This chocolate gingerbread bundt cake smothered with rich chocolate glaze is perfect for Christmas!
As a blogger I seem to always exist in a kind of accelarated timeline. Christmas starts occupying my thoughts as early as September and by late November I am practically in full-blown festive fever.
Luckily I am used to this, having worked in book and magazine publishing for many years. One of my very first jobs was working on a Christmas book in July – sourcing a real tree and decorations was not simple! So I think you need to forgive me for the onslaught of Christmas recipes I am about to unleash. Oh and there’s a fabulous gift guide in the works too!
This cake can be eaten year-round of course – the combination of bitter dark chocolate and stem ginger is a winner whatever the season. But the warming spices and rich flavour certainly call for cold weather at the very least – this cake should be eaten snuggled up on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee.
And it is perfect for gifting as well as the flavours improve after a couple of days. Decorate with holly sprinkles or star shaped gingerbread cookies. You can bake it in a bundt or loaf tin if you prefer.
In the photos I used a vintage cake tin but as you can see I had extra batter leftover which I baked into little stars. A 10-cup bundt tin should work fine for this recipe.
Chocolate Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 150 g | 5.3oz dark chocolate chopped
- 150 g | 5.3oz unsalted butter softened
- 150 g | 5.3oz light soft brown sugar
- 120 g | 5oz self raising flour
- 60 g | 2oz ground almonds
- 3 large eggs separated
- 2 tbsp stem ginger syrup
- 1 tbsp treacle
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 globes stem ginger very finely chopped
- festive sprinkles to decorate
- For the glaze
- 100 g | 3.5oz dark chocolate chopped
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp stem ginger syrup from a jar of stem ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Grease a 10-cup bundt or loaf tin and dust with flour
- Melt the chocolate over a pot of barely simmering water and set aside to cool.
- Whisk the egg whites in a stand mixer until they form stiff peaks and transfer to a bowl.
- Fit in the paddle attachment and beat the butter and sugar (no need to clean the stand mixer bowl) until light and flutty.
- Beat in the yolks, one at a time.
- Add the cooled melted chocolate, treacle and stem ginger syrup and beat until incorportated.
- Fold in the flour, ground almonds, bicarbonate of soda, chopped stem ginger and spices.
- Add a third of the whisked eggs into the batter and beat to loosen. Fold in the remaining egg whites.
- Transfer to prepared tin and level. Tap the tin on the counter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until firm on top and coming away from sides of the tin. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes and carefully turn out onto a cooling rack.
- Melt the chocolate and butter over a pot of barely simmering water. Add the gem ginger syrup and stir until smooth.
- Pour the chocolate glaze over the cooled cake and decorate with sprinkles or gingerbread cookies.
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Sonia Carlisle says
Dear Lucy, which size bundt pan did you use?
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Sonia, in the photos the cake was baked in a really small bundt tin but I had extra batter. I think a 10 cup bundt tin would be fine.
Lucy says
Hi,
This recipe looks great, I can’t wait to try it out.
I’m planning to make this a night or two before it will be eaten. Will it be ok to add the glaze after baking, or would it better to wait and add it on the day, before serving.
Thanks!
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Lucy, yes you can wait to add the glaze before you serve. Wrap the cake after it cools and keep it at room temperature.
Alice Robbins says
Hi! I would love to make this for Christmas, I noticed the recipe calls for 3 globes of stem ginger, finely chopped. I have read and re-read the recipe and cannot find where this is used. Is it meant to be sprinkled over the chocolate glaze? Thank-you!
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Alice it’s meant to be folded in the batter. Will make sure to check the amend the recipe – thanks for pointing it out
Kate says
What is the 2 tablespoons of v in the list of ingredients? I tried to make this cake today but it didn’t rise and I am wondering if the 2 tablespoons of what ever that was (which I didn’t substitute anything for it) may have been the problem. Any other thoughts or advise on why it might not rise?
Thank you.
Lucy Parissi says
Sorry Kate I must have deleted this by mistake – it was 2 tablespoons stem ginger syrup which would not have affected the cake if left out *have updated. As the cake uses self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda and whisked egg whites you should not have had issues with the rising. Only thing I can think of is the flour or soda may have been out of date. Sometimes self-raising flour and raising agents become less efficient if too old or have been stored so that moisture gets in. Still, I am very sorry it did not turn out well for you!
Dee GARRETT-GRIMWOOD says
Dear Lucy, i am preparing this gorgeous gingerbread bundt cake for our families xmas day. It looks simplistically lush. Thank you for the inspiration. I will keep you posted as too how likely my proof is, as this will be in the tasting. You made yours look so amazing. Thank you & Merry christmas. love Dee x
Bee says
I really love your photography in these images. They look so rich and warming. Can I ask, were they produced in daylight or using a soft box/ daylight bulb? Absolutely stunning!
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Bee – thank you. They are daylight photos I very rarely use lights (unless I am really desperate). But I do use Lightroom and Photoshop as well as a warm homemade reflector to make sure the tone is how I want it.
Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs says
Wow if this is the start of the fesitivites in your house then i am more than happy for you to start early and share your recipes with us. This bundt looks DIVINE. Chocolste and ginger are such a christmassy combination and one of my favourites. Will be recreating this over the Christmas season thats for sure. Cant wait to see what else you have to share xxx
Choclette says
Oh yes Lucy, this chocolate cake with warming ginger and spices is a perfect fit for Christmas, especially when it looks as splendid as this one. I’m normally a bit of a “don’t mention the C word until Christmas”, but I am feeling a bit more festive this year.
Urvashi Roe says
Looks like such a beautiful crumb on the cake and reading the recipe I can see why. I love cakes where you fold in the egg whites. I have never tried the method in a bundt though.
Lucy Parissi says
It helps lighten the batter which is pretty dense. I usually try this method whenever there’s ground almonds in the mix
Dom says
thats a ridiculously beautiful looking cake!
Lucy Parissi says
Oh thanks Dom. I am all about the gingerbread right now. Probably peaked too soon!
Laura says
Oh my god wow doesn’t cover it! This looks so inviting. Like I want to sit with a slice and a cup of tea and while away a good half hour gossiping with my mum.
Lucy Parissi says
What I love about this is it gets better after a couple of days. Not that it ever lasts that long 🙂