Chocolate Gingerbread Cake: A Holiday Treat with a Decadent Twist
Those cookies—soft, puffy, often dry, but cloaked in chocolate—were a simple comfort. I never set out to recreate them in cake form, but one bite of this dessert brought that memory rushing back. This cake is that memory, reimagined.
Baking the Cake: A Bit of a Journey
Like most ambitious baking projects, this one didn’t go entirely to plan. I had prepped everything—ingredients bought, cake pans ready, ganache scheduled ahead of time. I was organized. Or so I thought.
The first batch of cake layers, baked in 8" pans, looked great. But when I remembered I had intended to showcase them on my new cake stand, I realized the layers were far too large. Aesthetics matter, especially when you’re trying to make something special for the holidays.
So, I baked again—this time in 6" pans. A better fit, a better look, and thankfully, the layers were just as delicious.
Ganache Woes & Wins
The ganache for this cake is luscious and rich, but on the softer side—beautiful in flavor, slightly tricky in form. Stacking six layers of cake with soft ganache requires a little patience and a few bamboo skewers for support.
You can refrigerate the ganache to firm it up, but be cautious—leave it too long and it will harden past spreadability. Stir frequently for even thickening, or better yet, plan ahead and let it rest at room temperature overnight.
Despite a minor mishap where some chocolate didn’t fully melt (hello, lumps), I salvaged the ganache with a fine mesh strainer and learned a valuable lesson: always chop your chocolate finely. Trust your gut and double-check for unmelted bits.
Decorating Day: Chaos in the Name of Creativity
With the cake layers baked and the ganache ready, it was time to bring the whole vision together. I had imagined topping the cake with little rosemary and thyme “trees,” in the spirit of my earlier Gingerbread Cake. Sadly, the rosemary I bought was enormous—like something out of a botanical horror film—and completely unusable.
After bouncing between a farmer's market, a grocery store, and an organics shop, I returned home with smaller rosemary (still unused) and a surprise star: pomegranate seeds. They weren’t even on my original list, but once I saw them scattered across the top of the finished cake, I knew they were the perfect touch.
A Cake Stand with Character (and Antlers)
Let’s talk about the cake stand. Rustic, dramatic, and just a little bit kitschy, it features decorative antlers that scream winter woodland vibes. It turns out—it’s actually a candle holder, not a cake stand. But it worked! Mostly.
Cutting into the cake while maneuvering around antlers wasn’t the smoothest experience, but for the sake of holiday spirit (and photos), I’ll call it worth it.
Finishing Touches & Final Thoughts
To create the bark-like texture on the ganache, I used a decorating comb and simply spun the cake on a turntable, applying gentle pressure to get a rustic, natural finish. Since the cake was slightly chilled, the ganache firmed up beautifully, making the process surprisingly easy.
I went with six layers for this build, and I’m so glad I did. The combination of warm gingerbread spices with the richness of dark chocolate is nothing short of magical. It’s festive, nostalgic, and utterly decadent.
Chocolate Gingerbread Cake Recipe
Ganache Frosting – Choose Your Version
Original (Softer):
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20 oz good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
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2 cups heavy whipping cream
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¾ cup unsalted butter
Alternate (Thicker):
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20 oz dark chocolate, chopped
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1½ cups heavy cream
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½ cup unsalted butter
Instructions:
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Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
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Heat cream and butter over medium heat until just simmering.
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Pour over chocolate. Cover and let sit 5 minutes.
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Stir gently until smooth.
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Press plastic wrap onto the surface. Let thicken overnight (or chill, stirring frequently).
Chocolate Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients:
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1½ cups all-purpose flour
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1 cup granulated sugar
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½ cup light brown sugar, packed
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¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa, sifted
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1½ tsp baking soda
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1 tsp baking powder
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1 tsp cinnamon
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¾ tsp ginger
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¼ tsp nutmeg
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Pinch of cloves
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½ tsp salt
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¼ cup vegetable oil
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¾ cup buttermilk, room temp
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¾ cup hot water
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2 large eggs, room temp
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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3 Tbsp fancy molasses
Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 6" pans, dust with cocoa, and line bottoms with parchment.
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Combine all dry ingredients in a stand mixer.
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Whisk wet ingredients in a separate bowl (add hot water slowly).
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Mix wet into dry on medium speed for 2–3 minutes. Batter will be thin.
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Divide evenly between pans. Bake 30–35 minutes, or until a tester comes out mostly clean.
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Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Assembly
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Slice each cake layer in half for 6 total layers.
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Layer cake and ganache, using about ½ cup per layer.
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Apply a crumb coat, then chill for at least 20 minutes.
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Frost with remaining ganache, then texture the sides with a decorating comb.
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Garnish with thyme sprigs and pomegranate seeds, if desired.
Pro Tips
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This recipe also works in two 8″ pans. Use 1.5x the recipe for three 8″ pans.
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For cupcakes, start checking for doneness at 15 minutes.
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Always chop chocolate finely for smooth ganache.
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Insert trimmed bamboo skewers to stabilize tall layers if needed.
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Looking for more festive cakes? Try Eggnog Cake, White Chocolate Candy Cane Cake, or classic Gingerbread.
This cake may have started as a simple bake, but it evolved into something memorable—equal parts nostalgic, chaotic, and delicious. If you’re up for a flavorful twist on a holiday favorite, this Chocolate Gingerbread Cake is a project worth baking.