This moist cranberry chocolate fudge cake is not just a pretty face but has real depth of flavor. The chocolate is enhanced by adding hot coffee and some almond extract. Adding tart, juicy cranberries balances out the sweetness. Top with chocolate ganache and a crown of candied cranberries, and you've got yourself a showstopper holiday dessert!
This was the first year I'd tried sugaring cranberries. The kids were so excited about the leftovers from the cake decorating - these cranberries are so much better than candy! I thought they were pretty to put on top of a cake especially during this festive time of year where they look almost wreath-like at the center of the table.
A lot of sugared cranberry or berry recipes call for the use of egg whites. I found this egg-free method to be easy and it had excellent results. The sugar syrup attaches to the sugar coating making a nice crisp shell around the berries which holds up well on the cake. I used granulated sugar to roll the cranberries in because that's what I had, but super-fine sugar would probably give a more even coating. Either way, you can't go wrong, they are sparkling little gems and are delicious! If you don't end up snacking on all of the extra sugared berries, they'd look pretty as garnishes for other desserts or festive drinks. The reserved syrup would also be great in cocktails/mocktails.
Tips for a Perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake:
- Sift! Sifting is a must to avoid bitter lumps of cocoa powder and other dry ingredients in your cake. You might be surprised at how much doesn't get through the sifter and could have ended up in your cake! Use the back of a spoon to break up the lumps so they sift through.
- Don't reduce the amount of sugar or the oil - these are both very important for the structure and texture of the cake. Reducing them or substituting with other ingredients will effect the quality and moist character of the cake.
- Add the hot water or coffee at the end. I really love how coffee enhances the chocolate flavor but if you prefer not to use caffeinated liquid, you can use hot decaf or even hot water. The hot liquid is added at the end which gets the chocolate to bloom and the intensity of the chocolate flavor and a bit of fudginess happens!
- Prepare your pan really well to avoid a disappointing situation where the cake sticks to the pan or even tears. For chocolate cake, I spray a vegetable or canola oil all over the inside of the bundt pan, and then dust it with cocoa powder. If you don't have vegetable oil spray, you can grease the pan with shortening, being sure to get into all of the nooks and crannies. Don't use margarine/vegan butter, it can sometimes cause more sticking! Once that's done, turn the pan over, dumping out any excess. The cocoa powder won't be noticeable once the cake is baked. I also do this just before I add the batter unlike with most other cake recipes where I prepare the pans when I preheat the oven. In the time you mix the batter, the oil can slide down the sides of the deep pan.
- Once the cake is baked, gently slide a thin spatula along the sides of the cake and around the tube to loosen the cake. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Place a cooling rack over the cake and in one gently motion, turn the cake over so it's resting on the cooling rack. If the cake doesn't fall down on it's own right away, just give it a few minutes. If after 5 minutes, it's still not down, gently lift the cake pan up a bit and give it a gentle wiggle, side to side and it should come out perfectly.
If you make this Cranberry Chocolate Bundt Cake with Ganache and Sugared Cranberries, please let me know in the comments below, and feel free to give it a rating! Also, I love connecting on Instagram where you can tag me in your creations using my recipes. I love seeing what you're up to in the kitchen!
Cranberry Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake with Ganache and Sugared Cranberries
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder plus some for sifting into pan
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1 cup neutral oil (e.g. avocado or canola)
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh hot coffee or Americano
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 cup chopped vegan semi-sweet chocolate, or chocolate chips (~187 g)
- 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil (e.g. avocado or canola)
- ⅓ cup full-fat coconut milk (canned, no gums)
Candied Cranberries
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups fresh whole cranberries
- 1 cup granulated or super-fine sugar
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, sift 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder over the chopped cranberries. Toss to coat. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the non-dairy milk, oil, vinegar, and almond extract. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and pour in the hot coffee. Whisk together just until combined. Add the cranberries being careful not to over mix.
- Spray a large bundt pan with vegetable oil, or grease with shortening (not margarine or vegan butter, this may cause sticking!) and dust with sifted cocoa powder.
- Add the batter to the bundt pan and bake for 65-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean or with a few cooked crumbs stuck to it. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before gently inverting onto a wire rack.
For the Ganache:
- Combine the ingredients for the ganache in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 25 second burst, stirring well each time, until the chocolate it melted and the ganache is smooth.
- Spoon over the cooled cake once the cranberries are ready so that they stick. If the ganache has thickened by that time, heat for 10 second bursts in the microwave, stirring well each time.
For the Sugared Cranberries:
- Combine the water and 2 cups of granulated sugar in pot over medium heat. Heat until the sugar dissolves and has simmered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes (cooling is important so the berries don't burst.) Add the cranberries. Stir gently and let them sit for covered for 2 hours.
- Drain the cranberries, reserving the syrup for drinks or another use.
- Place the rest of the granulated sugar or super-fine sugar on a plate. Roll the cranberries in the sugar, ensuring each berry is covered. Carefully scoop them up with a slotted spoon and let dry at room temperature on a baking sheet for an hour or until dry. Place the cranberries over the top of the cake like a crown.
Lyla says
This looks amazing! I’m going to a lunch potluck and would like to bring this. Would you recommend making this the day of or the day before? Thanks so much!
Crumbs & Caramel says
Hi Lyla! This cake will be super fresh if you make it early in the morning the day of. However, this bundt keeps very well so it will be fine made the night before, and it may be less stressful to do it ahead of time. I know when I feel rushed I am likely to forget ingredients or make mistakes. You could bake the cake the night before, let it cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap overnight. In the morning you could decorate it with ganache and apply the cranberries. I hope this helps and that you and your company really enjoy the cake! Happy Holidays! ~ Bronwyn