Hello, everyone! I’m excited to share a super moist Chocolate Spice Cake recipe with you today—a Christmas-time favorite that’s simply delicious. Fluffy, moist, filled with sweet dulce de leche, and finished with a chocolate ganache. It’s a straightforward and easy recipe that pleases both adults and children alike.
This recipe is inspired by the Brazilian dessert “pão de mel,” which translates to “honey bread cake.” After numerous attempts to achieve the perfect texture, I’ve finally discovered a great recipe that eliminates the issue of dryness. Say goodbye to the days of dry chocolate spice cake—this version is a fluffy heaven!
Table of Contents:
Equipment:
- Digital scale or Measuring spoons and cups
- Blender
- 9-inch Bundt pan
- Whisk
- wire rack for cakes
- large bowl
- Toothpick or cake tester
Ingredients:
Part I
- 4 medium eggs (200g)
- ⅔ cup of vegetable oil (150g)
- ½ cup of sugar (100g)
- ½ cup of brown sugar (100g)
- ½ cup of honey (150g)
- ½ cup of buttermilk (120g) (see tip for substitution)
Part II
- 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder (25g)
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda (5g)
- Pinch of salt (2g)
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (3g)
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg (2g)
- ½ teaspoon of ground cloves (2g)
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger (3g)
- ¼ teaspoon of ground allspice (2g)
- Lemon zest to taste
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour (240g)
Filling:
- 300g of dulce de leche (or you could use the filling from my churros cake)
Chocolate Ganache:
- 150g of heavy cream
- 150g of chopped semi-sweet chocolate
- Festive sprinkles (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F
- Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt cake pan. (see notes)
3. Combine eggs, vegetable oil, sugars, buttermilk, honey, and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until you achieve a uniform cream.
4. In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients,
5. Add the liquid mix to the flour mixture and combine with a whisk.
6. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and bake for approximately 40-45 minutes.
7. Perform the toothpick test; it should come out clean.
8. Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool slightly, then remove from the pan and let it cool completely.
9. Cut the cake in half, spread dulce de leche, place the other half back, and press gently
10. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave or on the stove.
11. Add chocolate (chopped) and mix until smooth.
12. Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake
13. Decorate as desired and serve.
Recipe Notes:
For optimal results, I recommend greasing the pan with butter before baking. In addition, to ensure a visually appealing finish without a white shadow around the cake, take a small bowl and create a mixture of flour with a touch of cocoa. Use this mixture to flour the pan before pouring in the batter. This simple step will enhance the overall appearance of your cake when you remove it from the pan after baking. Enjoy your beautifully presented chocolate spice cake!
How to Serve:
Serve the Chocolate Spice Cake at room temperature for the best flavor experience. Pair it with hot coffee, tea, or enjoy it as an irresistible dessert.
Feel free to get creative with decorations, and don’t forget to share this indulgent treat with family and friends.
Common Substitutions and Tips:
- Type of Honey: Feel free to use your preferred variety. I like any kind as long as it is actual “real” honey, you know the kind from bees. Not some kind of imitation syrup.
- Spices: If you’re missing any spices, go ahead and make the cake anyway. I think cinnamon is the most important one so hopefully you will have that one. Ideally, use all of them if possible.
- Cocoa Powder: Use 100% cocoa powder, which is different from chocolate powder.
- Yogurt or Milk: You can use yogurt or buttermilk (120ml milk + 30ml lemon juice). If using buttermilk, let it rest for 10 minutes to thicken the milk.
- Baking Soda: It is essential for this cake and should not be substituted with baking powder.
- Baking Time: Mine was ready in 30 minutes. Perform the toothpick test, and remember that the time may vary.
- Dulce de Leche: I used store-bought dulce de leche, but using a good-quality one is crucial. You can also try making homemade dulce de leche. See my recipe for homemade dulce de leche in 15 minutes.
- Ganache: Use high-quality semi-sweet chocolate.
- Festive Sprinkles: Totally optional. I got mine from ETSY. The Etsy shop I bought it from its called Sprinkalicious, and these sprinkles were called “green grinch”.
Variations:
The filling can be dulce de leche, or you could use the filling from my Easy churro cake, which has a dulce de leche flavor but is slightly less sweet than traditional dulce de leche.
Storage Instructions:
Store covered for up to 4 days at room temperature, not exceeding 25°C, or in the refrigerator. Always cover it well with plastic wrap, or place it in an airtight container, to prevent drying out. If using plastic wrap to store it at room temperature I recommend first sticking some toothpicks into your cake. That way when you cover it with plastic wrap the ganache won’t stick to your cake. It can be frozen for up to 90 days without the frosting.
Looking for other great recipes and moist cakes?
French Apple Cake with Rum
Ultimate Chocolate Spice Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Digital scale or Measuring spoons and cups
- blender
- 9-inch Bundt pan
Ingredients
Part I
- 4 medium eggs 200g
- ⅔ cup of vegetable oil 150g
- ½ cup of sugar 100g
- ½ cup of brown sugar 100g
- ½ cup of honey 150g
- ½ cup of buttermilk 120g (see tip for substitution)
Part II
- 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder 25g
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda 5g
- Pinch of salt 2g
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 3g
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg 2g
- ½ teaspoon of ground cloves 2g
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger 3g
- ¼ teaspoon of ground allspice 2g
- Lemon zest to taste
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour 240g
Filling:
- 300 g of dulce de leche or you could use the filling from my churros cake
Chocolate Ganache:
- 150 g of heavy cream
- 150 g of chopped semi-sweet chocolate
- Festive sprinkles optional
Instructions
Blender:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F
- Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt cake pan. (see notes)
- Combine eggs, vegetable oil, sugars, buttermilk, honey, and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until you achieve a uniform cream.
Bowl:
- In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients,
- Add the liquid mix to the flour mixture and combine with a whisk.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and bake for approximately 40-45 minutes.
- Perform the toothpick test; it should come out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool slightly, then remove from the pan and let it cool completely.
Assembling the Cake:
- Cut the cake in half, spread dulce de leche, place the other half back, and press gently
Ganache
- Heat the heavy cream in the microwave or on the stove.
- Add chocolate (chopped) and mix until smooth.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake
- Decorate as desired and serve.
Notes
- For optimal results, I recommend greasing the pan with butter before baking. In addition, to ensure a visually appealing finish without a white shadow around the cake, take a small bowl and create a mixture of flour with a touch of cocoa. Use this mixture to flour the pan before pouring in the batter. This simple step will enhance the overall appearance of your cake when you remove it from the pan after baking. Enjoy your beautifully presented chocolate spice cake!
- Yogurt or Milk: You can use yogurt or buttermilk (120ml milk + 30ml lemon juice). If using buttermilk, let it rest for 10 minutes to thicken the milk.
- Please note: The displayed calories are an estimated value. Actual calorie content may vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes. Always consult with a nutritionist for precise dietary information
Nutrition
FAQ:
Absolutely! The cake can be stored covered for up to 4 days at room temperature or refrigerated. It can also be frozen for up to 90 days without the ganache. If freezing the cake make sure to wrap it well with plastic wrap before freezing.
I discovered this wonderful recipe on the website of the talented baker, Jana Cabral, and her work is truly beautiful – worth checking out.
If you made this recipe please don’t forget to leave a star rating and a comment. Your opinion is so important to me and to everyone who will read this blog post.
Until next time,
Claudia
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