Chocolate Bundt Christmas Wreath (Printable)
Chocolate Bundt wreath glazed and topped with sugared cranberries and rosemary for a festive centerpiece.
# What you need:
→ Cake Batter
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
07 - 2 cups granulated sugar
08 - 4 large eggs
09 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
10 - 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
→ Chocolate Glaze
11 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Wreath Decoration
14 - 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
15 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
16 - 4–5 sprigs fresh rosemary
17 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan, ensuring every crevice is coated to prevent sticking.
02 - Sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated. Blend in the vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the sifted dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold gently until just combined — avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.
06 - Pour the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake emerges clean.
08 - Let the cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before glazing.
09 - Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until just steaming — do not boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and butter in a heatproof bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until glossy and smooth.
10 - Drizzle the warm chocolate glaze over the completely cooled cake, letting it flow naturally down the sides.
11 - Lightly dampen the fresh cranberries with water, then roll them in granulated sugar until evenly coated. Arrange the sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs on top of the glazed cake to mimic a Christmas wreath. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar for a snowy effect.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of rich cocoa and buttermilk creates a crumb so tender it practically melts, making this the most requested dessert at every holiday gathering I host.
- Decorating with sugared cranberries and rosemary turns a simple cake into a showstopper that guests always assume came from a bakery.
02 -
- Greasing the Bundt pan inadequately is the number one way to ruin this cake, so be thorough and use every crevice, I learned this the hard way when half my cake stayed in the pan.
- Overmixing once the flour goes in will toughen the crumb, so stop the moment everything is combined even if it feels too soon.
03 -
- Tap the filled Bundt pan firmly on the counter a few times before baking to dislodge trapped air bubbles that cause unsightly tunnels in the finished cake.
- If the glaze thickens too much while you are working, a quick ten second burst in the microwave brings it back to the perfect pouring consistency.