you’re feeling really decadent, drizzle the ice cream with chocolate sauce.
- Whipped cream – Slices of cake are wonderful with a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream.
- With caramel sauce – My homemade caramel sauce was made to go with chocolate cake!
FAQs
Coffee or instant coffee powder is added to chocolate cakes to intensify their flavor.
Coffee in chocolate cake works to deepen the chocolate flavor. Even if you don’t like coffee, you’ll appreciate the addition!
More Yummy Cake Recipes
Chocolate Kahlua Cake
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 15.25 ounce box Devil's Food cake mix
- 1 (3.9 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 ½ cups sour cream
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup Kahlua
- 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Kahlua Glaze
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
- 4 tablespoons Kahlua
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350℉. Coat a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.Nonstick cooking spray
- In the large mixing bowl or stand mixer, add the cake mix and pudding mix and whisk together until combined. Add the sour cream, eggs, vegetable oil and Kahlua. With a hand mixer or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, mix until the batter is completely smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips.1 15.25 ounce box Devil's Food cake mix, 1 (3.9 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix, 1 ½ cups sour cream, 4 eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup Kahlua, 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, then bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze, add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and no lumps remain. Drizzle over the cake while still slightly warm to serve.1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, 4 tablespoons Kahlua, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
Can cook-and-serve pudding be used in this recipe?