This Chocolate Peppermint Cake Recipe is the perfect dessert for the holidays! The cake is moist and fluffy, and the peppermint frosting is creamy and delicious. A perfect addition to your holiday season's deliciousness.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- This cake has rich chocolate and peppermint flavors that you can't pass up. It's the perfect cake for those who love chocolate and peppermint.
- Looks gourmet without the price tag. No need to spend $50 or more on a holiday cake when you can make this festive peppermint chocolate cake yourself.
- Great for holiday parties. If you are looking for a unique but beautiful dessert for your holiday party this is the recipe for you.
- The perfect dessert to serve guests during the holidays. This chocokate peppermint cake will wow your friends and family and they won't believe that you made it yourself.
Ingredients
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Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- 2 (15.25) ounce boxed, triple chocolate cake mix
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon peppermint extract
Candy Cane Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 5-7 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- red gel food coloring
Chocolate Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 5 cups confectioner sugar
- 1 cup dark cocoa powder
- 5-8 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Decorate the Cake
- 12 mini candy canes
- 3 cups crushed peppermint candies or crushed candy canes
- white nonpareils sprinkles
Equipment
- three 9 inch round cake pans
- three 10 inch round cake boards
- three disposable piping bags
- star tips
- cake leveler
- stand mixer
- mixing bowls
- squeeze bottle
- saucepan
Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
Baking the cake
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray the cake pans with non-stick baking spray, set them aside.
Step 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to beat cake mix, unsalted butter, milk, and peppermint extract, until combined.
Step 3. Divide the cake batter equally between the 3 prepared pans. Bake in the oven for about 25-35 minutes.
Step 4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-35 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean when fully baked.
Step 5. Remove the cakes from the oven. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Candy Cane Frosting
Step 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the beaters, cream the unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Step 2. Scoop half of the vanilla frosting and place in a medium bowl. Mix in a few drops of red food gel to get a festive red color to the frosting.
Step 3. Scoop the white and red frosting into the disposable piping bags using the star tip. Cut the tips off and set them aside.
Chocolate Peppermint Frosting
Step 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat unsalted butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy whipping cream, and peppermint extract until combined, creamy, and holds peaks.
Step 2. Scoop 1½ cups of chocolate frosting into a piping bag. Set aside.
Chocolate Ganache
Step 1. Use a small saucepan over medium/low heat, simmer whipping cream to warm, do not boil. While cream simmers, place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl, set aside.
Step 2. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips. Allow the chocolate mixture to sit for a minute before whisking until smooth.
Step 3. Pour into the squeeze bottle to complete decorating the cake.
Building the cake
Step 1. Remove the cakes from the cake pans and keep them on the cooling rack or place them on cake boards for easy handling. Note 2
Step 2. Using a cake leveler, remove the very tops of the cakes to create even layers.
Step 3. Starting with 1 layer of cake, if not using cake boards, place the first layer of cake on a cake stand. Use the red frosting piping bag and pipe a thick ring around the top of the cake.
Step 4. Using the white frosting piping bag, pipe a thick ring along the inside of the red frosting ring.
Step 5. Using the white frosting piping bag, pipe a thick ring along the inside of the red frosting ring.
Step 6. Continue with the red and white frosting until you get to the center.
Step 7. Place the second cake layer on top and repeat piping red and white alternating rings on the top of the cake layer.
Step 8. Place the third cake layer on top.
Step 9. Using a flat spatula, smooth the frosting on the sides of the cake.
Step 10. Use an offset spatula to frost the cake using the chocolate frosting and place it in the refrigerator while the chocolate ganache is prepared, recipe below.
Step 11. Use the ganache in the squeeze bottle to add drips along the top edge of the cake.
Step 12. Place the crushed peppermint candies around the entire bottom of the cake.
Step 13. Use the remaining chocolate frosting in the piping bag with the star tip and place dollops of chocolate around the top of the cake.
Step 14. Sprinkle the white nonpareils around the top of the cake.
Step 15. Place mini candy canes on the chocolate dollops around the cake.
Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- I put my cakes in the freezer for a few minutes before frosting them. This helps the cake not to crumble while frosting.
- Since I have taken baking courses, I have found baking round boards are very helpful when decorating cakes such as this one. It is optional. You can place the first layer right on a cake platter.
