For a special, no-fuss Valentine's Day dessert, you can't go wrong with this chocolate strawberry bundt cake with sweet strawberry icing. This marble cake recipe creates such a pretty dessert, and it's so easy to make!
If you love chocolate and strawberries, you have to try this recipe! Bundt cakes are one of my favorite things to make because they're so versatile.
You can make practically any flavor combination you like, from a rich chocolate bundt cake to a tangy lemon raspberry bundt cake, or fruity banana bundt cake. The options are endless!
This strawberry bundt cake is marbled with rich chocolate flavor. It's is the perfect treat any time of year, but especially for Valentine's Day!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Freezer friendly. Save time by making the dessert ahead. Without glaze, it freezes well for up to 4 months.
- Beautiful! Marble cakes are so pretty on their own, and you can use a fancy fluted bundt pan to make your dessert stand out even more!
- Including pudding mix makes the cake super moist and tender.
If you don't have a bundt pan, you can still enjoy that strawberry chocolate flavor by making my strawberry chocolate cake recipe!
Ingredient Notes
See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
- salted butter
- granulated white sugar: This gives the dessert its sweetness.
- eggs: This provides a lot of the structure and moisture that are needed in a heavy cake batter.
- whole milk: In addition to pudding mix, milk also adds moisture to the cake.
- vanilla extract: Why use vanilla in a chocolate cake? Well, the extract actually complements the cocoa powder, giving it a richer, more developed flavor.
- all-purpose flour: I like to use unbleached flour because it's less processed.
- unsweetened cocoa powder: This is what you'll use to make the chocolate cake batter. The chocolate and strawberry batters will be marbled together in the bundt pan.
- strawberry instant pudding mix: Using dry pudding mix in a homemade cake is a great way to add moisture, and in this case, a wonderful strawberry flavor!
- baking powder: Without this leavener, the bundt cake won't rise.
- pink gel food coloring: This is an optional ingredient. I use it to give the strawberry bundt cake and the icing a nice pop of color. Without food coloring, the strawberry cake will be a very pale pink color, and the powdered sugar icing will be white.
You'll also need a 10-cup bundt pan. They come in many different sizes and styles, but here are my favorites:
- nonstick bundt pan- I highly recommend this one! It's affordable and works great.
- fancier bundt pan
- fleur de lis bundt pan
I do not recommend using a silicone bundt pan. Silicone pans work great for cupcakes, but with larger cakes, the sides tend to collapse in before the batter is completely baked.
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- all-purpose flour: Using cake flour will make the dessert more tender, but because the cake is heavy, using all-purpose flour is the best choice. For a gluten free dessert, substitute the AP flour with any cup-for-cup brand of gluten-free all-purpose flour. Two reliable brands are Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.
- baking powder: If you happen to be out of baking powder, but you have baking soda and cream of tartar on hand, you can make a baking powder replacement!
To use baking soda as a substitute for baking powder, mix ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder you need. - white granulated sugar: To reduce the calories, you can substitute the sugar with any cup-for-cup variety of granulated sugar substitute. Monk fruit sugar is a good option.
- salted butter: If you need or want to use unsalted butter, just add ½ teaspoon of sea salt or kosher salt to the cake batter.
If you need a dairy-free option, most plant-based butter sticks work well. - eggs: Egg yolks are important for creating moisture and adding structure. If you need a substitute, check out my post, egg substitutes for baking.
- milk: Any type of dairy milk will work. I haven't tried making this dessert with almond milk or any other plant-based substitute, but they should work. The only difference is that your cake may be a little dry, because aside from coconut milk, nut milks have little to no fat in them.
- vanilla extract: If you want, you can use a different flavor of extract, such as almond, chocolate, or strawberry. If you need an alcohol-free flavoring, you can use vanilla essence.
Marble Cake Variations
I love the strawberry icing with the strawberry bundt cake, but there are other options:
- Chocolate ganache: You can drizzle the top of the marble cake with ganache, like the one I use in my chocolate ganache cake recipe.
- Simple powdered sugar glaze
- Buttercream frosting: Bundt cake can be a little difficult to frost, but nothing tastes as good on cake as homemade buttercream frosting
- Fresh strawberry flavor: Another tasty option for this strawberry bundt cake recipe is to use strawberry puree or preserves in the icing. You won't need much - start by mixing in 2 tablespoons and see what the consistency is like.
