This recipe for Kahlua Cake is so delicious – it’s one that has been in my family for decades. With just six simple ingredients, you can have this cake prepared and in the oven in less than 10 minutes. What I love most about a bundt cake is the perfect combination of moist, rich, melt in your mouth cake that packs a big punch of flavor in every slice.
Kahlua is a sweet coffee-flavored liqueur, perfect for pairing with desserts. The coffee flavor enhances the rich chocolate cake. This bundt cake is SO easy to mix up all in one bowl making it my husband’s recipe of choice when he’s baking something to take to his office for work parties and such.
You can always swap out the liqueurs with straight coffee or espresso, as we did in this Double Chocolate Cake or in my Double Chocolate Cupcakes. If liqueur flavored desserts are your jam, you might also like our Baileys cheesecake or our Baileys Chocolate Cheesecake Trifles.
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🍰 Ingredients:
- German Chocolate Cake boxed mix – This is for the chocolate cake base, we use just the dry cake mix, not the specific ingredients listed on the box.
- Vegetable or canola oil – keeps the cake moist
- Kahlua coffee liqueur – This ads depth to the cake and offers a hint of coffee flavor
- Eggs – room temperature eggs incorporate more air than cold eggs, important for leavening (rise) in cake
- Sour cream – This helps make the cake rich and super moist
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – the chips bake up scattered throughout the cake and add to the texture.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Substitutions and Variations
- We use Semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you could try dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips.
- Baileys is also great in this recipe if you have run out of Kahlua in your cupboard.
- If you’re not a boozy desserts fan, you can swap out the liqueur with coffee or a teaspoon of espresso powder.
- We’ve also tried Greek Yogurt instead of the sour cream and the result was moist and delicious.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 1: In a large bowl, mix together the boxed cake mix, Kahlua, oil, eggs, and sour cream with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or a hand mixer on medium speed. Mix until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 2: Fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula or spoon.
Step 3: Spray the bundt cake pan thoroughly with a non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter. Sprinkle cocoa powder over the greased pan and tap to coat lightly. After the pan is prepared, spread the batter evenly in the bundt pan.
Step 4: Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until the cake springs back when pressed or a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Allow the warm cake to cool until you can easily handle it with bare hands. Use a small spatula to loosen the sides of the cake from the pan. Place the wire rack on top of the bundt pan, flip the pan and cooling rack upside down, and lift the pan off of the cake.
Pro Tip:
Sprinkling the prepared bundt pan with cocoa powder will help the cake to easily release from the pan after baking and cooling. You can also use flour, but the cocoa powder keeps the nice brown coating on the outside of the baked cake. If you’d like to use a non-stick baking spray that has flour in it, that should be sufficient.
Step 5: Allow to cool completely. Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar immediately before serving.
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: This Chocolate Kahlua bundt cake is delicious on its own, but you can serve with a dusting of powdered sugar on top. You can also enjoy each slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, fresh strawberries, or a cold glass of milk! On a cooler day, enjoy your slice of cake with a cup of coffee!
Recipe Tips for Chocolate Kahlua Cake
- Grease the bundt pan really well to avoid any possible sticking.
- Remove the cake from the pan only once it has cooled enough to handle the pan with your bare hands.
- To remove the cake from the pan without any sticking inside, I use a tiny spatula and work it down around all the sides as much as I can before tipping the pan upside down. If some of the cake gets stuck in the pan, just use your spatula to loosen what’s left and then plunk it out on top of the rest of the cake. Once the powdered sugar is on there, no one will even notice that there’s a break in the cake.
Recipe FAQs
Not sure if you’ll have any left, this is so good! But if you do, it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
The cake can be frozen – it will keep for up to 3 months if wrapped well. I usually wrap it in plastic wrap and then place into a ziploc bag or airtight container.
MORE Chocolate Treats
If you tried this Kahlua Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Kahlua Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box German chocolate cake mix (w/ pudding in the mix)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup Kahlua liquor can substitute coffee
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 16 oz. sour cream light or fat-free is fine
- 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, except the chocolate chips and powdered sugar, and beat well.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into a well-greased bundt pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Cool for 10 minutes or until the pan can be managed with bare hands.
- Slide a spatula around the cake to loosen from the pan; carefully remove the cake to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
- Transfer cake to a platter.
- Dust with powdered sugar immediately before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Make this recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Nancy Thelander says
Have made this cake since the eighties. Always a crowd pleaser. My recipe calls for Devils Food cake mix and it works well. Sometimes mix a little Kahlua and powdered sugar for a glaze although it is so rich it is good without any frosting!
