Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

Last Updated on March 13, 2021 by Sweet and Savoury Pursuits

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This moist and easy Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake has a delicious swirled streusel filling and topping. It's a perfect cake for the holidays, special occasion brunches or for entertaining.

The recipe for this cake is one from my childhood. My mom often used to bake it when we would have company. I would always look forward to having a slice of this moist and cinnamon bundt cake with the tasty crunchy topping.

With the holidays approaching I find myself craving this bundt cake. I think the cinnamon flavour in the cake must remind me of Christmas and so I've decided that this is the perfect time of the year to be sharing this flavorful bundt cake recipe with you.

This recipe is adapted from the Milk Calendar (available in Canada). Baking this cinnamon bundt cake will fill your house with the delicious aroma of cinnamon and brown sugar and have you salivating in anticipation of your first bite.

This Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake is moist with a wonderful tender crumb. The cake has a delicious chocolate, brown sugar, cinnamon and walnut streusel filling swirled in the middle and is then topped with more brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. This makes the top a bit crunchy and adds texture to the cake.

How to Make a Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Cake

Though the recipe can seem long, the cake can be made quickly. This cinnamon swirl coffee cake can be prepared and baked in less than an hour so it's a great recipe to have on hand for those days when you have many other things to prepare or are short on time.

What's really great about this simple cake is that it uses pantry staples and you don't need any fancy ingredients. If you don't have walnuts on hand, you could use chopped pecans, hazelnuts or almonds.

Overview of ingredients:

• Milk plus lemon juice or white vinegar to make a homemade buttermilk substitute. If you have ready-made buttermilk on hand you could simply use that instead.
• Light brown sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Walnuts, toasting the nuts before using them in the cake helps bring out their flavour.
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder, baking soda and salt
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Pure vanilla extract
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. You will need to melt the chocolate before using it in the recipe.

Overview of Directions:

• Preheat the oven and grease and flour a large bundt pan.
• Make the buttermilk substitute by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of milk and set aside. Or use ready-made buttermilk.
• Combine the brown sugar with the cinnamon and the previously toasted and chopped walnuts.  
• In another bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer beat the butter until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, beating after each addition and then the vanilla extract.
• With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until the batter is smooth.
• Transfer half the batter into the prepared bundt pan, drizzle the melted chocolate over the batter and add half of the brown sugar mixture.
• Add the remaining batter over the filling and use a butter knife to swirl the filling.
• Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture over the cake.
• Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes and then turn out to cool completely.

How to Store:

The cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate leftover cake.

The cake can also be made ahead and frozen for up to three months. To freeze the cake, wrap the cake well in plastic wrap making sure it's all covered. Wrap it a second time in aluminum foil and make sure there are no gaps in the wrapping. For extra protection, you could place your cake in a large airtight container.

To thaw the cake, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the cake from the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving so that it comes to room temperature.

How to Serve:

Serve slices of this Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake plain or with a scoop of ice cream for an extra special treat.

If you love bundt cakes, this Espresso Gingerbread Bundt Cake is one of my favorites for the holidays.

More Bundt Cake Recipes

• Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake
• Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake
• Mini Apple Spice Bundt Cakes
• Mini Almond and Matcha Bundt Cakes

If you make this recipe let me know how it went for you in the comment section below. I'd love to know if you made any variations to the recipe and how it worked out. And if you take a picture, share it with me on Instagram by tagging #sweetandsavourypursuits, I love to see your photos!

Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

Adapted from the Milk Calendar

This moist and easy Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake has a delicious swirled streusel filling and topping. Perfect for special occasion brunches or dessert.

4.72 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 people

Calories 290 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ cup walnuts toasted and chopped (see note for how to toast walnuts)
• 2-¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks melted and cooled

Instructions

 

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour a large bundt pan.
• In a liquid measuring cup, measure 1 cup of milk and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Set aside.
• In a small bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. Set aside. 
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt, whisk and set aside.
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring after each time until the chocolate is melted.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minute.
• Add the granulated sugar and beat for about 2-3 minutes, until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
• Add the vanilla extract.
• With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat the mixture on medium speed until the batter is smooth, stopping a couple of times to scrape the bowl.
• Transfer half the batter into the prepared bundt pan, drizzle the melted chocolate over the batter and add half of the brown sugar mixture.
• Add the remaining batter over the filling and use a butter knife to swirl the filling.
• Sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar mixture over the cake.
• Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes and then turn out to cool completely.

Notes

1. Toasting the walnuts before adding them to the batter will enhance their flavour. You can toast walnuts in a 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes or until fragrant, let cool and chop coarsely.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 227mgPotassium: 152mgFiber: 1gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 310IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Chocolate Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake, Christmas Cake, Cinnamon Bundt Cake, Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Tried this recipe? Have any questions, comments or suggestions? Leave a comment below!Let us know how it was!

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