Indulge in the warm and cosy embrace of the holiday season with a delightful twist on a classic treat — the chocolate spiced Christmas cake. This culinary masterpiece seamlessly marries the rich, velvety notes of premium chocolate with a symphony of aromatic spices, creating a dessert that's not only a feast for the taste buds but also a delicious dose of festive joy! Complete with orange liqueur and caramel popcorn, this cake is sure to put everyone in the Christmas spirit.

Ingredients

Serves: 10-12

For the cake:

• Zest of 2 large or 3 medium oranges (optional, for a zesty twist)
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1½ cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups castor sugar
• 180g brown sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 280g flour
• 180g cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tsp mixed spice blend
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 cup velvety Guinness, or your preferred malty stout

For the spiced chocolate ganache:

• 250ml heavy cream
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• A pinch of ground cloves
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 300g premium dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 40g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp orange liqueur, for an extra layer of indulgence (optional)
• Caramel popcorn and fresh berries to decorate
• 1 tub sour cream

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Grease and line three 22cm round non-stick cake tins. If you only have one or two cake pans, you will need to bake in batches.
3. Beat the orange zest, eggs, oil and sugar together.
4. Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
5. Fold through the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda.
6. Add the Guinness (or your preferred malty stout), mix gently and pour into prepared tins.
7. Bake in the oven for 18–20 minutes, or until the cakes are cooked through — to test if the cake is done you can either use a cake tester or press gently on the sponge, it should bounce back where you have pressed.
8. Remove from the cake pans and allow to cool completely before icing.

9. To make the ganache, heat the cream in a saucepan with the spices, orange zest and vanilla extract. Just before boiling, remove and allow to stand for 15 minutes for the flavours to infuse.
10. Place the cream back on the heat after infusing and reheat (again, taking care not to boil). Once hot, remove and stir in the chocolate. Mix until completely melted.
11. Next add in the liqueur and butter.
12. Allow to stand at room temperature until needed.

Psst… Ganache can be a bit temperamental. The main thing is to remember you can generally ‘rescue’ it. If your ganache separates and curdles, either heat a few tablespoons of cream and add bit by bit until the mixture comes together again, or add a few tablespoons of oil. Keep mixing until it comes back together.

The quality of your ganache is directly affected by the chocolate you choose to use. The golden rule is use whatever chocolate you love the most and your ganache will taste exactly like it.

13. To finish the cake, ice each layer with the ganache, add a few dollops of sour cream and top with berries and caramel popcorn before adding the next sponge and repeating the process.

Pro tip: Leave your leftover ganache in the fridge to solidify, take teaspoons of the mixture, roll in cocoa powder and you’ve got chocolate truffles — perfect for a home-made Christmas present that’ll leave your friends and family wanting more!

We hope your family enjoy tucking in to this tower of aromatic, chocolaty goodness. A Christmas cake to rival all the rest. What a magical season it is. ✨

With thanks to Jules Mercer for her beautiful recipe and styling.