Chocolate Peppermint Cake
If you need a stunning Christmas dessert, look no further than this chocolate peppermint cake. The cake recipe is made with moist dark chocolate cake layers, creamy peppermint buttercream frosting, chocolate ganache, and peppermint sprinkles.
Ingredients for Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Dark Chocolate Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Dark cocoa powder: To make a super dark chocolate cake, I used black cocoa powder. If you don’t have black cocoa, you could substitute with dark cocoa powder.
- Baking soda + baking powder
- Salt
- Milk: Room temperature milk or buttermilk.
- Eggs: Large eggs, room temperature.
- Vegetable oil: Or your preferred neutral baking oil.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
- Boiling water: Hot water helps bring the batter together.
- Instant espresso powder: Be sure to use instant espresso powder. You can skip this ingredient if you don’t have it on hand.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature, softened butter.
- Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract pairs well with peppermint.
- Peppermint extract – Peppermint extract adds a delicious mint flavor.
- Salt – A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness in the buttercream.
- Heavy cream – Helps the buttercream become smooth and creamy.
Additional Ingredients
- Chocolate ganache – Semisweet chocolate chips + heavy cream.
- Peppermint sprinkles – If you can’t get your hands on peppermint sprinkles, you could also use crushed candy canes.
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- Prep and preheat: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper circles.
- Make the chocolate cake batter: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Whisk to combine. Stir the boiling water and instant espresso powder. Add this mixture to the cake batter and gently whisk until the batter is combined and smooth.
- Bake the cake layers: Divide the cake batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake the cake layers for approximately 30 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the peppermint buttercream frosting: Whip the butter for about 5 minutes until it is light, fluffy, and pale. Add the powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add in the vanilla extract, peppermint extract and salt. Drizzle in the heavy cream. Turn the mixer to medium speed and whip the buttercream for about 3 to 5 minutes until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
- Make the chocolate ganache drip: Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until bubbling. Pour the hot cream over the semisweet chocolate chips and let the mixture stand for 1 minute. Stir the chocolate and cream until all the chocolate is melted and it is smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool.
How to Assemble the Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- Fill and stack the cake: Place one cake layer on a round cake board. Add desired amount of peppermint buttercream to the top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add the second cake layer, more buttercream, and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake. Be sure the bottom of the cake layer is facing up.
- Crumb coat the cake: With an offset spatula, add a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to firm the buttercream.
- Frost the cake: Add a generous layer of the peppermint buttercream to the chilled cake with an offset spatula. Use a cake scraper to remove excess buttercream and smooth the sides of the cake. Use your hands to gently press the peppermint sprinkles around the bottom of the cake. Chill for an additional 20 minutes.
- Make the ganache drip: Pour the slightly warm chocolate ganache on the top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the ganache over the edge of the cake to create drips on the sides.
- Decorate the cake: Fill a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 869 piping tip with the remaining peppermint buttercream frosting. Pipe a border of buttercream around the top edge of the cake and decorate with additional peppermint sprinkles.
Recipe Tips
- Check out my baking tips post on 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cakes and 10 Tips for Making Perfect Buttercream to learn simple tips and tricks to make the best cake ever!
- If you want to learn more about my favorite cake baking and decorating supplies, be sure to check out this post for more information.
- To learn how to assemble and decorate this cake, be sure to check out my tutorial on how to frost a layer cake and how to make a drip cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the cake?
- Store the chocolate peppermint cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Be sure to cover any exposed cake with plastic wrap to prevent the cake from drying out. Serve the cake at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
What should I use if I can’t find peppermint flavored sprinkles?
- If you can’t find peppermint sprinkles, I recommend using crushed candy canes as a great substitute.
Other Peppermint Recipes You Will Love
- Chocolate peppermint cupcakes
- Peppermint mocha cupcakes
- Chocolate peppermint cookies
- Candy cane buttercream frosting
- Peppermint buttercream frosting
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Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Yield: 12 servings
If you need a stunning Christmas dessert, look no further than this chocolate peppermint cake. The cake recipe is made with moist dark chocolate cake layers, creamy peppermint buttercream frosting, chocolate ganache, and peppermint sprinkles.
Equipment
- 3 7-inch cake pans
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (65 g) black cocoa powder substitute with dark cocoa powder
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) baking soda
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking powder
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) salt
- 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) milk room temperature
- ½ cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 ml) boiling water
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) instant espresso powder
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) peppermint extract
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream
Chocolate Ganache
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (180 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Additional Ingredients
- ½ cup (85 g) peppermint sprinkles substitute with crushed candy canes
Instructions
Dark Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper circles.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in the room temperature eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the dry and wet ingredients are well combined. Add the instant espresso powder to the boiling water. Pour the hot water into the cake batter and gently whisk until the cake batter is smooth.
- Divide the cake batter between the three prepared 7-inch cake pans. Use a kitchen scale to create even layers. Bake the cakes for approximately 30 minutes in the oven until the cakes spring back when gently touched.
- Remove the pans from the oven and allow the cake layers to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Level the cake layers using a serrated knife.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the butter for 5 minutes on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides occasionally, until the butter is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Add one half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined. Add remaining powdered sugar and continue to mix on low until incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt and mix on low until combined. Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream while mixing on low speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the frosting is well mixed.
- Turn the speed on the mixer to medium and whip the frosting for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Mix the buttercream on the lowest speed for several minutes to remove air bubbles.
Chocolate Ganache
- Heat the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave until bubbling (about 30 to 60 seconds). Place the semisweet chocolate chips in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Let the mixture sit for 1 minutes. Stir the hot cream and chocolate together until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool.
Assembling the Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- Place one cake layer on a round cake board. Add desired amount of peppermint buttercream to the top of the layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Add the second cake layer, more buttercream, and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Add the final cake layer to the top of the cake. Be sure the bottom of the cake layer is facing up. With an offset spatula, add a crumb coat, a thin layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper to remove excess frosting to smooth the sides. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to firm the buttercream.
- Add a generous layer of the peppermint buttercream to the chilled cake with an offset spatula. Use a cake scraper to remove excess buttercream and smooth the sides of the cake. Use your hands to gently press the peppermint sprinkles around the bottom of the cake. Chill for an additional 20 minutes.
- Pour the slightly warm chocolate ganache on the top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the ganache over the top of the cake and create drips on the sides.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 869 piping tip with the remaining peppermint buttercream frosting. Pipe a border of buttercream around the top edge of the cake and decorate with additional peppermint sprinkles.
Notes
- Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve the cake at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
Can this cake be made in 2 or 3 8″ pans?
Hi Terry! Yes, absolutely! The baking time will likely vary from the instructions. You could do either 2 or 3 8-inch pans. If you do 2 pans, the baking time will be longer and with 3 pans, the cake layers will be thinner and will likely take slightly less time.