- Chocolate Ganache: Using a squeeze bottle to add the ganache is a super-easy way to decorate the ganache.
Storage
Because of all the dairy in the cake, I recommend storing this yummy chocolate peppermint cake in a cake box or cake plate in the fridge for up to three days.
Expert Tips
Expert Tip: Put the cakes in the freezer for a few minutes before frosting them. This helps the cake not to crumble while frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
I do not recommend leaving the cake out overnight. The cake is best when stored in the fridge.
Yes, you can use any flavor of frosting that you like. I will say the chocolate frosting really gives this cake such a rich flavor.
If you want a stronger peppermint flavor, you can add up to ½ teaspoon more peppermint extract.
Variations
- If you can't find mini candy canes at your local store, you can top this cake with Starlight mints.
- Soft peppermint candies would also make a festive topping for this rich chocolate cake.
- Switch up the cake mix if you prefer. For example, a vanilla cake mix would be delicious with this frosting!
- If you can use red dye you can leave the food coloring out of your frosting.
Serving Suggestions
This Chicken Crescent Rolls recipe is a super easy meal to serve before diving into this chocolate cake.
Instant Pot Hot Chocolate would be great along with a minty slice of this cake.
You can never go wrong with a cheesy potato casserole that's baked until golden brown so give this Funeral Potatoes Casserole a try.
IF you are looking for a creamy and flavorful meal, you need to give this Turkey Pot Pie recipe a spot on your meal plan.
Similar recipes
Our Chocolate Candy Cane Cake is a similar cake made with a boxed cake mix that is just so festive and always a crowd-pleaser.
You can never have too much cake! This Reindeer Cheesecake is perfectly creamy and delicious.
This no-churn Red Velvet Ice Cream is simple to make and is so festive.
This White Chocolate Peppermint Bark recipe would look great on top of this cake.
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are another huge hit that we hope you enjoy.
Grinch Cupcakes will bring some beautiful holidays to your holiday dessert table.
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Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray the cake pans with pam baking spray
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat until combine cake mix, unsalted butter, milk, and peppermint extract.
- Divide the cake batter equally between the 3 cake pans. Bake in the oven for about 25-35 minutes.
- Bake in the oven for about 25-35 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes will come out clean when fully baked.
- Remove the cakes from the oven. Allow them to cool completely before frosting.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the beaters, cream the unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Scoop half of the vanilla frosting and place in a medium bowl. Mix in a few drops of red food gel to get a festive red color to the frosting.
- Scoop the white and red frosting into the disposable piping bags using the star tip. Cut the tips off and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat unsalted butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy whipping cream, and peppermint extract until combined, creamy, and holds peaks.
- Scoop 1½ cups of chocolate frosting into a piping bag. Set aside.
- Remove the cakes from the cake pans and keep them on the cooling rack or place them on cake boards for easy handling. Note 2
- Using a cake leveler, remove the very tops of the cakes to create even layers.
- Starting with 1 layer of cake, if not using cake boards, place the first layer of cake on a cake stand. Use the red frosting piping bag and pipe a thick ring around the top of the cake.
- Using the white frosting piping bag, pipe a thick ring along the inside of the red frosting ring.
- Alternate with the red and white frosting until you get to the center.
- Place the second cake layer on top and repeat piping red and white alternating rings on the top of the cake layer.
- Place the third cake layer on top.
- Using a flat spatula, smooth the frosting on the outside of the cake
- Frost the cake using the chocolate frosting and place in the refrigerator while the chocolate ganache is prepared, recipe below.
- Use the ganache in the squeeze bottle to add drips along the top edge of the cake.
- Place the crushed peppermint candies around the entire bottom of the cake.
- Use the remaining chocolate frosting in the piping bag with the star tip and place dollops of chocolate around the top of the cake.
- Sprinkle the white nonpareils around the top of the cake.
- Place mini candy canes on the chocolate dollops around the cake.
- Slice and serve. Enjoy!
- Use a small saucepan over medium/low heat, simmer whipping cream to warm, do not boil.
- Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips. Allow it to sit for a minute before whisking until smooth.
- Pour into the squeeze bottle to complete decorating the cake.
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