If you are looking for an easy-to-make showstopping dessert, look no further! My Malted & Glazed Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe is simple enough for even novice home bakers but it looks and tastes like a million bucks! Inspired by (and decorated with) the malted chocolate balls known as Whoppers, this tender, slightly nutty, super chocolatey cake is sure to please the masses.
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About This Recipe
I've started adding malted milk powder into all the chocolate-based things this winter and I'm never going back. But what is this magical substance, anyway?
For those of you who immediately think of 50s diners and soda fountains when you hear the word “malt,” I’m right there with you. Found in old-school favorites like Ovaltine or my favorite movie theater candy, Whoppers, malted milk powder is a delightful umami addition to many desserts, especially those with chocolate.
Made from a combination of wheat flour, malted barley extract, dried milk powder, salt, and baking soda, malted milk is something you should definitely have in your kitchen. The malted barley extract - which is a concentrate - lends a toasty, nutty, roasted, earthy flavor to everything it touches. The dried milk powder acts to help along the Maillard reaction in baked goods, creating that beautiful golden exterior and adding the butterscotch-y flavor of cooked milk.
I should also mention here that there are two other products on the market that are similarly named but have a different purpose. These are known as diastatic (meaning enzymatically active) or non-diastatic malt powders, which are made from exclusively malted cereal grain, without the addition of dried milk. But why is it called “malt?” Malt is a cereal grain, typically barley, that, once sprouted, is dried. This is a process that is referred to as malting.
Key Ingredients
This simple glazed chocolate bundt cake is made primarily with things that are probably already in your pantry. Here are a few notes to keep in mind:
- Cocoa Powder- I prefer using Dutch-process cocoa powder, which has lower acidity and less bitterness than natural cocoa powder. In this recipe, the two types are interchangeable, so use whichever you have on hand. Curious about different types of cocoa powder? Feel free to nerd out with this interesting article!
- Malted Milk Powder - Make sure there is “milk” in the name here; this should not be confused with straight malt powder.
- Brown Sugar - Brown sugar has a higher moisture content than granulated white sugar, so I wouldn’t suggest making the substitution here; we want this cake to be moist! However, you can use white sugar and molasses to make your own brown sugar if needed.
- Eggs - When baking, pay attention to details like the temperature of ingredients. Your eggs should be room temp to allow for an evenly and properly mixed batter.
Equipment
Aside from normal kitchen equipment like mixing bowls, and spatulas the one piece of equipment you might not yet have in your arsenal is the iconic bundt pan.
While you may not want to spring on a specialty cake pan, I’m here to plead its case. I've always felt that there is something particularly impressive about unveiling a bundt cake. With so many different bundt pan shapes and sizes, these pans allow you to transform a simple cake into something more elegant.
Yet another aspect of a bundt cake is its simplicity. While so many cakes are meticulously frosted, bundt cakes are usually served without much of anything added. The highlight of the bundt experience is the moist, flavorful cake - sometimes highlighted with a glaze or light amount of frosting on top. Ultimately, a bundt cake just feels fancy - but without all the fuss. There is a wide variety of bundt pan designs to choose from, so feel free to shop around. eBay and other online thrift stores always tend to have a classic, vintage selection of beautiful-looking bundt pans.
There are more modern options available as well - Nordic Ware has been one of my favorite brands recently. Their bundt pans are incredibly sturdy and I absolutely love the various sizes and designs they offer. You can even find ones that are seasonally specific, like hearts for Valentine’s Day, skulls for Halloween, or Pumpkins for Thanksgiving!
How to Make/The Method
Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease your bundt pan very well, making sure to hit all the corners, nooks and crannies.
Sift dry ingredients together: Combine all your dry ingredients – flour, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk everything together and set it aside.
Mix wet ingredients: Whisk wet ingredients together until smooth.
Add dries: Add ½ of the dry ingredients, and mix until smooth. Finally, add the last half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Bake: Pour batter into your greased bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick/skewer before removing it from the oven.
Decorate: Once the cake is fully cooled, top with the malt chocolate icing and the garnishes of your choice, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Grease your bundt pan VERY well. All those nooks and crannies make for a gorgeous, pre-decorated cake - so long as you can actually get it out of the pan! If you’re unsure if your non-stick cooking spray will do the trick, try using oil or melted butter and a pastry brush to make sure you hit all surfaces.
- Use a squeeze bottle for your glaze. Unlike frosting, glazes are more liquid, which can make them more difficult to control. Do yourself a favor and invest in a squeeze bottle to help control the flow.
- Play with the decorations. I went for a “chocolate on chocolate” theme because, in my world, you can’t have too much chocolate. Chocolate glaze, crushed malted milk balls, and some chopped nuts were perfect for my mood. But remember, there are an infinite amount of ways to decorate a bundt cake depending on your preference - I've added a few below so that you can let your imagination run wild!
- Sifted Powdered Sugar
- Sugared Berries
- Any Icing or Glaze with the flavor of your choosing
- Whipped Cream infused with liqueur, juice, or zest
- Edible Flowers
- Storing: Bundt cakes are best served at room temperature. Keep it refrigerated until a couple of hours before serving, then cut your cake and enjoy! If stored in the fridge, make sure to wrap in plastic or keep in an airtight container. The bundt cake will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Simply swap the buttermilk or your favorite plant-based alternatives, and try using kinako - a type of roasted soy flour - in place of the malted milk powder. Note that you should increase the amount of kinako used to 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon.
