Celebrated chocolatier Paul A Young has given the gift of chocolate for Christmas with this beautiful chocolate and gingerbread cake. This recipe more than matches a classic Christmas fruitcake in the seasonal flavour stakes, plus you can make and freeze it ahead of time. Sounds like the ultimate festive treat!
Looking for another show-stopping festive bake? This eggnog layer cake recipe does just the trick.
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 125g unsalted butter
- 125g golden syrup
- 125g unrefined molasses sugar
- 75g unrefined light muscovado sugar
- 50g dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa, chopped
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 200ml evaporated milk
- 225g self-raising flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 35g cocoa powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 100g crystallised stem ginger, chopped
For the decoration
- 100g crystallised stem ginger, in chunks, chilled
- 100g dark chocolate, melted
- Icing sugar for sprinkling
For the chocolate ginger icing
- 75g unsalted butter, softened
- 175g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp evaporated milk
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- 25g dark chocolate, melted
You’ll also need…
- 20cm round deep cake tin, greased and base-lined with non-stick baking paper; baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper
Method
- Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3. To make the sponge, gently heat the 125g butter, golden syrup and both sugars in a large heavy-based pan until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat, add the 50g chocolate, stir until melted, then set aside to cool. When the mixture has cooled slightly, beat in the eggs using a wooden spoon
- Stir together the remaining sponge ingredients including the evaporated milk in a large mixing bowl, then add the chocolate mixture and fold in using a flexible spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then bake for 50-55 minutes until well risen and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile make the decoration: remove the crystallised stem ginger from the fridge and put in a large mixing bowl with the melted chocolate. Using 2 forks, toss the ginger in the chocolate to coat, then transfer each piece to the lined baking sheet and leave to set.
- For the icing, beat the 75g butter in a mixing bowl until very soft using an electric mixer. Working in batches, mix in the icing sugar, then the evaporated milk and ground ginger, then beat again until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate to the bowl and mix again.
- Top the cake with the icing in great swathes and swirls, then scatter over the chocolate-coated stem ginger. To serve, sprinkle generously with icing sugar to create a snowy scene.
Nutrition
- 384kcals Calories
- 15.7g (9.3g saturated) Fat
- 4.9g Protein
- 55g (43.5g sugars) Carbs
- 1.4g Fibre
- 0.6g Salt
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Reviews
Skip this one, odd texture , taste is ok but considering the amount of ingredients you need there are far better recipes.
Hi Zoe, we’re sorry to hear this recipe wasn’t your favourite. Thanks for sharing your feedback with us.
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