Chocolate Spiced Gingerbread House Cake Recipe

Introduction

This Chocolate Spiced Gingerbread House Cake combines rich dark chocolate and warming winter spices for a festive treat that’s perfect for holiday celebrations. With layers of moist, spiced sponge and creamy treacle buttercream, it’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat.

Ingredients

• 325g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin
• 300g dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
• 175g light muscovado sugar
• 175g dark muscovado sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 6 eggs
• 200g 10% fat Greek-style yogurt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 275g self-raising flour
• 45g cocoa powder
• 500g unsalted butter (for buttercream)
• 1kg icing sugar (for buttercream)
• 2 tsp ground ginger (for buttercream)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon (for buttercream)
• 30g treacle
• 18-20 sponge fingers (for decoration)
• 250g royal icing sugar
• 2 x 20cm square cake tins

Instructions

1. Step 1: Butter and line the base and sides of both 20cm square cake tins with baking parchment. Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl in 30-second bursts in the microwave or over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Leave to cool completely.
2. Step 2: Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/gas mark 4. Beat the butter, both muscovado sugars, and vanilla bean paste together until pale and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes.
3. Step 3: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl. The mixture may look curdled but will come together later.
4. Step 4: With the mixer on low, pour in the cooled melted chocolate, then stir in the yogurt for about 20 seconds.
5. Step 5: In a separate bowl, mix the ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, ½ tsp salt, baking powder, and flour. Sieve in the cocoa powder and combine. Add to the wet ingredients in three parts, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
6. Step 6: Divide the batter between the prepared tins, level the tops, and bake for 28–35 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out slightly pasty and the edges pull from the tin. Check from 25 minutes to avoid overbaking.
7. Step 7: Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, remove parchment, and cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days if not assembling immediately.
8. Step 8: To make the treacle buttercream, beat the butter until pale and creamy. Gradually add icing sugar in three parts, beating well after each addition until fluffy. Beat in the ground ginger, cinnamon, and treacle. Cover with a damp towel and set aside. Keep chilled and bring to room temperature before use.
9. Step 9: Level the cooled sponges into four even layers using a cake leveller or serrated knife.
10. Step 10: Place one sponge layer on a cake board. Spread 200g treacle buttercream evenly over it. Repeat layering with buttercream and sponge, pressing lightly to sandwich. Smooth any buttercream pushed out on the sides to seal. Chill for 45 minutes until firm.
11. Step 11: Chill the cake for 30 minutes, then apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the entire cake and chill for another hour.
12. Step 12: Smooth a further 200g buttercream on the sides and ends, avoiding the roof area. Chill for 30 more minutes.
13. Step 13: Mix royal icing sugar with enough water to make a thick icing. Pipe or spoon it over the roof and eaves to create a snow-capped effect. Optionally, pipe small icicles by dragging the piping bag downward as you pipe.
14. Step 14: Decorate the cake with vanilla spiced biscuit decorations like windows, door, stars, and wreaths, pressing them gently into the buttercream or icing. Use cocktail sticks to secure if necessary.
15. Step 15: Allow the cake to set at room temperature for a couple of hours. Remove any cocktail sticks before serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use a cake lifter or palette knives to move the delicate sponge layers safely during assembly.
• Chilling the cake between layers helps to firm up the buttercream and makes decorating easier.
• For a deeper spice flavor, toast the ground spices lightly before adding them to the batter.
• If you don’t have treacle, dark corn syrup or molasses can be substituted in the buttercream.
• Add extra gingerbread or vanilla spiced cookies as decorations to enhance the festive look and taste.

Storage

Store the assembled cake in a cool place for up to five days. Keep any cut surfaces covered tightly with cling film or in an airtight container to prevent dryness. The cake is best served at room temperature; if refrigerated, allow it to come to room temperature before serving to enjoy the full flavor and texture.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake the spiced chocolate sponge and prepare the buttercream up to three days in advance. Assemble and decorate the cake on the day you plan to serve for the best texture and appearance.

What is the best way to level the cake layers?

Use a cake leveller or a large serrated knife to cut the sponge horizontally into even layers. Take your time and work steadily for smooth, uniform layers that stack neatly.

