It is getting harder and harder to ignore that Christmas is coming! Here in Germany the season “officially” starts with the availability of Spekulatius (speculoos) cookies and gingerbread in supermarkets – in late August. Bit early, I know ;P Now – in late November – I think it it is actually more appropriate to talk about Christmas cookies and bakes. Late summer seems a bit wrong to me. Well – since it’s a perfect time now, my recipes will start getting more “Christmassy” in the upcoming weeks. Starting with this really delicious Gingerbread Chocolate Bundt Cake Christmas Wreath. The 1st of Advent is coming up soon, so we all have to get ready for the real Christmas madness to start ;P
Christmas and chocolate go together like a cup of coffee and milk – at least for me. Many Advent calendars have small chocolate surprises inside, many Christmas cookies are either made with chocolate or decorated with chocolate, and chocolate cakes are also very popular around Christmas. Everybody loves them. So baking something with chocolate today seems logical ;P
In order to catch two birds with one stone, this delicious chocolate cake can also be used as an “Advent or Christmas wreath” – means you have a delicious cake and a showstopper Christmas decoration on the table at the same time. Place the typical candles of an Advent wreath on top as well and you got yourself a really nice looking centerpiece. An awesome 2in1 sweet treat ;)
To make this cake really special I added my new favorite “Christmas-themed” chocolate to the cake batter. Ritter Sport – my favorite chocolate “dealer” – created a bar of chocolate with a very special filling: Gingerbread Chocolate. An absolute delight! When I read about it and saw it for the first time I thought “well ok, I like gingerbread but inside of chocolate that’s not gonna taste like real gingerbread…”. What can I say – I was wrong. So wrong. This is like a Christmas party in your mouth! ;)
Ritter Sport* is creating special edition chocolate every now and then and this Ritter Sport Lebkuchen* (aka. Gingerbread) is one of them this season. I really hope they keep it for longer or bring it back each year from now on. I have a little stack at home to enjoy for the upcoming weeks but after that…?! It really has to stay or come back next winter!
This bundt cake aka. Gugelhupf is quite “chocolaty” due to the chocolate and cocoa inside. Especially, because of the chocolate, the cake stays moist and fresh for a long time. If you use only cocoa to flavor a cake it can happen that the result is drying out quite quickly. Not gonna happen here. All in all with the additional chocolate coating this cake is the perfect treat for all chocoholics out there! Give it a try if you like the flavors of gingerbread. I bet it will get you into a Christmas mood instantly ;)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200g) sugar
3/4 cup (90g) cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. lebkuchen spice**
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup (160ml) buttermilk
1/3 cup (80g) sour cream
1/3 cup (80ml) sunflower oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) fresh-brewed coffee
3.5 oz. (100g) Ritter Sport Lebkuchen*, chopped
For the chocolate glaze:
7 oz. (200g) semi-sweet chocolate (>60% cocoa) e.g. Ritter Sport Kakao Klasse
1 tsp. coconut oil
For the decoration:
some fresh cranberries and/or raspberries
some stems of rosemary
260g Mehl (Type 550)
200g Zucker
90g Kakaopulver
2 TL Natron
1 TL Backpulver
1 TL Lebkuchengewürz**
1/2 TL Salz
2 Eier (L)
160ml Buttermilch
80g Schmand
80ml Sonnenblumenöl
2 TL Vanille Extrakt
240ml frisch gebrühter Kaffee
100g Ritter Sport Lebkuchen*, gehackt
Für die Schokoglasur:
200g Dunkle Schokolade (>60% Kakao) z.B. Ritter Sport Kakao Klasse
1 TL Kokosöl
Für die Dekoration:
einige frische Cranberries und/oder Himbeeren
einige Rosmarinstängel
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, lebkuchen spice, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until well combined. In a second bowl mix the eggs with buttermilk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until well combined. Pour this mixture into the bowl with flour and start mixing on low. While mixing, gradually add the warm coffee and mix until everything is well combined – do not overmix the batter though. Add the chopped chocolate and fold in. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Take out of the oven and let cool down inside the pan for about 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
3. For the chocolate glaze chop the chocolate and add together with the coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate slowly in the microwave. Pour the melted chocolate (roughly at body temperature) over the cooled cake and decorate with some cranberries/raspberries and rosemary. Let the chocolate harden completely before serving.
