This chocolate gingerbread cake is a perfect cake for the holidays. It is made a chocolate and ginger and topped with a creamy chocolate ganache. It is the perfect way to end a holiday meal or as a wonderful breakfast treat with a nice cup of coffee or tea.
There are a few of my cakes that come with a history and this is one of them. I would make this cake every year for the holidays and a friend of mine invited his dad. His dad ended up taking a good portion of the cake with him afterwards. Fast forward a few years and he had to undergo surgery. When he got out and the doctor asked him what he wanted to eat the first words out of his mouth were, “Sean’s gingerbread cake!” While that is one of my favorite stories and memories this cake is perfect for the holidays. It makes a spectacular dessert as well as a prefect breakfast the next day with a nice cup of coffee.
In this recipe
While the majority of these ingredients will probably be in your kitchen or pantry already there are going to be a few you might have to pop out to the store for. However, everything should be in your local grocery.
Ginger: this recipe has a lot of it. It uses both ground and fresh ginger. However if you really love ginger you can add a couple of tablespoons of candied ginger as well.
Espresso: this will accentuate the chocolate flavors so they stand up to the large amount of ginger that is in this recipe.
Molasses: adds that classic flavor to the gingerbread, and it is imporant that you do not use blackstrap molasses for this recipe as it will taste like sulfur.
Preparing the ginger
When working with ginger it is good to find a root with very few branching segments. This will help with quickly working with the ginger to get the necessary 3 tablespoons. For this recipe a micro plane and a spoon will be your friend. First, you want to use the spoon to scrape the skin off of the ginger. This will not require a lot pressure so don’t think you need to scrape hard. Once it is removed then the micro plane will make short work of the ginger. Be aware that there will be water if you use this method, and that is completely fine as it will not impact the cake in any way.
Making the batter
When you start making the batter you will add the eggs and then the fresh ginger. This may make the batter look like it is curdled or split. That is ok and once you add the molasses it will become smooth again. Once the batter is ready for the flour mixture you will reduce it down the the slowest setting. This will ensure that you do not overmix the batter. Next, add the flour mixture and buttermilk in alternating parts until the are just combined. While buttermilk helps keep the cake moist it is important to not overmix as the cake will be tough.
The perfect ganache
Ganache is one of the best and easiest ways to frost a cake. This foolproof method will make sure you have a perfect ganache every time. The first thing you want to do is get the cream to at least 160-175F or 71-79C. The prevents the milk from scalding however you want it hot. Once you pour it over the chocolate you will want to wait 5 minutes. This is to allow the heat to gently melt and soften the chocolate. Once the time has passed you will give it a nice stir and you will have the perfect ganache. You will want to let it cool a little bit before pouring as it might be thin at the beginning but as it cools it will solidify.
Looking for other gingerbread recipes?
The Best Chocolate Gingerbread
Equipment
- Spoon
- Micro plane grater
- 9 x 13 baking dish
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Gingerbread
- 2¼ cup flour
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1¼ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 6 oz bittersweet chocolate melted, cooled
- 3 eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup butter unsalted, softened
- ½ cup molasses not blackstrap
- 3 tbsp fresh ginger minced or grated
- 1 tbsp espresso powder
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
Ganache Frosting
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, 177°C, or gas mark 4. Grease the baking dish.
- In a mixing bowl add the flour, espresso, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, ground ginger and whisk to combine.
- In the stand mixer, on medium high speed, beat the butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar and cream until butter starts to lighten. Add the eggs in one at a time waiting at least a minute between each egg. Add the molasses and reduce the speed to low. Add the melted and cooled chocolate. Mix until combined.
- Starting with the flour mixture add ⅓ of the flour to the stand mixer and mix until just combined. Then add half of the buttermilk and mixed until just combined. Repeat the processed alternating between the flour mixture and buttermilk.
- Pour into greased baking dish and bake for 45 min or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes away clean.
- When the cake is cooling add the sugar to the cream and heat the cream until steam forms and pour over the chocolate. Allow to sit for 5 minutes and then mix. Pour over the cooled cake.
Notes
Nutrition