Darryl Kersh says
Truly Great Recipes
Julie Anderson says
I’ve made a cake like this several times, but my recipe calls for yellow cake mix and chocolate pudding. Still comes out very chocolaty. Can’t wait to try this version!
Jen says
I just made this. It is very moist and delicious! The only thing different was my cake didn’t turn out as dark as pictured. German chocolate does not bake as dark as say devils food cake.
girlinspired says
Glad you liked the recipe. I always use Betty Crocker brand German Chocolate cake mix for this recipe.
Kat says
Hm. I’m going to sound like a jerk for part of this post, but stay with me. Ever since I made a cake from scratch, I haven’t gone back to box mixes. And my favorite part of German chocolate cake is the frosting. The actual cake is … meh. Bland. Dry. But… you have inspired me to take my go-to cake recipe (Hershey’s own, but with Special Dark cocoa) and use a 1/2 cup of Kahlua (also made from scratch) for part of the boiling water it calls for. Thanks! 🙂
Josephine-Anne Griffiths says
Does anyone know what would be a good substitute for the Germans chocolate cake mix (with pudding)? I don’t think we have this in Australia, but I really must make this cake 🙂
girlinspired says
Hi there! I think you could probably just try it with any chocolate cake mix and see how it goes!
Chris says
Use any chocolate cake mix with pudding. If you can’t find a chocolate cake mix with pudding, get a chocolate cake mix and add 1 small box of instant chocolate pudding.
Kathy says
Although I Really want to try it with the German Chocolate Cake Mix, My recipe calls for Devils Food Cake Mix, which might be easier to find. I have been buying another Coffee-Flavored Liquor. It’s called Kamora. It’s delightfully close to the taste and quality of Kahlua, at a fraction of the price.
All I can say is “Make this Cake”! It’s very easy to make and it’s “So Delicious”, hands down👍 I get requests to make it every time that I’m invited to a gathering. Like she said, it’s important to grease the pan well first. I usually use Pam Cooking spray; however I have found that I don’t like the taste of the Butter-Flavored one.
As long as I have the Kamora out to bake with, I usually make one or two “White Russians” to enjoy while I’m cooking. Fill a glass with ice, pour in about a 1/4 glass of Vodka, add the Kamora to a little over 1/2 of the glass and top with Half and Half, Light Cream or Regular Vitamin D Milk, if you’re concerned about the fat content. Shake well and Enjoy, while you are waiting for the Amazing Cake to be done😊
Jean Jimenez says
I also make this cake, but my recipe calls for 1/2 cup chopped pecans placed in the pan before the cake mix–it helps the cake come out of the pan cleanly.
Vicki says
Making this cake for the first time for a dinner party. Wondering if it’s even better the 2nd day??
girlinspired says
Hi Vicki! It’s just as good the second day! Just keep it in an airtight container. I wouldn’t say it’s “better” the second day, but doesn’t lose any of its moisture. It’s a dream. I would say it’s better cold than while it’s still warm.
Terrie says
Made this cake exactly as written & it was absolutely scrumptious!!! Making it again for Christmas & will add more Kahlua after baking cuz I luv the stuff just that much…
Terrie says
Yep! Made this cake again for Christmas. I purchased the pint size bottle of Kahlua. This time, after cooling, I poked holes in the cake and poured the remainder of the liqueur over the cake. Even better. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Mari says
Absolutely delicious! This was a hit at my party yesterday.
Ali says
I make this wonderful cake also. My recipe calls for making it in a 9X13 pan, then frosting it with a cream cheese frosting with a Tbsp of Kahlua.
1 8oz cream cheese…room temperature
1 stick butter (don’t use margarine) room temperature
Mix those two with electric mixer till smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar till consistency you like…at least one box of powdered sugar. Finally add 1 Tbsp Kahlua and mix thoroughly. This cake is so rich it is better served cold, so I keep mine refrigerated. Awesome with a cup of coffee.
Denise says
Yummm the frosting sounds easy a delicious.
Susan says
OMG!! I am going to make this for my Hubby.
Heather says
This looks amazing and I must try it!
Can’t wait.
Laura says
Sounds amazing. I will probably make it for my bookclub ladies. Have you tried flouring your pan after greasing it? That may help it release easier.
Donna says
Also, you could use some of the dry cake mix itself, then you don’t have flour on a dark cake! 😁👍
Kelli says
I thought that too, but I didn’t want flour on the outside of a chocolate cake. So I just sprayed the pan and mine came out perfect! It was the best Bundt cake release ever. And a DELICIOUS cake!
Charity says
My mother-in-love makes a cake almost just like this, but without the kahlua… I think she uses milk, and it is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had. I don’t like using boxed mixes, but it’s worth it for that cake. =)
kristin says
dangit stef, now i need this cake. looks amazing.