Chocolate Spiced Gingerbread House Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 751 reviews

• Author: Noah
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes plus cooling and chilling time
• Yield: 1 cake serving approximately 12-16 slices 1x

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Description

This rich and festive Chocolate Spiced Gingerbread House Cake combines dark chocolate, warm spices, and luscious layers of treacle buttercream to create a stunning centerpiece dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. The delicately spiced chocolate sponge is layered and coated with a creamy, spiced buttercream, then decorated with vanilla spiced biscuit cookies and royal icing to resemble a charming gingerbread house. This cake offers a delightful mix of chocolate indulgence and traditional gingerbread flavors, finished with snow-capped royal icing and festive cookie decorations.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cake Batter

• 325g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin
• 300g dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
• 175g light muscovado sugar
• 175g dark muscovado sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 6 eggs
• 200g 10% fat Greek-style yogurt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 275g self-raising flour
• 45g cocoa powder

Treacle Buttercream

• 500g unsalted butter
• 1kg icing sugar
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 30g treacle

Decoration

• 18–20 sponge fingers
• 250g royal icing sugar

Equipment

• 2 x 20cm square cake tins
• Cake leveller or large serrated knife
• Cake lifter, large palette knives or small baking sheet
• Cake board
• Small or medium palette knife
• Ruler or ruled cake smoother
• Cake smoother (optional but useful)
• Piping bag

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Instructions

1. Prepare Cake Tins and Melt Chocolate: Butter the base and sides of both 20cm square cake tins and line with baking parchment. Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave in 30-second bursts or over a pan of simmering water without letting the bowl touch the water. Stir until smooth and leave to cool completely.
2. Preheat Oven and Mix Wet Ingredients: Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Beat butter, light and dark muscovado sugars, and vanilla bean paste together with an electric whisk or stand mixer for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl sides. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled.
3. Incorporate Chocolate and Yogurt: With the mixer on low speed, pour in the cooled melted chocolate and mix to combine. Then add the Greek-style yogurt and mix for about 20 seconds on low speed.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ½ tsp salt, baking powder, and self-raising flour. Sieve in the cocoa powder and mix well.
5. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add dry ingredients to wet in three additions, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent dense sponge.
6. Fill Tins and Bake: Divide batter evenly between prepared tins and level the tops with the back of a spoon. Bake for 28-35 minutes, checking from 25 minutes when a skewer inserted into the center comes out slightly pasty, and the sponges shrink from the edges.
7. Cool Sponges: Cool cakes in tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks, remove parchment, and cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to two days.
8. Make Treacle Buttercream: Beat 500g softened unsalted butter until pale and creamy. Add icing sugar in three portions, beating slowly at first and then faster until pale and fluffy. Mix in ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and treacle until combined. Cover with a damp tea towel to prevent skin formation. Keep chilled up to three days; bring to room temperature before use.
9. Level and Layer Cake: Using a cake leveller or serrated knife, slice each sponge horizontally to create four layers. Place one sponge layer on a cake board suitable for the cake and fridge. Spread 200g buttercream evenly over the layer. Repeat layering with alternating sponge and buttercream layers, pressing gently to slightly push buttercream out between layers.
10. Crumb Coat and Chill: Smooth over the buttercream pushed out between layers to cover sides and seal crumbs. Chill cake for about 45 minutes or place briefly in freezer to firm up. Chill another 30 minutes, then apply a thin layer of buttercream (about 200g) over entire cake to seal. Avoid incorporating crumbs. Chill for 1 hour.
11. Final Buttercream Coat: Smooth another 200g buttercream over the sides and ends of the cake (not the roof). Use a cake smoother or palette knife for neat finish. Chill for 30 minutes.
12. Prepare Royal Icing and Decorate Roof: Mix royal icing sugar with enough water to make thick icing. Spoon or pipe over the roof and eaves to create snow-capped effect. Optionally, pipe small icicles by dragging icing downward along edges. Decorate with vanilla spiced biscuit cookie windows, door, star, and wreath by pressing into buttercream or icing. Secure sliding cookies with cocktail sticks if needed.
13. Set Decoration and Serve: Leave the cake to set at room temperature for a couple of hours. Remove any cocktail sticks before serving. Store cake in a cool place up to five days; cover cut surface well.

Notes

• Use a gentle folding and low speed mixing technique when combining dry and wet ingredients to keep sponge light.
• The cake layers are delicate, so use a cake lifter or palette knives when transferring between surfaces.
• Buttercream can be made up to three days ahead; allow it to reach room temperature before assembling cake.
• Check cake doneness a little early to avoid overbaking which can dry the sponge.
• Use cocktail sticks to stabilize decorations if they tend to slide on the buttercream.
• This cake is best enjoyed within five days of assembly for optimal freshness and presentation.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Cake
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: British

Keywords: Chocolate gingerbread cake, spiced chocolate cake, gingerbread house cake, festive cake, treacle buttercream, holiday dessert