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This chocolate gingerbread cake (with a touch of orange) is made with all-purpose and buckwheat flour and packed with chocolate chips and candied ginger.
There is something so comforting about the flavors of gingerbread. All those sweet, warm winter spices mixed with molasses and brown sugar. Out of this world, delicious!
That’s why I decided it was high time I showed my love of gingerbread by making this chocolate gingerbread cake! I also added a touch of orange because there is something magical when chocolate and orange are combined.
This is a simple bundt cake that can be made right in a standard 10-inch bundt pan and then served lightly dusted with powdered sugar.
The untraditional part of this recipe is the use of buckwheat flour, which can typically be found online or in grocery stores like Whole Foods.
I love how it brings moisture and texture to this cake, plus a subtle nuttiness. It’s a delicious combination that is well worth the hunt for the flour.
Plus, if you store the flour in the freezer, you won’t have to worry about it going rancid between uses. You can also use it in my Hazelnut Buckwheat Brownies or my Buckwheat Crepes with Strawberry Rhubarb Compote.
Ingredients needed
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- Molasses
- Water
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Buckwheat flour
- Spices
- Baking soda
- Chocolate chip
- Candied ginger
- Orange zest
FAQ’s
More holiday cakes
Chocolate Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup unsulfured molasses, not blackstrap
- ¼ cup water
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup buckwheat flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped candied ginger
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and spray a 9-inch bundt pan with non-stick spray, set aside.
- In a small saucepan add brown sugar, butter, molasses, and water. Set over low heat and warm just until the butter has melted.
- Remove from the heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- Stir eggs and whole milk into the cooled molasses mixture. If the mixture is still hot after 10 minutes let it cool some more. If it's too hot it will scramble the eggs so it's better to be safe.)
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, buckwheat flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, and kosher salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and stir to combine.
- Fold in chocolate chips, candied ginger, and orange zest.
- Add batter to the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
- Let the cake cool in the pan and then invert it onto a cake plate.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Buckwheat flour can be found in most grocery stores, especially boutique stores like Whole Foods or Fresh Market.
- Buckwheat flour adds a delicious nutty flavor to the cake with added texture and moisture levels.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I currently have the ABC Family Christmas channel on right now and am watching a Christmas Carol. Now the only thing I need is a slice of this delicious cake!
I too have just made a gingerbread cake and have it coming up on the site soon – great minds obviously think alike! Your gingerbread cake looks INCREDIBLY delicious and perfect for Christmas!
Absolute gorgeousness this cake, the crumb, everything about it. & I chuckled at “cranky old lady” I very much doubt that you are.
I know exactly how you feel. Last year we didn’t exchange any Christmas presents. This year, there are a ton (maybe to make up for last year. LOL)!
This year I’m also seriously into watching all the Chrismas movies I can and most times I’m thinking to myself how bad they are as I’m watching. Too funny!
Anyway, you are not alone when it comes to Christmas confusion.
That said, your chocolate orange gingerbread cake screams Christmas! Just lovely, and I adore your photography styling with the pine sprigs and pinecones. Hope your neighbor didn’t see you stealing them. HaHa. Soft needle pines are the best 🙂
We’re having a “meh” year too. The toddler is too destructive to put up a big tree, and I must admit, I don’t miss it at all!
It must be something about this year. Because I’m so not feeling it either. I put up the tree and shopped and baked but there’s nothing that is making me feel Christmasy. Although I think I should probably make this cake. You know, as a test.
This cake is perfection. Pinning and making stat. All of my favorite flavors in one cake!
I probably would not have done anything Christmas-y if the.boy hadn’t forced me too! I’m too lazy this year.
Except when it comes to baking. I’m always up for it! Yay for festivity in cake form!
This looks absolutely gorgeous! And I totally want a slice while watching “It’s a wonderful life” this week! YUM
Is it necessary to use buckwheat?
Can I substitute it with regular flour Orr of something similar? X
Hi Ayzma! Unfortunately, buckwheat flour bakes up differently than all-purpose flour. I think if you subbed in AP flour for the buckwheat flour it might not turn out correctly. You can find buckwheat flour pretty easily in the grocery store so I hope you can give it a try! Enjoy 🙂