This homemade kahlua cake is so easy and completely from scratch. Rich, dense chocolate bundt cake is flavored with Kahlua, soaked in a Kahlua syrup after baking, and finally covered with ganache -- first a Kahlua Dark Chocolate Ganache then a Kahlua White Chocolate Ganache.
For this recipe you'll need: butter, cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, flour, cocoa, salt, kahlua, cream, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips
I love Kahlua. Almost as much as Baileys, as a matter of fact. In essence, I am saying that I like sweet, dessert-like, girly drinks. That works fine for me and always has since I am, of course, a girl. The idea of a Kahlua cake holds so many possibilities. Chocolate Kahlua? Spice Kahlua? Vanilla Kahlua? I think I have decided on all of the above but, as always, chocolate comes first in my life.
I noticed that it's pretty tough to find a recipe for Kahlua cake from scratch and not a mix. Well, this chocolate Kahlua bundt cake is a from scratch Kahlua cake. I know that cake mixes are handy and all but I just don't like the idea of not knowing exactly what's in them or how to pronounce it. You are rarely going to get convenience food recipes from my blog - it happens but just not that often.
The cake is moist, gets a chocolate boost from cocoa as well as bittersweet chocolate chips, has plenty of Kahlua flavor, AND is soaked in a Kahlua syrup and then covered with a Kahlua dark chocolate ganache then topped with a Kahlua white chocolate ganache.
Helloooooo.If you have an hour this cake can be in your belly. All of it...because you won't want to share.
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Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Cocoa, 8-Ounce Cans (Pack of 6)
Nordic Ware Non-Stick Cast Aluminum Fleur De Lis Bundt Pan
Kahlua Especial
Here's that chocolate Kahlua Cake recipe.
📖 Recipe
Kahlua Cake from Scratch
Print SaveEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- teaspoon `½ salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup Kahlua
- ¼ cup caramel vodka
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
Syrup (optional)
- ½ cup Kahlua
- ¼ cup sugar
Glaze
- 2 cups white chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup Kahlua
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Grease and flour a bundt pan.
- Stir the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together -- set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until totally incorporated before adding the next egg.
- Mix the ½ cup Kahlua, vodka, and vanilla.
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed.
- Add ½ the Kahlua mixture.
- Repeat the flour and Kahlua steps ending with the last of the flour.
- Fold in the sour cream until well blended.
- Finally fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon into the bundt pan and bake for 1 hour, or until cake tests done.
- Cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out.
- Cover the warm cake with glaze and let cool completely.
Syrup
- Bring the Kahlua and sugar to a boil.
- Let boil for 1 minutes. Remove from heat.
Glaze
- Heat the cream until bubbles form around the edge.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in the white chocolate until it is smooth and melted.
- Stir in the 1//4 cup Kahlua.
- Spoon over warm cake..
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Rebecca Barry
I have searched this post and still only find one version. Also, in the beginning, it states:
"For this recipe you'll need: butter, cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, flour, cocoa, salt, kahlua, cream, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips"...and I don't see either brown sugar or cream cheese in the actual recipe. I would like to make this cake for a son's birthday...and would like to compare the versions. Could you add back whichever version is not here? Thanks!
Marye
Sorry for the confusion. After a lot of testing between the two we went with this recipe because it had more flavor, stayed more moist, and readers didn't have the problems that they had with the other. I've fixed the post to reflect that. Thanks!
Kathy l
Excellent! Even for a newbie scratch cake baker. Followed exactly. The only issue was we maybe should have waited a bit longer to put on the drizzle. Oh also you may want to amend to say what to do with the syrup. I saw that it was asked and answered in the comments but some may miss it.
I posted some pics and a link to the recipe on one of the British Bake Off fan groups. Thanks again.
Shirley
When do I use the syrup?
Marye
Brush it on the cake while it is warm.