Want to make your own buttermilk from scratch? Check out my guide for making homemade buttermilk or vegan buttermilk!
Heck yeah, you can! Just be sure to adjust the baking time down accordingly.
Sure! You’ll miss out on the fun decoration that comes with baking bundts, but you can easily trade in a tube pan, round cake pans, or even muffins. You’ll just need to adjust the baking time depending on which you use.
More Bundt-astic Recipes
- Chocolate Olive Oil Bundt Cake
- Valentine’s Day Raspberry Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes
- Spiced Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try making this Malted Chocolate Bundt Cake, please leave a review or share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Malted and Glazed Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Bundt Pan
Ingredients
Malted Chocolate Bundt Cake
- 1 ½ Cup (180 g) All-Purpose Flour
- ½ Cup (45 g) Cocoa Powder
- ¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons (45 g) Malted Milk Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 ½ Cups (360 g) Buttermilk
- ⅔ cup (144 g) Olive Oil
- 1.5 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 Eggs, large, room temperature
- 1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons (225 g) Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ cup (70 g) Brown Sugar
Malted Chocolate Glaze
- 2 Tablespoons (28 g) Unsalted Butter, melted
- ¼ cup (45 g) Dark Chocolate, melted
- ½ Cup (60 g) Powdered Sugar, room temperature
- ¼ Cup (30 g) Malted Milk Powder
- 2-4 Tablespoons Hot Water
- 1 Cup Whoppers or Chocolate Covered Malt Balls
Instructions
Malted Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your bundt pan - for bundt pans I tend to prefer using a baking spray with flour to make sure that every nook and cranny is properly greased!
- Sift most of your dry ingredients – flour, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set it aside.1 ½ Cup All-Purpose Flour, ½ Cup Cocoa Powder, ¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Malted Milk Powder, ¾ teaspoon Baking Powder, ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
- In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla and eggs until smooth. Then add in sugars, and mix again until combined.1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar, ⅓ cup Brown Sugar, 1 ½ Cups Buttermilk, ⅔ cup Olive Oil, 1.5 teaspoons Vanilla Extract, 2 Eggs
- Add ½ of the sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Finally, add the last half of the dry ingredients and mix until smooth!
- Add batter into your greased bundt pan and bake for 43-45 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick/skewer before removing it from the oven.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing, and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Malted Chocolate Glaze & Assembly
- Combine melted butter and chocolate in a medium sized bowl. Add ½ of your powdered sugar until it becomes quite thick then add 2 Tablespoons of hot water.2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted, ¼ cup Dark Chocolate, melted, 2-4 Tablespoons Hot Water, ½ Cup Powdered Sugar, room temperature
- Whisk until smooth then add the final amount of powdered sugar and malted milk powder. Continue whisking and add additional hot water until you've reached your desired consistency. Continue to whisk vigorously until completely smooth - as milk powder is a bit thicker than powdered sugar it may take some muscle power!¼ Cup Malted Milk Powder
- Pour glaze over your bundt cake and watch it slowly set. While the icing sets, garnish your bundt cake with whole and crushed malt balls before enjoying!1 Cup Whoppers or Chocolate Covered Malt Balls
Video
Notes
- Play with the decorations. I went for a “chocolate on chocolate” theme because, in my world, you can’t have too much chocolate. Chocolate glaze, crushed malted milk balls, and some chopped nuts were perfect for my mood. But remember, there are an infinite amount of ways to decorate a bundt cake depending on your preference - I've added a few below so that you can let your imagination run wild!
- Sifted Powdered Sugar
- Various Berries
- Any Icing or Glaze with the flavor of your choosing
- Whipped Cream infused with liqueur, juice, or zest
- Edible Flowers
- Grease your bundt pan VERY well. All those nooks and crannies make for a gorgeous, pre-decorated cake - so long as you can actually get it out of the pan! If you’re unsure if your non-stick cooking spray will do the trick, try using oil or melted butter and a pastry brush to make sure you hit all surfaces.
- Use a squeeze bottle for your glaze. Unlike frosting, glazes are more liquid, which can make them more difficult to control. Do yourself a favor and invest in a squeeze bottle to help control the flow.
- Storing: Bundt cakes are best served at room temperature. Keep it refrigerated until a couple of hours before serving, then cut your cake and enjoy! If stored in the fridge, make sure to wrap in plastic or keep in an airtight container. The bundt cake will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Isabel Lino
Hi Emily,
My malted chocolate bundt cake is at this moment in the oven. I am very looking forward to try it.
As soon as it is ready, i will post it on Instagram and tag you!!!
Thank you for sharing!!!
Isabel
Emily
You're so very welcome Isabel!! I hope you enjoy!!
Iris
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Can I substitute the malted milk powder with ovaltine powder?
Emily
Yes, that shouldn't be a problem! And you're so welcome!
CT
Hi,
May I clarify, there's milk chocolate listed on the ingredient list but I can't find it in the steps, and there's buttermilk in the steps but not in the ingredient list? So looking forward to try this recipe out when my bundt pan arrives!! Thanks in advance!
Emily
Hi there Catherine! I just added a quick edit to the recipe so that should fix any confusion - let me know if you have any other questions, so excited for you to try!!