Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake with Condensed Milk Glaze

Make Room for Coffee Cake

Move over, pumpkin pie. This rich Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake comes with a sweet condensed milk coffee glaze, and you’ll want every last spoonful.

It’s officially baking season, which means pumpkin is everywhere. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pumpkin dessert, but I think we can make a little room for something different on the Thanksgiving table. And if that something involves Vietnamese coffee and sweetened condensed milk, I’m definitely interested.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Vietnamese coffee, and I can tell you exactly why. The condensed milk. I love that stuff. In fact, when I was younger, I used to eat sweetened condensed milk straight out of the can with a spoon. No coffee, no dessert, no excuse. Just me and a can of condensed milk. And honestly? I’m not ashamed of it. I still think it’s one of the best things ever invented.

So naturally, a Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake made perfect sense to me. It has a rich coffee flavor from chicory coffee and instant coffee powder, a soft, buttery crumb, and a condensed milk coffee glaze that might be my favorite part. You pour it over the cake, and all that extra glaze collects at the bottom of the serving plate. Don’t clean it up! That’s the good stuff. Your guests can scoop up as much as they want and spoon it over their slices. I think this cake deserves a spot next to the pumpkin and sweet potato pies this Thanksgiving. Although, if I’m being completely truthful, I’m probably going to be the person standing closest to the glaze.

Why this Recipe Works

• Double the coffee flavor. Brewed chicory coffee and instant coffee powder give the cake a rich coffee taste that doesn’t disappear behind the sugar and butter.
• Dark brown sugar adds depth. Its molasses flavor works especially well with coffee and gives the cake a lovely dark color.
• Whipped egg whites keep the crumb lighter. Folding them into the batter helps balance the richness of the butter and brown sugar.
• Buttermilk adds tenderness. It gives the cake a soft crumb and a little tang to balance the sweetness.
• That condensed milk glaze. Sweet, creamy, and full of coffee flavor, it runs down the sides and collects around the bottom so everyone can spoon on a little extra.

Tips for Making Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake with Condensed Milk Glaze

• Grease every corner of your Bundt pan. Get butter into all those grooves, then dust lightly with flour. Nothing ruins the excitement of a beautiful cake faster than half of it refusing to leave the pan.
• Let the coffee cool before adding it to the batter. Hot coffee can melt the butter and affect the batter’s texture.
• Use room-temperature butter and eggs. The butter creams more easily, and the egg whites whip better when they aren’t refrigerator-cold.
• Don’t overmix after adding the flour. Mix just until combined to keep the cake tender.
• Fold the egg whites gently. You’re trying to keep some of that air in the batter, not beat it all out.
• Watch the cake toward the end of baking. Bundt pans vary, so begin checking around 55 minutes. A tester should come out clean.
• Let the cake rest before turning it out. Give it 10 to 15 minutes in the pan so it can firm up without getting stuck.
• Don’t rush the glaze. It should be pourable when it goes over the cake. It thickens as it cools, so save some to serve alongside.

🌱 A Greener Bite of Sustainability

This cake is a good way to make one homemade dessert that serves a crowd instead of buying several individually packaged treats. If you have brewed coffee left from your morning pot, you can use it here, provided it’s strong enough for the recipe. Save any extra glaze in a covered container in the refrigerator rather than throwing it away. And if you have leftover cake after Thanksgiving, slice and freeze it so you can enjoy it another day.

Ingredients & Why They Matter

For the Cake

• Hot chicory coffee (½ cup) – Chicory coffee, such as Café Du Monde, gives this cake its distinctive deep, slightly earthy coffee flavor.
• Instant coffee powder (3 tablespoons) – Boosts the coffee flavor without adding too much extra liquid.
• All-purpose flour (3 cups) – Provides the structure for a sturdy but tender Bundt cake.
• Baking powder (2½ teaspoons) – Helps the cake rise.
• Kosher salt (½ teaspoon) – Balances the sweetness and brings out the coffee flavor.
• Unsalted butter (½ pound or 2 sticks, plus extra for the pan) – Adds richness and helps create a soft crumb.
• Granulated sugar (½ cup) – Sweetens the cake and helps the butter cream smoothly.
• Dark brown sugar (1½ cups, packed) – Adds moisture and a deeper molasses flavor that pairs beautifully with coffee.
• Buttermilk (¾ cup) – Keeps the cake tender and adds a subtle tang.
• Large eggs (3, separated) – The yolks add richness, while the whipped whites help lighten the batter.
• Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) – Rounds out the coffee and brown sugar flavors.

For the Condensed Milk Coffee Glaze

• Sweetened condensed milk (one 14-ounce can) – The star of the glaze. It adds that thick, creamy sweetness I love about Vietnamese coffee.
• Heavy cream (¼ cup) – Thins the condensed milk enough to make a pourable glaze.
• Unsalted butter (1 tablespoon) – Adds richness and a smooth finish.
• Instant coffee powder (1 tablespoon) – Gives the glaze its coffee flavor.
• Kosher salt (¼ teaspoon) – Keeps the sweetness from becoming overwhelming.

How To Make Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake with Condensed Milk Glaze

This Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake is rich, buttery, and topped with a sweet condensed milk coffee glaze. A delicious alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.

Prepare the Pan and Coffee:

Preheat your oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Butter and lightly flour a 10-inch Bundt pan, making sure to get into every groove. Tap out the excess flour.

Stir the hot chicory coffee and 3 tablespoons of instant coffee powder together until combined. Set aside to cool.

Mix the Dry Ingredients:

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Cream the Butter and Sugars:

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and well combined.

Mix the Coffee and Wet Ingredients:

Add the cooled coffee mixture, buttermilk, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. The mixture may look a little uneven at this stage, which is fine.

Add the Flour:

Add the dry ingredients in three equal additions, mixing on low speed after each one. Stop as soon as the flour is incorporated. You don’t want to overmix the batter.

Whip and Fold in the Egg Whites:

In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold about one-fourth of the egg whites into the batter to loosen it. Then fold in the remaining whites in two additions, taking care not to knock out too much air.

Bake the Cake:

Pour the batter into your prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top feels firm. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a serving platter.

Make the Condensed Milk Coffee Glaze:

While the cake cools, combine the sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, butter, instant coffee powder, and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk frequently over medium heat until the mixture is just about to boil. Reduce the heat to low and whisk constantly for another 30 seconds, until most of the coffee powder has dissolved. The glaze should look creamy and still be fairly runny. Let it cool slightly.

Glaze the Cake:

Once the cake is out of the pan, use a toothpick or small sharp knife to poke small holes across the top. Slowly pour about two-thirds of the glaze over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides and collect on the serving platter. As the glaze cools, it will thicken. Serve the remaining glaze on the side for anyone who wants more. And trust me, someone will.

Save Some Room for This One

I love Thanksgiving desserts, but after several slices of pumpkin and sweet potato pie, a little change is welcome. This Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake still feels right at home on a holiday dessert table, especially with that rich coffee flavor and sweet condensed milk glaze.

And please, use a serving platter with a little room around the cake. That pool of glaze at the bottom is intentional. Give your guests a spoon and let them help themselves. If you catch someone going back for another spoonful without any cake, I certainly won’t be judging.

If you make this Vietnamese Coffee Bundt Cake, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @the.sustainable.kitchen.