Description

This Gingerbread Chocolate Bundt Cake Christmas Wreath combines the rich, deep flavors of cocoa and lebkuchen spice with the moist texture of buttermilk and sour cream. Enhanced by bits of chopped Lebkuchen chocolate and topped with a glossy chocolate glaze, fresh cranberries, raspberries, and rosemary sprigs, this festive cake makes a perfect centerpiece dessert for the holiday season.

Ingredients

Scale

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

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Instructions

Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a large bundt pan well and dust it with cocoa powder to prevent sticking. Brew fresh coffee and allow it to cool slightly. Chop the Lebkuchen chocolate and set aside.
Combine dry ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, lebkuchen spice, and salt. Mix until the mixture is well blended.
Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream, sunflower oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined.
Incorporate wet into dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix on low speed. Gradually add the warm coffee while continuing to mix, ensuring everything is well combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
Add chopped chocolate: Gently fold in the chopped Lebkuchen chocolate pieces by hand to distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes. Then, carefully remove the cake from the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare chocolate glaze: Chop the semi-sweet chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl along with the coconut oil. Melt the chocolate mixture gently in the microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds until smooth.
Glaze and decorate: Pour the melted chocolate glaze, at roughly body temperature, evenly over the cooled cake. Decorate the top with fresh cranberries or raspberries and fresh rosemary stems. Allow the glaze to harden completely before serving.

Notes

Merry Christmas!
Ensure the coffee is warm but not hot when adding to the batter to avoid cooking the eggs prematurely.
Lebkuchen spice can be substituted or adjusted to taste; it traditionally contains cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
Use a bundt pan size of approximately 10-12 cups for best results.
Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting and sliding off.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of cake)
Calories: 320
Sugar: 22g
Sodium: 230mg
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 42g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 45mg