Kathy Griffee
I followed the recipe except I did not have the caremel vodka! And I wish I had used more white chocolate chips. It turned out great! I used the syrup too. It was for my niece's birthday and her office mates loved it. I tasted a little (keeping the sweets intake low) and it was rich, moist, and flavorful. 🙂 Thank you!
Marye
That's great Kathy! Thank you!
Nancy
I thought it was strange that the new recipe did not have baking powder or baking soda when the original did. I should have gone with my first instinct...the cake is going into the garbage! What a waste of expensive ingredients. You should be ashamed of yourself for posting this garbage.
Marye
Nancy - so first of all, mama always said you'd catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I really value constructive criticism but telling me that I should be ashamed of myself is a little harsh. I am assuming you're having a really bad day.
Secondly, I updated to the "new" version because there were a few people that asked me to make some changes several years ago. Some people liked the "new" version better and some didn't - so I put BOTH recipes on there to make EVERYONE happy. Except you, of course.
I am sorry you didn't like it. I don't care for that version myself and so I have removed it.
However - if you ever use another of my recipes, which I realize is unlikely, and you have a critique please try to be kind. Bloggers are real people with real feelings and we have bad days, too.
Have a lovely rest of your day.
Dawn
What recipe do you recommend to make? The old or new recipe?
Marye
The reason I added the old one back was that so many people liked it better. You might want to go with that
Staci Biggs
I made this exactly like the recipe and it was really dry! It’s a very expensive cake to have to throw in the trash. ☹️
Marye
Im sorry it didn't work for you.
kristin
Dang- what a major bummer. Your recipe changed and it doesn't make any sense!!
I made the 'old' recipe for Christmas and it was a hit. Now, Saturday night I am making this for a Bridal Shower tomorrow. Well your recipes are all messed up and there is no link for the 'old' recipe, just photos.
Look at your White Ganache recipe- it includes flour, baking soda etc...What the heck???
So I followed the recipe as it printed out and... I'm missing alot of ingredients that are in the Ganache part. Ganache is a topping not a base.
I'm not a good enough baker to figure it out.
too late now for the shower but I certainly hope you fix this one and do post the old recipe for future.
Marye Audet
The recipe code had become corrupt - Both cake recipes are on there since some readers loved the old recipe. just scroll through the recipe to get to the old one. It's clearly marked.
Kim Beaulieu
This looks absolutely delicious. I love kahlua in cakes, something about it just screams comfort food.
Marye Audet
Thanks Kim! I agree.
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats
This sounds so delicious Marye! I love Kahlua!
Marye Audet
Me too! Thanks!
allie
Gorgeous cake, I need a slice!
Marye Audet
anytime!
Helen Scott
Does this cake freeze well for a week to ten days?
Marye Audet
as long as it's tightly wrapped it should be fine. 🙂
SMLew
Do you typically refrigerate your cake afterwards? Just wondering since the glaze has cream in it if it needs to be refrigerated?
Marye Audet
No I don't. It should be fine out of the refrigerator for several days...if it lasts that long!
Marye Audet
🙂
Marye Audet
No, it's more like a pound cake. 🙂
Lorraine
This cake came out very dry. Was I supposed to really bake it for 1 hour and 40 minutes? Both the dark chocolate and white chocolate ganache were too thin and totally dripped off the cooled cake.
Marye Audet
I'm sorry it didn't work for you, Lorraine. The cake takes a full 1 hour and 40 minutes in my oven. It's a good idea to check if the cake is done at various times. With it being soaked in 1/2 cup syrup and then more syrup added it shouldn't have been dry.
I don't know why the ganache was thin, either. You used heavy cream?
Lisa
Hey Marye, on the updated recipe in the directions for the white ganache, #4 says something about mixing tequila and lime? Did I miss something? Won't mind that recipe too.
Marye Audet
LOL... no I adapted my margarita pound cake and missed some things I needed to delete. Here's that recipe https://www.restlesschipotle.com/margarita-pound-cake-recipe/