2. Mehl, Zucker, Kakao, Natron, Backpulver, Lebkuchengewürz und Salz in der Schüssel einer Küchenmaschine vermischen. In einer zweiten Schüssel die Eier mit Buttermilch, Schmand, Öl und Vanille Extrakt verrühren. Diese Mischung dann in die Schüssel mit dem Mehl geben und alles auf niedriger Stufe verrühren lassen. Den Kaffee nach und nach dazugeben und so lange rühren, bis sich alles gut verbunden hat. Die gehackte Schokolade dazugeben und unterheben. Den Teig in die vorbereitete Gugelhupfform gießen und 45-50 Minuten backen – mit einem Holzspieß testen ob noch Teig kleben bleibt und den Gugelhupf erst herausholen, wenn dieser sauber herauskommt. Den Gugel aus dem Ofen nehmen und in der Form etwa 10-15 Minuten abkühlen lassen, dann vorsichtig aus der Form lösen und auf einem Kuchengitter komplett auskühlen lassen.
3. Für die Glasur die Schokolade grob hacken und zusammen mit dem Kokossöl in eine hitzebeständige Schüssel geben. Die Schokolade in der Mikrowelle langsam schmelzen lassen. Die geschmolzene Schokolade (etwa Handwarm) über den abgekühlten Kuchen gießen und sofort mit einigen Cranberries/Himbeeren und Rosmarin dekorieren. Die Schokolade vor dem Servieren komplett aushärten lassen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Gingerbread Chocolate Bundt Cake Christmas Wreath
- Prep Time: 00:25
- Cook Time: 00:50
- Total Time: 02:00
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: Germany
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This cake is a dessert and Christmas decoration all in one: Gingerbread Chocolate Bundt Cake Christmas Wreath.
Ingredients
For the cake:
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200g) sugar
3/4 cup (90g) cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. lebkuchen spice
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup (160ml) buttermilk
1/3 cup (80g) sour cream
1/3 cup (80ml) sunflower oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) fresh-brewed coffee
3.5 oz. (100g) Ritter Sport Lebkuchen, chopped
For the chocolate glaze:
7 oz. (200g) semi-sweet chocolate (>60% cocoa) e.g. Ritter Sport Kakao Klasse
1 tsp. coconut oil
For the decoration:
some fresh cranberries and/or raspberries
some stems of rosemary
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a large bundt pan* well and dust with some cocoa powder. Set aside. Brew the coffee and let cool down a bit. Chop the chocolate and set aside.
2. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, lebkuchen spice, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until well combined. In a second bowl mix the eggs with buttermilk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until well combined. Pour this mixture into the bowl with flour and start mixing on low. While mixing, gradually add the warm coffee and mix until everything is well combined – do not overmix the batter though. Add the chopped chocolate and fold in. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Take out of the oven and let cool down inside the pan for about 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
3. For the chocolate glaze chop the chocolate and add together with the coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate slowly in the microwave. Pour the melted chocolate (roughly at body temperature) over the cooled cake and decorate with some cranberries/raspberries and rosemary. Let the chocolate harden completely before serving.
Notes
Merry Christmas!
Keywords: chocolate, gingerbread, Lebkuchen, bundt cake, Christmas
*I have partnered with Ritter Sport to bring you this delicious bundt cake. That’s why I have to declare this here in Germany as Advertising. All I wrote in this article is still based on my own opinion and has not been affected by anybody :)
Links marked with two asterisks (**) are affiliate links (advertising/Werbung) to Amazon Germany. If you click on one of those links and buy something via this link, I will get a commission for that sale. The price of whatever you buy is not affected in any way by this.
I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;)
Hey.
Thank you for the recipe.
With what kind of chocolate would you suggest to replace Ritter Sport Lenkuchen chocolate? In my region it is nowhere to be found.
Hi Elina,
You can use regular milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate – both works.
Maybe 1/2 tsp. More of the spice mix then…
Cheers
Marc