For unknown reasons, our family’s traditional Christmas Eve dessert has always been pumpkin pie (in addition to all the cookies we bake and acquire). But, ironically, each one of us would choose cake over pie any day of the week. A couple years ago, I accepted my designation as the family heretic by making something different. But by now, none of us are looking back. This chocolate gingerbread cake has the power shove tradition right out the window while still delivering those warm and festive holiday feels.
This is not only a new Christmas favorite, but it has been declared one of the BEST cakes to EVER come through our house. Granted, this ranking has no scale or objective means for comparison…So you’ll just have to trust me when I say it is spectacular.
Secret Ingredients, Unveiled
The cake is a twist on my classic chocolatey chocolate cake, but modified with special guest appearances from ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, molasses and brown sugar. The molasses actually brings the texture to a new level of moist, brownie-like richness. That plus the spices offer a hint of warm gingerbread yumminess without taking away from the deep chocolatey goodness enhanced with espresso. Show-stopping, you might call it.
Between the layers lies fudgy chocolate ganache made with only cream and high quality dark chocolate. To finish, a sweet whipped vanilla buttercream with a touch of cinnamon and molasses.
Plus it’s fool-proof to make, I promise! You don’t even have to drag out a huge standing mixer. Simply shoot for good ingredients, and the rest is therapeutic, really. Just 20 minutes oven time, 5 minutes to make the ganache, and 5 minutes for fresh delectable homemade frosting.
Finally, while I can’t exactly call this a “health food,” we can feel good about what we put into it. Like pure cocoa and dark chocolate, whole wheat pastry flour (yes this is secretly 100% WHOLE GRAIN, and whole wheat pastry flour is much lighter than hard red wheat), almond oil, low-fat buttermilk, and part monk fruit sweetener to cut down just a little on sugar content. Meanwhile the taste is professional bakery-level decadence. Bring it to your next party only if you’re willing to steal the thunder from Aunt Martha’s pecan pie.
Chocolate Gingerbread Layer Cake with Vanilla Molasses Buttercream
Notes
*This is just enough frosting for a thin layer on top and around the cake. For a thicker coat or frosting between the layers, double the buttercream ingredients.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 180 g | 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (or replacement that measures 1:1 for sugar)
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder (Ghirardelli is my favorite)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1.5 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 cup oil (almond oil, avocado oil, melted coconut oil)
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp buttermilk
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tsp espresso powder
For the ganache:
- 3 oz 60-70% dark chocolate
- 3.5 Tbsp heavy cream
For the vanilla molasses buttercream*:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.75 - 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp molasses
- ~1 Tbsp milk or cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Grease two 9" nonstick cake pans or three 8" nonstick cake pans with butter or coconut oil.
- Sift flour and cocoa (if lumpy), and mix with sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- In a large bowl, beat oil, buttermilk, molasses, vanilla, then eggs one at a time. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until no large lumps remain.
- Microwave 1 cup water to just below a boil; add espresso powder. Slowly pour hot coffee into batter while stirring continuously.
- Divide batter evenly between greased cake pans. Transfer to oven and bake 20-25 minutes, or until a fork inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. (Lean toward 20 minutes for three 8" cakes). Cool pans completely on a wire rack.
- Make the ganache. Chop chocolate and set inside a bowl. Microwave heavy cream just until it begins to bubble. Pour hot cream over chocolate. Let it sit, undisturbed, about 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. If large lumps of chocolate remain, microwave 5 seconds at a time and stir until completely melted. Careful not to overheat or the chocolate will seize.
- When cakes have cooled completely, remove from pans. Spread the ganache over the top of one of the cakes; place the other cake on top; repeat (if making 3 layers).
- Make the buttercream. Add butter to a large mixing bowl and begin mixing with an electric mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time while mixing. Add a little milk/cream as needed to reach desired consistency. Add cinnamon, vanilla, and molasses. Whip on high speed until light and fluffy. Spread all over top and sides of cooled layered cake.
- Store cake covered at room temperature until ready to eat; best if eaten within a couple days.