Nothing Bundt Cake Gluten-Free Recipe (Copycat!)

Decadent and moist gluten-free chocolate chip bundt cake tastes like a copycat replica of Nothing Bundt Cakes‘ gluten-free recipe! This easy, bakery-style cake has a thick drizzle of cream cheese frosting on top.

Gluten-Free Nothing Bundt Cakes

The popular chain bakery, Nothing Bundt Cakes, ultra moist cakes has become a national sensation. Popular flavors such as chocolate chocolate chip, white chocolate raspberry, and vanilla are all drizzled thick with their signature cream cheese frosting.

They also offer a gluten-free chocolate chip bundt cake or bundtlets (miniature bundt cake), which to the pleasant surprise of celiacs or gluten-sensitive people, has the exact taste and texture or “real” cake.

Much like copycat gluten-free crumbl cookies, we can now have our cake and eat it too! Gluten-free chocolate chip cake is the only flavor Nothing Bundt Cakes offers, but enjoy many other homemade gluten-free cake recipes with gluten-free red velvet cake or gluten-free chocolate cake!

If you love easy gluten-free bundt cake, be sure to check out gluten-free lemon bundt cake recipe as well!

Ingredient Tips and Subs

Nothing Bundt Cakes notes in their FAQs that although their gluten-free chocolate chip cake has gluten-free ingredients, it is not baked in a gluten-free environment. Therefore, a homemade copycat version is a safer option for those with severe gluten allergies.

• Vanilla Pudding Mix – Be sure to grab instant vanilla pudding and not “cook and serve.”
• Sour Cream – Adds moisture without the need for large amounts of liquids, which have a hard time being absorbed by gluten-free flour.
• Oil – While a lot of bundt cake recipes use unsalted butter, I prefer oil to create a more moist crumb.
• Gluten-Free Flour – The recipe was tested with Cup4Cup gluten-free flour blend, which is the one I use and recommend in my gluten-free cookbook. For alternative flours, see Best Gluten-Free Flour to Use section.
• Mini Chocolate Chips – I prefer miniature chips because they stay evenly dispersed and do not sink to the bottom of the bundt pan.

Let’s Make This Together!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. Grease a nonstick 12-cup bundt cake pan and set aside. For bundt cake substitutions, see Bundt Cake Pan and Substitutions section.
2. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low to combine.
3. Add the eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix to combine, then add in the hot water while continuing to beat. Increase the speed and beat for 1 minute.
4. Pour into the prepared bundt cake pan and spread evenly. Bake in a 350°F oven for 55 minutes, or until a long cake tester comes out clean.
5. Cool cake for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

For the frosting beat together softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and powdered sugar until no lumps remain.

To frost the cake in a copycat way, place the frosting into a large ziplock bag or pastry bag. I find placing the bag in a tall, sturdy cup and then filling, makes this process easier.

Snip off the corner of the bag and then start in the center hole and squeeze in a straight line to the outer edge of the cake. Swoop back to the center, circling the cake, until it is frosted. Of course, you could always simply spread the frosting all over as well!

Making Mini Bundts – AKA Bundtlets

For individual cakes, use a bundtlette pan. However, it is important to note the capacity of the smaller pans so the batter does not overflow while baking.

The cake batter recipe fills a 12-cup bundt pan. Mini bundt pans come in various sizes, but when pouring in the pan, it should not reach more than two-thirds up the sides. The baking time will also be about 18-25 minutes, depending on the pan volume.

Bundt Cake Pan Substitutions

Bundt cakes can be any cake recipe baked in a bundt pan. Bundt pans have a decorative edge with a hole in the middle to make an almost doughnut shaped cake.

Since the cake batter makes more contact with outer and inner edges of the pan, bundt cakes conduct more heat and bake evenly throughout. If you love chewy cake edges with a moist interior, then bundt cakes are ideal!

Since bundt pans hold so much batter, you have to be careful when substituting another cake pan. Be sure to not overfill and leave at least 2 inches space, leaving room for cake to rise in the pan and not all over your oven!

You can make your own bundt cake pan using two 9-inch cake pans with a narrow glass jar in the middle to create the hole. A 9X13-inch pan may also be used, but you may have excess batter, which can be poured into muffin tins.

Alternatively, a tube pan, like the one used in gluten-free angel food cake, will also work interchangeably. Just be sure to grease it well so the cake releases.

Bundt cake pans are very deep, so they require a long baking time. If you plan on using a substitution, less time will be required for shallower pans. For either bundt cakes, or any other cake recipes, I recommend this cake tester because it’s more reliable than a toothpick.

Can I Make This Dairy-Free?

I have not tested this cake with dairy-free sour cream, so I cannot say with certainty how it will turn out. If you do, please leave me a message in the comments below!

Vanilla pudding mix does not contain dairy, so that is safe to use. You will also have to replace the chocolate chips with dairy-free baking chips.

Either omit the frosting or use a simple glaze of 1 ½ cups powdered sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons dairy-free milk.

Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa