Chocolate Gingerbread Wreath Cake
Christmas is the season for indulgence, and this showstopper Gingerbread Chocolate Wreath Cake is no exception! Imagine layers of deeply moist chocolate sponge infused with gingerbread hot chocolate, with a secret gingerbread caramel filling, wrapped in silky Swiss meringue buttercream. To top it all off, a stunning gingerbread biscuit wreath takes this cake from dessert to a dazzling table centrepiece. This recipe is perfect for putting your baking skills to the test and here’s how to make it, step by step.
Ingredients
Chocolate gingerbread cake:
- 75 grams Whittard Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
- 150 grams Light brown sugar
- 150 grams White caster sugar
- 350 grams Self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 150 millilitres Vegetable or sunflower oil
- 300 millilitres Milk whole or semi-skimmed
- 3 medium Eggs room temperature
- 100 millilitres Boiling water
Gingerbread salted caramel:
- 60 millilitres Water
- 100 grams Caster sugar
- 120 millilitres Double cream room tempertaure
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Swiss meringue buttercream:
- 5 large Eggs room temperature
- 340 grams Granulated sugar
- 280 grams Unsalted butter The butter should be room temperature and soft enough that your finger makes an indent, but not so soft that it’s almost melting.
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
For the gingerbread wreath decoration:
- 20+ different-sized Gingerbread star biscuits either shop-bought or make your own using my easy gingerbread recipe
- Gold star sprinkles to dot around the outside of the cake
Instructions
Start by making the chocolate gingerbread sponge:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Grease and line the base and sides of two 7-inch round cake tins with baking paper. It also helps to use cake strips to bake cakes with a flat top.
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined. They key is to make sure there are no lumps left and everything is whisked together.150 grams Light brown sugar, 150 grams White caster sugar, 350 grams Self-raising flour, 75 grams Whittard Gingerbread Hot Chocolate, 1 teaspoon Ground ginger, ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. Then slowly whisk in the boiling water bit by bit, so you don't end up cooking the eggs!150 millilitres Vegetable or sunflower oil, 300 millilitres Milk, 3 medium Eggs, 100 millilitres Boiling water
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth and combined (it will be very thin).
- Divide evenly between the baking tins and bake for 45-50 minutes until the sponges are risen and spring back when pressed in the middle. Don't worry if the cakes have cracked on top, this is normal. Leave the sponges to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn upside onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile make the gingerbread salted caramel:
- In a medium-sized saucepan, stir the water and sugar together. Be careful not to splash the water up the sides of the saucepan.60 millilitres Water, 100 grams Caster sugar
- Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a boil (this will take 5-10 minutes). Do not stir, just swirl the pan from time to time. Over the next 10-20 minutes the liquid will turn from clear, to light brown, to dark golden brown.
- As soon as the liquid is a dark amber brown, remove from the heat and pour in the cream. Be careful of splashes! Stir until the caramel is smooth and glossy.120 millilitres Double cream
- Stir in the salt and spices, then pour the caramel into a jar and leave to cool. The caramel will thicken up as it cools down.½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Now make the Swiss meringue buttercream:
- Separate your eggs into whites and yolks. Pour the egg whites into the bowl of your stand mixer.5 large Eggs
- Whisk in the sugar and set the bowl over a small saucepan filled with two inches of simmering water. Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture no longer feels grainy when rubbed between your thumb and finger. This will take roughly 5-10 minutes.340 grams Granulated sugar
- Attach the bowl to your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high speed until the meringue reaches stiff glossy peaks that stand tall and don’t curl over (roughly 10-15 minutes). The meringue and mixing bowl should no longer feel warm. If they do, pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Swap the whisk for the paddle attachment and set the mixer to medium speed. Cut the butter into cubes and add it bit by bit, making sure the butter is fully incorporated before adding the next one.280 grams Unsalted butter
- Once all the butter has been added, turn the mixer down to slow and mix in the vanilla and salt. The Swiss meringue buttercream should be thick, creamy, and silky smooth. Not looking quite right? Check out the main blog post above for troubleshooting tips.2 teaspoons Vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon Salt
Decorate the cake:
- If the cakes have domed on top, level them off with a sharp knife. You want to get them as flat and level as possible.
- Place one sponge layer on a cake stand or plate and spread a layer of Swiss meringue buttercream on top. Pipe a thick ring of buttercream around the outside, then fill the middle with the gingerbread caramel.
- Flip the second cake layer upside down and place it on top. Gently press down to sandwich the sponges together. Cover the top and sides with the remaining buttercream.
- Arrange your gingerbread star biscuits in a circle on top of the cake, layering the shapes and alternating between sizes. Finish by dotting gold star sprinkles around the outside of the cake. Slice and enjoy!20+ different-sized Gingerbread star biscuits
Video
Notes
This cake will keep fresh for up to 2 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Or up to 5 days when stored in the fridge.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!