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Easy Chocolate Chinese Five Spice Cake Recipe – bring your Holiday dinner a global flare with The Spice Hunter’s Chinese Five Spice blend and tons of rich chocolate! This Chinese Five Spice Chocolate Cake Recipe is loaded with rich, delicious holiday flavors like clove, fennel, star anise, and cinnamon – with a bit of zip from pepper!
Five spice is a bit earthy, a bit spicy (thanks to the clove and pepper), and has a ton of holiday flavor that pairs perfectly with a rich, decadent chocolate cake to bring a lot of layers of flavor the whole family will love!
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
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Table of Contents
How to Make Chinese Chocolate Five Spice Cake
This chocolate cake is a great addition to your holiday table – it is easy, but totally unique and sure to become the star of your dinner!
Chocolate Five Spice Cake Ingredients
To make this cake you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup, all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon celtic or kosher salt
- 2 tsp The Spice Hunter Chinese Five Spice Blend
- ? cup finely chopped or grated bittersweet chocolate
- ¼ cup brewed coffee or espresso, chai tea, or apple cider vinegar (if you don’t have coffee on hand)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup sugar
Steps to Make Chinese Chocolate Five Spice Cake
Once you have assembled the ingredients, we will use the following process:
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, The Spice Hunter Chinese Five Spice Powder and baking soda in a bowl.
In a small bowl, mix the coffee (or chai tea/apple cider vinegar) and diced chocolate.
Stir vigorously until the chocolate has fully melted – don’t leave any lumps of chocolate.
Add vanilla extract and buttermilk to mixture, and blend well.
Set mixture aside.
In a large bowl, beat the egg and sugar in a bowl until light and airy, about 3 minutes.
Add the chocolate mixture and mix well with a large spoon.
Add the flour mixture and stir until fully mixed with no lumps.
Pour mixture into two greased 9-inch round cake pans (I prefer to use cake spray for the easiest release – but you can also line the pan in parchment paper or use silicone cake pans.)
Place cake pans in oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cake pans from oven and let cool fully to room temperature.
Remove from cake pans when pans are cool to the touch, let sit on cooling rack at least another hour. Chocolate ganache will melt if cake is still warm.
Begin to make ganache by gathering a medium sized nonstick pan and large bowl.
Heat heavy cream to boiling.
Pour over chocolate chips and let sit for 4-5 minutes – do not stir.
Whisk the mixture until it thickens and becomes a rich, dark chocolate brown.
Pour a small amount of ganache over top of one layer of cake and top with other layer. Let set as ganache cools.
Let ganache cool to room temperature, so it is thick and can be spread instead of poured over cake.
Generously coat cake in ganache, running a flat spatula along the sides and top to make a smooth cake.
Top with chocolate sprinkles and Spice Hunter Cinnamon Sticks, and a very light dusting or five spice powder or cinnamon sugar.
Chill for 2 hours, up to two days before serving.
Tips and Tricks for Chinese Five Spice Chocolate Cake
Start with fresh spices for the best flavor. Chinese five spice loses potency over time, so make sure your blend smells bold and aromatic—otherwise the cake may taste flat.
Bloom the spices in warm butter or oil. If your recipe uses melted fat, stir the five spice into it first—heat helps open up the essential oils and intensify the aroma.
Add a citrus element for brightness. A little orange zest or a splash of orange juice brightens the warm spices and makes the cake taste more complex.
Don’t overmix the batter. Once the dry ingredients are added, mix until just combined to keep the cake light and tender.
Line your pans with parchment. This cake is richly textured and can stick—parchment ensures clean release and intact layers.
Let the cake cool completely before frosting. The warm spices develop as the cake cools, so the flavor actually improves after a little rest.
Taste and adjust the spice level the next time. Everyone’s preferred balance is different—if you want more warmth, increase the five spice by ¼ teaspoon per bake.
Add texture for interest. Chopped dark chocolate, candied ginger, toasted pecans, or sesame seeds make great add-ins that complement the spice profile.
Store overnight for even better flavor. Spiced cakes deepen over time—letting it sit (covered) for several hours or overnight intensifies the aroma.
Freeze layers before decorating. This helps control crumbs and makes frosting smoother, especially if you’re using a ganache drip or buttercream finish.
