I am a self-proclaimed chocoaholic. But even in my addicted state, I have never thought to combine gingerbread with chocolate.
Boy, have I been missing out! This chocolate chip gingerbread cake is fantastic (obviously, since I wouldn’t be including it in Sugar Rush if it wasn’t top notch!). The ingredient list may look overwhelming but don’t worry, it is mostly made up of bits and pieces of spices and it comes together very quickly.
The finished cake is unbelievably moist and the flavors, while complex and varied, come together perfectly to blend with the chocolate. My first bite, my mouth was assailed with different pleasures: divine chocolate, a hint of spice, and little pockets of melted, sweet chocolate chips.
This cake is absolutely mouthwatering topped with sweetened whipped cream – a perfect compliment to the dark and decadent warmth of the cake. The flavors all combined together practically scream CHRISTMAS.
Chocolate Gingerbread Cake
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture
*Makes one bundt cake or two 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaves*
INGREDIENTS:
2 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cup butter at room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup dark molasses
1 cup very hot water
One 12-ounce package mini semisweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan or two loaf pans (8 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch).
Whisk together 2 ½ cups flour cocoa and all remaining spices and soda.
Toss chocolate chips with remaining 2 tablespoons flour in another bowl.
Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed in a large, deep bowl, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Whisk together the molasses and hot water in a 4-cup glass measure or bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with the molasses mixture in 3 batches. Fold in chocolate chips.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and is firm to the touch but not overbaked and dry. Cool in pan for 20 minutes. Invert and cool completely. Serve, lightly dusted with cocoa powder and/or with sweetened whipped cream.
Recipe Source: adapted from Luscious Chocolate Desserts
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
well, gingerbread is now officially appealing to me. who knew–all you had to do was add chocolate.
I just made chocolate chip gingerbread cookies last night! not on the blog yet – on the schedule for tomorrow.
it really is a great combination isn’t it?
Have downloaded all (9) nine recipes and looking forward to the remaining 3. I copied your “Sugar Rush” red banner and made a recipe page with the banner and the names of the recipes (listed in order) printed below. Plan on making copies to create recipe booklets for a few friends – they will have a collection of all 12 of your recipes. They might not get to bake all recipes this year, but booklet will be in the ready for Christmas 2010. Thanks for these fabulous and different recipes.
I definitely want to make this. Gingerbread is one of my most favorite holiday flavors. I can’t tell you how much I love your blog. I’ve used so many of your recipes!! Thanks!
Well smack me up the side of the head, but it never occurred to me to combine the two either. I already love gingerbread. I just know some dark chocolate would only make it better. Great recipe.
This looks great! Reminds me of a recipe I ran across this morning: chocolate molasses biscotti. Yummy! Loving this series.
All of these recipes look fantastic. Thanks for all of your hard work. I have to say that you are spoiling me quite a bit. I love coming to your site everyday to see what new recipe you have posted. Gingerbread and chocolate sounds like a match made in heaven. I can’t wait to try it! – Liz K.
I saw On PW that you had some of the most linked to recipes! CONGRATS!!! AWESOME!
Saw you on PW..I’ve followed your site for a while, congrats on making it to her top twenty!
Top twenty on Pioneer Woman! That’s huge! I linked to your Chicken Tikka Masala in my comment on her page. I really love all of your recipes and I am so glad that lots of people are finding you. I am excited to try some of these sugar rush recipes and I know my family will appreciate them too!
Yep! I linked the bourbon chicken recipe from you on Pioneer Woman’s fave recipe request post. Looks like you are starting to get the recognition you deserve! Good work! I am loving the sugar rush posts – as usual I can’t decide which to make first!
Congrats on PW’s top 20!
I’m like, freaking out with all of these yummy treats!!! I’m 6 months pregnant right now and the LAST thing I need to do is sit and eat cookies and candies, and yet I find myself needing to make every one of these!!!! I’ll just make sure I make and eat all of them before the new year begins and THEN I’ll start being good. Thanks for all the posts!
Hey everyone – thanks for the heads up about PW’s site! I had no idea what you were talking about until I checked it out (I hadn’t seen her update yet). I was so flattered and SHOCKED! So thank you for letting me know. It was awesome!
I just made this today. OH MY GOODNESS it’s good. My whole family inhaled it after dinner (14 month old, and 3 yr old twins). This will be a new favorite for the holiday season. Thanks so much for sharing!
great holiday flavors!
Anissa – I’ve been waiting for someone to try this and I’m glad that it was such a hit. Thank you so much for letting me know!!
Thanks, Melanie1
I’m not a huge lover of gingerbread but the chocolate talked me into it! I served it in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce drizzled over the top. To die for!
Love your recipes!
Nikie – wow, your presentation of this cake sounds divine with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce. Delicious!
Would I cook it for less time if I half the recipe and only make one loaf pan? Thanks!
Shauna – I hope it’s not too late as I answer this question, but no, don’t halve the baking time. If you are halving the recipe and still using one loaf pan, bake it for the same amount of time (perhaps check it just three or four minutes early just to be sure).
I love the combination of choc. chips and gingerbread, but it was a little too spicy for me.
Cindy – sorry you didn’t love the spices in this!
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times and LOVE it. My best friend’s son, who is 5, repeatedly asks me to make it. However, this cake never seems to quite “set” in the middle…it’s EXTREMELY moist to the point that cutting it is sometimes challenging.
I’ve tried upping the baking times, but then the edges get too crispy. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Patricia
Patricia – you might try lowering the oven temp by 25 degrees and then watching the baking time to adjust accordingly. This might help the middle bake up better without the sides browning too much.
Mel – THANK YOU! That worked perfectly! The sides were an absolute smidgen more crispy than I would have liked, but a small price to pay for a non-liquid middle.
Patricia – I’m so glad it worked!
I don’t usually comment, but oh my goodness! I thought this would be just another “gingerbread cake” but it was so sooo good! I used 1/2 dark chocolate cocoa powder and 1/2 unsweetened and regular-sized chocolate chips because it’s what I had on hand….this cake was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, chocolatey but not overwhelmingly so, and super moist!
My 14 year old daughter, Zoe, just made this tonite! She had to make it ahead for Christmas dinner dessert as we are going into Chicago overnite tomorrow until late Christmas Eve. She was a bit nervous and as she placed it in the oven she said “I hope this isn’t an epic fail”. We just turned it out of our elaborate rose shaped bundt pan and it is beautiful!! A few crumbs stuck so we tasted…Yummy!!! She is gonna let it cool completely and then cover and keep in the garage until Christmas day. We will warm it then and top with whipped cream. She just exclaimed “I feel like a cake boss!!”.
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