This Kahlua Cake is an easy, delicious doctored-up cake mix recipe- made in a bundt pan.
I was born on this day… a long time ago. Yep, it’s my birthday. And it’s a big one. I have some wonderful friends coming into town this weekend to help me celebrate. It’s nice to have friends. It’s nice to have GOOD FRIENDS. And it’s nice to have birthdays.
Some people get kind of freaked out about birthdays in the later years. I’m probably going to be one of those people. This big birthday hasn’t quite hit me yet. I’m sure it will. And then I’ll be freaked out… like those people.
I’m so caught up in “birthdays” that we haven’t even discussed the cake at hand today. It’s a super-easy-to-make Kahlua Cake. If you’re the sort of person who scoffs at cake mixes, then you may be disappointed with this recipe I’m sharing today. But if you like a short-cut now and then… and you don’t mind starting with a boxed mix… well then this cake might be for you.
I make plenty of homemade cakes, but I did grow up on boxed cake mixes… so I don’t mind using them once in a while. This cake has a generous dose of Kahlua added to it. That boozes things up a bit. If you’re a lover of Kahlua, I’d say this cake might please your taste-buds. A brief shower of powdered sugar coats the cake.
Commonly asked question: Can I leave out the Kahlua and use something else?
I’m just going to go ahead and say, “No” on that one. It’s a Kahlua cake. If you just want a chocolate cake, then you should just look for a recipe for chocolate cake. In fact, I have an Easy Chocolate Cake recipe for you to try. And my Chocolate Pound Cake is pretty delicious too.
Another commonly asked question: Can I make this cake homemade– without a cake mix?
I’m going to give you another, “No” on that one. If you’d like to make a totally homemade chocolate cake without any kind of cake mix involved, I have a couple recipes for you to try. My Chocolate Sheet Cake is wonderful and super easy to make. And Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake is a delicious layer cake that turns out perfect every time.
Since it’s my birthday and all, I must say that I’m pretty happy with this Kahlua Cake. Happy birthday to me- and to everyone else who has a birthday today!
Thank you to Miranda from the CookieDoughAndOvenMitt.com blog for shooting beautiful photos of this cake for me. I think Miranda captured how delicious it is!
Here are a few more recipes using Kahlua that you might enjoy:
- Kahlua Peppermint Patties
- Kahlua Brownies
- Tiramisu Italiano
- Kahlua Chocolate Cheesecake
- Kahlua Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Kahlua Cake
Recipe Details
Ingredients
- 1 15.25-ounce box chocolate cake mix
- 1 3-ounce box instant vanilla pudding
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 3/4 cup Kahlua
- 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
- Mix together the cake mix, pudding, sour cream, Kahlua, oil, and eggs. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour into the prepared bundt pan, and bake 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool. Turn out onto a decorative plate and dust the top with powdered sugar.
This cake is decadent! Fluffy and delicious!
Have made this many times with several different liqueurs, raspberry chambois, cherry hearing, creme de menthe. Fill the cavity with fresh raspberries with the Chambois. Yogurt and vegan sour cream also work.
Disappointed with this recipe. My oven is calibrated correctly also with oven thermometer as a double check on temperature. Used thin bundt pan for this, placing in middle of the oven.. After 65 minutes cooking, still was not done, and the top started burning. It was very dense cake, slighly undone inside. I think the vanilla pudding was also a problem, it wasnt “chocolate tasting” enough. Noy sure what else happened here. Also in my experience, substituting canola oil is not a good option in cakes, it comes out tasting very odd.
Left out the choc chips and used choc pudding instead of vanilla, but made 4 batches of this recipe for holiday gifts. Each batch made 6 mini loaves. Still takes 55 mins to bake. I glazed them with a brushed on mix of 1/4 c powdered sugar + 1/4 cup Kahlua (use it all) when they were hot. Stayed amazingly moist and froze well.
I also did a twist today to use up things in the pantry. My subs were white cake mix, lemon pudding, Honey Jack Daniels in equal amounts for your recipe. Added the zest of 2 lemons and omitted the choc chips. Rest of recipe was the same and baked exactly the same in mini loaves. Glazed with 1/3 c juice from 2 lemons, 1/4 c Honey Jack Daniels and 3/4 c powdered sugar. Made a moist, tart lemon cake.
Thx for a great recipe!
sounds great, thank you!
Is it possible to use brownie mix instead of chocolate cake mix for a Kahlua cake?
I haven’t tried that, so not sure!
Added cinnamon, allspice and clove and dark chocolate chips. Melted the remaining chocolate chips and added Kahlua to drizzle on top instead of powdered sugar. It was a hit at the holiday party! Great recipe!
Made this today following the recipe exactly and it was delicious! I want to experiment and try it with Skrewball PB whiskey…but it’s great as-is!
can I make in a spring form pan
Probably!
Hi. I’m loving the sound of this recipe. Just wondering if I could cut the chocolate chips in half? I’m a big chocolate person, but hate the actual chips. Suggestions??
Yes, I think that would be fine.
This was a big hit! Absolutely delicious. Can this be altered to make it vegan friendly? If yes what do you substitute the sour cream and eggs. I think the cake mix and pudding is vegan but will check.
I’m not sure!
Made this cake for my son’s Super Bowl party a few days ago, and it was perfect, moist, and delicious!! Took a photo of this bundt cake, but can’t figure out how to put it here.
Made this recently for a party & it was a huge hit! Moist & delicious!
My first Kahlua Cake which I made for my in-laws (her favorite). Super easy and incredibly moist and delicious. Highly recommend and while I do alot of cooking it was my first bundt cake and 2nd cake period.
Hi. I have made this in a large bundt pan and was wondering if I can make it in a small bundt pan (5 cup) and make 2 of them. Please let me know. I plan on making it shortly!!!
I would think so!
I’m going to try the recipe, but I was wondering if I could use a yellow cake mix instead of the chocolate?
I haven’t tried that, but it’s worth a shot!
I have been making this exact recipe for over 20 years and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. My only comment is that I have made adjustments to it by substituting the chocolate cake for yellow, the Kahlua for Grand Marnier, and the chocolate chips for either white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks. It’s just as delicious, just lighter and a different flavor profile. I’ve also thought about trying it with Chambord in place of the Kahlua – because, who doesn’t love chocolate and raspberry together? Hint: a little chocolate drizzle or ganache on top is a nice finishing touch to this cake, as well!