Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Cake Recipe for Holiday Baking

Welcome back to my “25 Days of Christmas Bakes” series — today I’m excited to share a stunning holiday treat: a Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Cake. I’ve kept this recipe under wraps for months, and I’m thrilled it’s finally here. Rich chocolate layers enriched with pureed roasted chestnuts create a memorable flavor that’s perfect for festive gatherings.

This cake was originally planned for my 2023 cookbook, I’ll Bring the Cake, but with so many recipes submitted we couldn’t fit them all. I’m happy it was held back because now you can bake it this December. The combination of chestnuts and deep chocolate is decadent and uniquely seasonal — a perfect addition to your holiday dessert table.

Why chestnuts?

Chestnuts evoke classic holiday memories for me. Growing up, my mom spent hours making hand-painted ornaments; one year she attached a few real chestnuts to an ornament labeled “chestnuts roasting on an open fire.” Every time I saw that ornament I heard the song in my head. This cake lets you taste those memories: roasted chestnuts folded into chocolate for a comforting, nostalgic flavor.

In this cake, the chestnuts are pureed into a paste and added to both the batter and the buttercream, giving a gentle, nutty sweetness that complements the cocoa beautifully.

Where to find chestnuts

I used pre-roasted, peeled chestnuts that I found packaged. You can also find canned chestnuts at some grocery stores. For this recipe I pureed them into a paste with the texture of a slightly grainy nut butter. The flavor can be strong, so I recommend starting with a half cup in the batter and buttercream combined and adjusting if you want a bolder chestnut presence. The taste is nutty and slightly sweet, with a texture reminiscent of roasted sweet potato.

If you buy chestnuts with shells, you’ll need to roast and peel them first. The pre-roasted, peeled options are a convenient shortcut and work wonderfully here. Chestnuts pair exceptionally well with chocolate, making them a festive and delicious addition.

How to make the chocolate chestnut cake

The cake is straightforward and forgiving. The main ingredients you’ll need:

1. Buttermilk — room temperature. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit briefly.
2. Sour cream — room temperature. Plain Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute.
3. Eggs — large, at room temperature.
4. Vanilla — pure or imitation is fine.
5. Chestnut paste — roasted chestnuts pureed into a paste.
6. Cocoa — use a rich dark cocoa for the best flavor.
7. Dark Chocolate Cake Mix — a boxed mix streamlines this recipe; choose a quality mix for best results.

Combine the wet ingredients, chestnut paste, and cocoa in a large bowl, then sift in the cake mix and whisk gently until combined. Divide the batter among prepared pans — I used three 6-inch rounds, but you can use two 8-inch pans, a bundt, or make cupcakes (reduce baking time accordingly).

How to make chocolate chestnut buttercream

The buttercream is based on a classic chocolate buttercream but with chestnut paste folded in for depth. Ingredients you’ll need:

1. Unsalted butter — softened slightly at room temperature so it whips smoothly.
2. Chestnut paste — roasted chestnuts pureed into a paste.
3. Salt — a pinch to balance sweetness.
4. Cocoa powder — for chocolate flavor.
5. Vanilla — use pure vanilla if you have it for best flavor in the buttercream.
6. Heavy cream — used to adjust consistency; add a tablespoon at a time if needed.
7. Powdered sugar — added gradually to achieve the desired sweetness and texture.

Whip the butter until light and fluffy, add chestnut paste, cocoa, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt, then incorporate the powdered sugar slowly. Beat at high speed for a few minutes to create a light, airy buttercream. Adjust thickness with more powdered sugar or cream as needed.

Snowflake design on top

To create the snowflake pattern, use a snowflake cutout that fits your cake — a tree decoration, paper cutout, or felt shape will work. Place the cutout on the cake just before serving and dust with powdered sugar using a sifter. Carefully lift the cutout to reveal the snowflake silhouette on the buttercream. For a darker contrast, you can dust cocoa powder instead of powdered sugar.

I can’t wait to see your holiday bakes — tag me @bakingwithblondie on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or YouTube so I can enjoy your creations!

Happy baking!

xo,

Mandy

Get the Recipe:
Christmas Chocolate Chestnut Cake

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire… or in cake! Decadent chocolate layers enhanced with roasted chestnut puree create a seasonal dessert that is both familiar and surprising.

Servings: 12 servings – three 6″ cake layers

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Ingredients

 

Chocolate Chestnut Cake Layers

• 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 3 whole eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup roasted chestnuts, roughly pureed into a paste , *see notes below on where to easily find them!
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1x 15.25 box Dark Chocolate Cake Mix, I prefer the taste and texture of Duncan Hines brand, but anything similar will do.

Chocolate Chestnut Buttercream

• 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, Left out at room temperature for 10 minutes to slightly soften
• 1/2 cup whole roasted chestnuts, pureed into a paste
• pinch of salt
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for thinning if needed
• 8 cups powdered sugar

Snowflake Design

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 snowflake cutout (either a snowflake made from paper, parchment, or a felt decoration). Needs to be big enough to fit on the top of a 6″ cake.

Instructions

 

For the Chocolate Chestnut Cake

• Preheat the oven to 325°F and prepare three 6-inch round pans with shortening and a light dusting of flour. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, chestnut paste, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, and vanilla until combined. Sift in the cake mix and whisk until just combined; avoid overmixing. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.
• Bake 30–32 minutes, or until centers are set. Cool in the pans briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap and chill the layers before assembling.

For the Chocolate Chestnut Buttercream

• Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter until light and fluffy. Add chestnut paste, cocoa powder, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Scrape the bowl and mix until smooth and no cocoa bits remain.
• With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar gradually, about half a cup at a time. If the buttercream is too thick, add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time to reach the desired consistency. Increase speed and beat 2 minutes to lighten the texture.

Assembly

• Place a cardboard round on a turntable and secure with a dab of buttercream. Set the first cake layer on top and spread a layer of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers. After stacking, apply a thin crumb coat and freeze briefly to set.
• Beat out air bubbles in the remaining buttercream and apply a final smooth layer using a cake scraper for clean sides and edges.
• Just before serving, place a snowflake cutout on top and dust with powdered sugar. Lift the cutout to reveal the snowflake design.

Notes

If you’re new to chestnuts, buy pre-roasted, shelled chestnuts. About 1 cup of whole chestnuts yields roughly 1/2 cup of chestnut puree. To make the puree, pulse the roasted chestnuts in a food processor until a thick paste forms.

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