Julie Clark
Posted: Updated:
Kahlua Crack Cake
You’ve never had a bundt cake like this! Introducing Chocolate Kahlua Crack Cake. The ultimate moist chocolate cake infused with a sweet Kahlua glaze.
Ya’ll quickly fell in love with our white wine cake last year. It’s one of those classics that are just can’t believe is that good…until you try it!
Today we’re introducing a new version of that cake…chocolate style! Chocolate and coffee just go together, so we’re using Kahlua coffee liqueur to make the ultimate moist chocolate cake…semi-homemade style!
Make Ahead Cake
Because of the simple syrup that soaks into this chocolate bundt cake, you may find you like it better served the next day. It’s amazing!
And because you can make it in advance, that means it is perfect for serving to company. No mess in the kitchen the day your guests arrive.
What is kahlua?
Kahlua is a brand of coffee liqueur. It has rum, sugar, vanilla and coffee. You can find it in the alcohol section of your store.
How to Make Crack Cake
You’ll find it only takes about 10 minutes to whip up this cake.
- Prepare. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 10”bundt cake pan.
- Mix. Mix all of the cake ingredients in a large bowl with a hand mixer until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
That’s it! This cake takes just one bowl. Dump the ingredients in and mix. Easy as that!
Kahlua Glaze for Chocolate Cake
This is what makes the cake extra special is the Kahlua simple syrup that you drizzle over the warm cake. Don’t skip this step. It’s over the top good!
- Melt. For the glaze, melt the butter and sugar together in a small saucepan for about 3-4 minutes. You’re not looking for it to boil, just be well heated. Mix in the Kahlua.
- Poke. Use a toothpick to poke holes into the top of the cake while it is still hot and in the pan. Try to get as deep as you can so the glaze goes all the way through.
- Drizzle. Slowly drizzle the glaze over the cake and allow it to soak in.
- Cool. Allow the cake to cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan. Then remove.
How do you easily remove a cake from the pan?
In order to easily remove a cake from a pan, you need to begin during the prep time.
Does crack cake freeze well?
Yes! Crack cake freezes great. The simple syrup keeps it super moist and it is delicious after you defrost it. Wrap in plastic wrap, then place it in another airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
What is the best way to defrost cake?
When you want to defrost cake (or any baked good for that matter), be sure to allow it to come to room temperature before you unwrap it. This helps the cake stay moist. If you unwrap it while it is frozen, you may find the cake to be dry.
Kahlua Crack Cake
You will flip for those chocolate Kahlua crack cake. The ultimate moist chocolate cake infused with a sweet Kahlua glaze.
Servings 12
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (around 15.25 ounces)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix (around 3.4 ounces)
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup strong brewed coffee (or water)
- ¾ cup oil
- ½ cup KAHLÚA® Rum and Coffee Liqueur
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix all of the cake ingredients in a large bowl with a hand mixer until well combined.
- Grease and flour a 10”bundt cake pan.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- For the glaze, melt the butter and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Don't let it boil, just heat it well and stir often. Mix in the Kahlua.
- Use a toothpick to poke holes into the top of the cake while it is still hot and in the pan.
- Slowly drizzle the glaze over the cake and allow it to soak in.
- Allow the cake to cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan.
- Loosen the sides of the cake from the pan with a butter knife or a rubber spatula. Jiggle the pan slightly to loosen the cake.
- Turn the cake out onto a cake plate to serve.
- Store any remaining cake in an airtight container at room temperature.
Video
Notes
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 12 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 396mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to add coffee to the cake?
No. Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate, but if you prefer, you can use water instead.
Can I bake this in a 9×13 cake pan?
Yes. Just watch the time. It won’t take as long to bake.
What frosting would go well with this cake?
Because this cake has a sugar syrup that soaks in, we prefer a light frosting such as whipped cream. However, you can use a chocolate buttercream if you’d like.
Can I use Bailey’s instead of Kahlua?
We haven’t tried this, but it would most likely work just fine.
This is a wonderful cake and people always ask for the recipe. Time and time again, no matter what I try the glaze is always crystallized. In other recipes similar the glaze always has 1/4 c of water before adding the liquor. Next time I will try that as I’ve never had this problem before. Otherwise thanks for a great recipe. I’ve made it gluten free by using a gluten free chocolate cake mix…usually Krusteaz. I let it sit about 15-20 minutes before baking to allow time for the flours to soften. This creates a texture similar to regular flours.
Love this cake. Have you tried making mini Bundt cakes?
Got a Question do you add both the Kahlua and Rum at both 1/2 cup eah
This cake is absolutely delicious! I’ve made it twice this week for 2 different occasions. It’s super easy. After reading through the comments, I made 2 small adjustments. I omitted the white sugar and only used brown sugar in the cake batter. Also, for the glaze, I melted the butter completely before I added the sugar and Kahlua. As many have said, the sugar doesn’t dissolve entirely but I didn’t have any problems with it crystallizing either. I also made a chocolate ganache and dribbled it over the top. Not necessary but really pretty.
I just finished making this cake for tomorrow’s dessert. I made a vanilla version in the past and found that this cake keeps moist and delicious for many days (which is why I made it today for tomorrow).
I read some peoples’ posts and decided to modify the glaze. Instead of the syrupy Kahlua, I used a heavy red Cabernet wine. The glaze tastes delicious and not crusty!
This recipe is a keeper! Beautiful, moist cake. Was done baking after 45 minutes. Glaze soaked into cake with thin layer left on bottom of cake which was a little crystally, but really didn’t take away from the cake. I sprinkled with icing sugar to top it off. Brought it to work for staff birthdays and it was a hit! Will definitely make again.
Is it Kahlua or rum or coffee liqueur? Or all of them
First time to make and it came out perfect in my pan! I always use Betty Crocker devils food for chocolate. The only thing I omitted was 1/4 cup white sugar for cake, but kept brown sugar. Glaze wasn’t too hard if ya flow instructions! Thanks for this mazing recipe!
Is there another non alcoholic syrup I can use? I would like to make this for my 5 year old but don’t want the alcohol aspect. Ant suggestions or recipes?
I had trouble both times with the glaze. Cooked it for the 3-4 minutes and then added Kahlua. The sugar crystalized when pouring on the cake and then tried to scrape it off. Not pretty.
My cake mix only calls for three eggs. Do I still need to use 4?
Will this cake reach the top of a 10 round pan or do I have to double the recipe? If so, do I increase the time as well?
I’m curious about adding the extra sugar….both brown and white. I have never added sugar to a box cake mix. Just curious. Trust me, we’ll be trying this recipe. We are White Russian lovers !!
Everything went great….UNTIL making the glaze! It only says to cook the sugar and butter until the sugar is no longer crystalized. No time, no instructions if it should be brought to a boil…nothing. I called my sister who is a pretty experienced cook and she wasn’t sure either. I cooked it and it was still grainy and finally brought it to a boil…still granulized. Cooked it as long as I dared! And of course it was all crystallized. Then, no, it doesn’t work to poke holes with a toothpick…I finally used a chopstick! And it still wouldn’t soak in.… Read more »
This recipe is out of this world! Cake was easy to make, exceptionally moist and absolutely delish. I used yellow cake mix (instead of chocolate) and vanilla pudding (instead of chocolate) because the Kahlua already imparts enough flavor. I also decreased the sugar in the glaze to 3/4 cup and it was still plenty sweet. This recipe is a definite keeper.