Best Five Spice Cake FAQs
No—despite the name, the flavor isn’t “spicy hot.” It’s warmly aromatic with subtle licorice, cinnamon, and peppery notes that complement the chocolate without making it taste savory.
Yes! Homemade blends often have fresher spice notes. Just ensure it’s finely ground and balanced—some blends lean more heavily on star anise or Sichuan peppercorn.
The chocolate softens the sharper spice notes but doesn’t hide them; the result is a deep, complex cake where the warm spices shine through on the finish.
For maximum flavor, you can fold them into warm melted butter or oil, or whisk them into the dry ingredients—both methods distribute the spices evenly.
Use room-temperature ingredients, avoid overmixing, and ensure your leavening agents (baking soda or powder) are fresh.
Yes—use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend and avoid overmixing to prevent gumminess.
Absolutely. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to three months. Frosting after thawing gives the best texture.
Yes—divide into a 12-cup muffin tin and bake for 16–20 minutes, checking for doneness.
What to Serve with chocolate Five Spice Cake
When you love this cake try best chocolate cake, Texas sheet cake, and cranberry orange bundt cake.
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Easy Chocolate Chinese Five Spice Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Blend
- ⅔ cup bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped or grated
- ¼ cup brewed coffee or espresso, chai tea, or apple cider vinegar (if you don’t have coffee on hand)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup sugar
For The Ganache:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, The Spice Hunter Chinese Five Spice Powder and baking soda in a bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix the coffee (or chai tea/apple cider vinegar) and diced chocolate.
- Stir vigorously until the chocolate has fully melted – don’t leave any lumps of chocolate.
- Add vanilla extract and buttermilk to mixture, and blend well.
- Set mixture aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg and sugar in a bowl until light and airy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the chocolate mixture and mix well with a large spoon.
- Add the flour mixture and stir until fully mixed with no lumps.
- Pour mixture into two greased 9-inch round cake pans (I prefer to use cake spray for the easiest release – but you can also line the pan in parchment paper or use silicone cake pans.)
- Place cake pans in oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove cake pans from oven and let cool fully to room temperature.
- Remove from cake pans when pans are cool to the touch, let sit on cooling rack at least another hour. Chocolate ganache will melt if cake is still warm.
- Begin to make ganache by gathering a medium sized nonstick pan and large bowl.
- Heat heavy cream to boiling.
- Pour over chocolate chips and let sit for 4-5 minutes – do not stir.
- Whisk the mixture until it thickens and becomes a rich, dark chocolate brown.
- Pour a small amount of ganache over top of one layer of cake and top with other layer. Let set as ganache cools.
- Let ganache cool to room temperature, so it is thick and can be spread instead of poured over cake.
- Generously coat cake in ganache, running a flat spatula along the sides and top to make a smooth cake.
- Top with chocolate sprinkles and Spice Hunter Cinnamon Sticks, and a very light dusting or five spice powder or cinnamon sugar.
- Chill for 2 hours, up to two days before serving.
- Cut into slices and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I would like to make this for a Christmas dinner..What are your recommendations for preparing ahead of time? ie; how to wrap and length of time in the freezer.. preparations before serving. Can I put the ganache on before freezing or should I wait?
This is a great Christmas time dessert! I would recommend you bake the cakes, double wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them. I would make the ganache and assemble the cake the night before, loosely tent it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge (sometimes to tent it with plastic without touching the ganache I will put a few toothpicks in the side of the cake to hold up the plastic wrap). Set the cake out on the counter a few hours before dinner so the cake can come to room temperature. Also note, you can cover the cakes in ganache while they are still frozen, its way easier to get a smooth finish with frozen cakes. Good luck!
I love five spice – can’t wait to try this chocolate cake!
I always think of Chinese five spice as something used in savory dishes but it sounds crazy good with chocolate.
Give me all the chocolate cake! Especially if it’s easy. Plus, the addition of Chinese Five spice is genius!
I’m obsessed with Chinese 5 spice and cannot wait to try this cake. It’s such a fun twist on a classic recipe.
Sounds great! Any non-dairy substitutes for the buttermilk?
A tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar with oat, soy or coconut milk works great – just let it slightly curdle! You can also use almond milk. I personally love oat milk!