This Nothing Bundt Cake Galactic Brownie recipe is a copycat of the pop-up flavor Nothing Bundt Cakes sold from August 24 to September 6, 2026: a fudgy chocolate bundt cake, a thick brownie batter glaze, and a scatter of candy-coated rainbow sprinkles on top. The bakery version is gone for now, so the only way to get it is to bake it yourself. The good news? It takes about 20 minutes of actual work.
One thing most copycat recipes get wrong: the real Galactic Brownie has no cream cheese frosting. It’s the one Nothing Bundt flavor that skips their signature frosting petals and uses a glossy chocolate glaze instead. If you’ve seen versions online with white frosting, they’re guessing. This one follows the bakery’s own description.
What Is the Nothing Bundt Cakes Galactic Brownie?
It was a limited “Pop-Up” flavor in Nothing Bundt Cakes’ fall 2026 lineup, sold only as an individual Bundtlet. The company describes it as a rich, fudgy chocolate cake topped with a smooth brownie batter glaze and a shower of candy-coated rainbow sprinkles.
If that sounds familiar, it should. It’s a grown-up take on Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies, the lunchbox snack with the fudge top and colorful candy bits. Reviewers called it somewhere between a lava cake and a Cosmic Brownie, and Tasting Table’s review described it as dense, moist and very rich, with a glaze that tasted more like homemade chocolate icing than anything from a package.
Galactic Brownie at a glance (bakery version)
| Detail | Nothing Bundt Cakes Bundtlet | This homemade copycat |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Aug 24 – Sept 6, 2026 (pop-up) | Any time |
| Size | 1 Bundtlet, about 3 servings | 1 full bundt cake, 12–14 slices |
| Price | About $7.79 per Bundtlet (varies by location) | Roughly the cost of one Bundtlet for a whole cake |
| Calories | 240 per serving | Depends on slice size |
| Frosting | Brownie batter glaze, no cream cheese | Brownie batter glaze, no cream cheese |
| Topping | Candy-coated rainbow sprinkles | Candy-coated rainbow chips |
Why This Copycat Works
Nothing Bundt cakes have a tight, almost damp crumb that stays soft for days. Home bakers figured out years ago that the trick is a doctored cake mix: chocolate fudge mix plus instant pudding plus sour cream. The pudding keeps it moist, the sour cream makes it dense, and the extra egg gives it that fudgy, brownie-like chew.
For the glaze, you want something between fudge frosting and ganache. Melted butter, a little real chocolate, cocoa and powdered sugar get you there. A spoon of corn syrup keeps it shiny after it sets, which is what makes the top look like a Cosmic Brownie.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the chocolate bundt cake
- 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) chocolate fudge cake mix
- 1 box (3.9 oz / 110 g) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 cup (240 g) full-fat sour cream
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm milk or warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the brownie batter glaze
- 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter
- 2 oz (57 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) milk, plus more if needed
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt
For the topping
- 1/4 cup candy-coated chocolate chips or rainbow chocolate sprinkles (the Cosmic Brownie kind, not nonpareils)
How to Make the Galactic Brownie Bundt Cake
Prep: 20 minutes · Bake: 45–50 minutes · Cool and glaze: about 1 1/2 hours · Makes: one 10–12 cup bundt, 12–14 slices
1. Get the pan ready. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush every ridge of a 10–12 cup bundt pan with soft butter or shortening, then dust it with cocoa powder instead of flour so you don’t get white patches on a dark cake. Spray alone usually isn’t enough for a sticky batter like this.
2. Mix the batter. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix. Add the sour cream, eggs, oil, warm milk and vanilla. Beat on medium for about 2 minutes. The batter will be thick, more like brownie batter than cake batter. That’s what you want.
3. Fold in the chips. Toss the chocolate chips with a teaspoon of dry cake mix (or flour) first so they don’t all sink to the bottom, then fold them in with a spatula.
4. Bake. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and tap it on the counter a few times to knock out air pockets. Bake 45–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs. Melted chocolate from a chip can fool you, so test in two spots.
5. Cool in two stages. Leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, no more. Then flip it onto a wire rack and let it cool completely, about an hour. Glaze on a warm cake just slides off.
6. Make the glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, chopped chocolate, milk and corn syrup, stirring until smooth. Take it off the heat and whisk in the cocoa, then the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Let it sit 5–10 minutes. It should be thick but still pourable, like warm brownie batter. Too stiff? Add milk a teaspoon at a time.
7. Glaze and top. Set the rack over a baking sheet. Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake and let it run down the ridges on its own. Add the candy-coated chips within 5 minutes, while the glaze is still tacky, or they won’t stick. Give it 20–30 minutes to set before slicing.