How to Make the Chocolate Strawberry Bundt Cake
Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Make the batter, then separate it to create the strawberry and chocolate batters.
- Marble the flavors. Alternate adding the strawberry and chocolate cake batters to the bundt pan.
- Bake, then let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the icing and decorate the cake.
Liz's Tips for the Best Bundt Cake
- Use melted butter to grease the pan. The easiest way to get into the crevices of a bundt pan is to brush the butter on with a pastry brush.
- Avoid over mixing the batter, which can cause the vanilla cake to be dry and crumbly. Stir just until there are no visible streaks of flour.
- Wait at least 30 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. When bundt cakes are too warm, they can crumble when you try to remove them from the pan. Just set the pan on a wire rack.
- To make the marble cake effect, alternate pouring just a cup or so of each cake batter flavor at a time, swirling the batter in slightly to create the marble effect. If you love raspberry, try this Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake.
- Is your cake dry? This is a very moist cake recipe, but if you have trouble with it, check out my tips on How To Make A Dry Cake Moist.
Storage
Store in an airtight container whether kept at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: You can freeze this bundt cake without the frosting. Double wrap the entire cake in plastic wrap before placing it in the freezer.
Thaw at room temperature for 6-8 hours before unwrapping and frosting.
Bundt Cake Recipe FAQs
The main ingredient that makes a cake a "Bundt" cake is the pan. A doughnut-like shaped pan with a hole in the middle.
Yes, but be aware that Bundt cake pans come in many different sizes. Choosing the correct size bundt pan will be essential in ensuring that all of the batter fits into the pan.
A bundt cake pan is designed to not allow for much expansion which leads to a thick and moist cake!
Other Chocolate Strawberry Desserts
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake (No Bake)
- Homemade Strawberry Brownies
- Soft Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- Best Chocolate Spritz Cookies
Chocolate Strawberry Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Bundt Cake
- 1 cup salted butter 2 sticks, softened but still cold
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup milk
For strawberry portion
For chocolate portion
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup milk
- 3 drops pink gel food coloring optional
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 teaspoon milk
- 3 drops pink gel food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease a 10-cup bundt pan with melted butter and a light dusting of flour. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use an electric hand mixer and large mixing bowl), beat butter and sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Then beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time.
- With mixer speed on low, beat in about one-half of the flour and all of the baking powder, mixing just until blended. Then add in milk and remaining flour and mix for one more minute, until there are no visible streaks of flour.
- Using two separate bowls, split batter evenly.
- Stir strawberry pudding powder into one bowl of batter until combined. Add cocoa powder and ½ cup milk in other bowl of batter, and stir to combine.
- Pour both batters into prepared bundt pan, 1 cup at a time, alternating colors to give it a “messy marbled” or tie-dyed look.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out on a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before adding strawberry icing.
- Make icing by whisking powdered sugar, milk, and gel coloring together until blended. Drizzle over your cake and let it harden before serving.
Video
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
- Use melted butter to grease the pan. The easiest way to get into the crevices of a bundt pan is to brush the butter on with a pastry brush.
- Avoid over mixing the batter, which can cause the vanilla cake to be dry and crumbly. Stir just until there are no visible streaks of flour.
- Wait at least 30 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. When bundt cakes are too warm, they can crumble when you try to remove them from the pan.
- Is your cake dry? This is a very moist cake recipe, but if you have trouble with it, check out my tips on How To Make A Dry Cake Moist.
Mary
I've never seen instant strawberry pudding. Can you use instant strawberry jello?
Liz Marino
No, I'm sorry that won't work. I have liked the instant strawberry pudding in the post - you can order online if you can't find it 🙂
Katherine Bahl
This looks delicious! Can it be made in a normal cake pan? Would you change anything?
Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats
I'm not sure how it would turn out in a regular cake pan. I don't think it would fit (too much batter) and I also think it wouldn't swirl as well. I'm sorry but without trying it I can't be sure. There are lots of affordable bundt pans on amazon or in stores!
Doris mothersell
Butter ? Salted, unsalted ? Margarine ?
lifebeginswithdessert
Unsalted butter 🙂 Thanks I will update be sure to make that change in the post!