Christmas Chocolate Bundt Cake

close up of bundt cake with cranberries.

5 from 1 vote

Savor the perfect blend of deep cocoa and tangy cranberries; this Bundt cake is a dessert that's has it all: taste and beauty.

Prep Time25

Cook Time40

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate, Christmas, Cranberries

Servings: slices

Calories: 440kcal

Author: Katie

Equipment

10-12 cup Bundt pan
Mixing Bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Baking Sheet (line with parchment paper)
cooling rack
Long toothpick or cake tester

Ingredients

Cake Batter

1 cup cooled brewed coffee (or water)
1 cup vegetable oil
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs (at room temperature)
½ cup sour cream (at room temperature)

Chocolate Icing

⅔ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream

Sugared Cranberries

½ cup water
¾ cup sugar (divided into two parts)
1 cup fresh cranberries

Instructions

Make Sugared Cranberries

Make the syrup. Add ½ cup water and ½ cup sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved, then remove from heat. Then, add the cranberries to the sugar syrup, stirring to coat them. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
Dry and coat. Carefully remove the cranberries using a strainer, reserving the sugar syrup for other uses if desired. Then, spread the cranberries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them dry at room temperature for 1 hour.
Sugar coating. Place the remaining ¼ cup of sugar on a plate. Then, roll the dried cranberries in the sugar until fully coated. Set aside to garnish the cake.

Make the Cake

Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Combine the wet ingredients + cocoa powder. Whisk together the coffee, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, vanilla, eggs, and sour cream in a separate bowl.
Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour in a separate bowl.
Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until well combined. Scrape down the bowl’s sides and bottom to make sure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Prepare the pan. Thoroughly grease a 10-12 cup Bundt pan to prevent sticking.
Bake. Pour the batter evenly into the greased Bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a long toothpick inserted into the center comes clean. If using a dark-colored pan, start checking for doneness at 40 minutes.
Cool the cake. Remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Invert the pan onto a wire rack, lift off the pan, and let the cake cool completely on the rack.

Frost the Cake

Make the icing. Combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Heat until the cream bubbles around the edges, then remove from heat. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
Frost the cake. Pour the icing over the cooled cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides naturally.
Garnish and serve. Gently press the sugared cranberries onto the top of the cake for a festive touch. Allow the icing to set before slicing and serving.

Notes

To have a smooth batter and make sure even baking, make sure your eggs and sour cream are at room temperature. If they’re cold, the batter can become lumpy and mix poorly, which might affect how the cake bakes. Just take them out about 30 minutes before you start.

Use good-quality cocoa powder and chocolate chips for the icing to get the best chocolate flavor. (I don’t use anything fancy, just Hershey’s Cocoa and Tollhouse Chocolate Chips.)

Use brewed coffee instead of water in the batter if you drink coffee. It won’t make the cake taste like coffee, but it will enhance the chocolate flavor and make it richer.

After rolling the cranberries in sugar, let them dry a bit longer to get that nice frosty look. If the sugar looks damp, give them another light coating to keep them sparkly.

Before glazing the cake, place it on a wire rack over a baking sheet. This way, any extra glaze that drips can be caught, making it easier to clean up and letting you reuse the glaze.

If you want a thicker drizzle, let the icing cool for a few minutes to thicken up before pouring it over the cake. It will spread slowly, creating a nice drizzle that follows the cake’s shape.

Besides sugared cranberries, you can add fresh rosemary sprigs, edible gold dust, or even a sprinkle of powdered sugar for a snowy look. These simple ideas make the cake even more festive and eye-catching.

Nutrition