Want Bundtlets Like the Bakery?
The pop-up was only sold as a Bundtlet, so if you want the exact look, use a mini bundt pan. Fill each cavity about two-thirds full and bake 16–20 minutes, checking at 15. One batch makes roughly 18–20 minis depending on your pan. Dip the tops straight into the glaze instead of spooning it on, then add the sprinkles.
Tips From Testing
- Use “chocolate fudge” or “devil’s food” mix. Milk chocolate mixes come out too light and too sweet.
- Don’t swap in light sour cream. The fat is what gives the cake that dense, bakery bite.
- Pick the right sprinkles. Tiny nonpareils bleed color into a warm glaze. Candy-coated chips hold their shape and give the crunch Cosmic Brownie fans expect.
- Warm milk beats water. It blooms the cocoa in the mix and gives a deeper chocolate flavor.
- If the cake sticks, put the pan back in a warm oven for 2 minutes, then try flipping again. The fat in the ridges softens and it usually lets go.
What to Serve With It
This cake is rich, so keep the sides simple. A cold glass of milk is the obvious one, and for good reason. Black coffee or espresso cuts the sweetness nicely. A scoop of vanilla ice cream next to a slightly warm slice gets you close to that lava cake feel reviewers kept mentioning. Fresh raspberries work if you want something sharp on the plate.
How to Store It
Because there’s no cream cheese frosting, this cake is easier to keep than most Nothing Bundt copycats. Cover it and leave it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5. Let chilled slices sit out 30 minutes before eating so the glaze softens.
To freeze, wrap the unglazed cake tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and glaze it the day you serve it. Glazed slices freeze fine too, but the candy colors can run a little as they thaw.
Galactic Brownie Recipe Card
Nothing Bundt Cake Galactic Brownie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate fudge cake mix 15.25 oz / 432 g
- 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix 3.9 oz / 110 g
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream 240 g
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil 120 ml
- 1/2 cup warm milk or warm water 120 ml
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 170 g
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter 57 g
- 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate 57 g, chopped
- 3 tbsp milk plus more if needed
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 28 g
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 180 g, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 cup candy-coated chocolate chips or rainbow chocolate sprinkles not nonpareils
Equipment
- 1 Bundt cake pan
- 1 Mixing bowls
- 1 Electric mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Cake cooling rack
- 1 Toothpick or cake tester
- 1 Piping bag (for frosting decoration)
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush every ridge of a 10–12 cup bundt pan with soft butter or shortening and dust with cocoa powder.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and pudding mix. Add the sour cream, eggs, oil, warm milk and vanilla. Beat on medium for about 2 minutes until thick and smooth.
- Toss the chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of dry cake mix, then fold them into the batter.
- Spread the batter in the pan, tap it on the counter to release air, and bake 45–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, chopped chocolate, milk and corn syrup until smooth.
- Off the heat, whisk in the cocoa, then the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Rest 5–10 minutes until thick but pourable, adding milk a teaspoon at a time if needed.
- Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake and let it run down the ridges. Add the candy-coated chips within 5 minutes, then let it set 20–30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQ
Is the Galactic Brownie still available at Nothing Bundt Cakes?
No. It ran as a pop-up flavor from August 24 to September 6, 2026, and the official flavor page now says to check back for its return. Until it comes back, baking it at home is your best option.
Does the Galactic Brownie have cream cheese frosting?
No. Unlike almost every other Nothing Bundt flavor, it’s topped with a brownie batter glaze and rainbow candy sprinkles instead of the cream cheese frosting petals.
How many calories are in a Galactic Brownie Bundtlet?
According to Tasting Table’s review, each serving has 240 calories, 11 g fat, 34 g carbs and 21 g sugar, with about 3 servings per Bundtlet.
Is it the same as a Cosmic Brownie?
It’s inspired by one. You get the same fudge top and colorful candy bits, but the base is a moist bundt cake instead of a flat, chewy brownie.
Can I make it from scratch without cake mix?
Yes, any dense chocolate bundt recipe works. Just keep sour cream or buttermilk in the batter for moisture and use the same glaze and topping. The mix version is simply the closest match to the bakery’s texture.
One Last Tip
Bake the cake the day before and glaze it the day you serve it. The crumb gets even fudgier after a night wrapped on the counter, and the glaze looks its shiniest when it’s fresh.
More Bundt Cakes to Try
- Nothing Bundt Cakes Peppermint Chocolate Chip
- Chocolate School Cake: Easy Retro Cake Recipe
- Caramel Banana Cream Mousse Cake
- Honey Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting
Source for bakery details: Nothing Bundt Cakes official flavor page and Tasting Table. Updated September 2026.
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