Festive Peppermint Chocolate Cake Recipe!

 
 

Happy Sunday everyone! Despite the madness surrounding COVID and all that jazz, I hope 2020 is off to a great start for you (and luckily I now have some extra time on my hands to share a bunch of new, exciting blog posts). My first blog post of the new year will be a super yummy cake recipe that you HAVE to try. This cake was my last creation of 2019 and was a total hit with my entire family. Literally… every last crumb vanished in the blink of an eye. I joked around and said I would name this the ‘Merry Thiccc-Mint’ Cake because it tastes like a giant, decadent thin mint cookie but is extra THICCC! Haha It’s packed with chocolatey goodness, creamy homemade frosting, and a whole lot of crunch. Keep reading for the recipe and directions for baking/assembling!

INGREDIENTS

Cake Base:

  • Butter or nonstick cooking spray (for the pans)

  • 2 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

  • 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon of salt

  • 1/2 cup of vegetable oil

  • 2 cups of granulated sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon of pure peppermint extract

  • 1 and 1/2 cups of whole milk

  • 1 cup of hot, strong-brewed coffee

Crunchy Buttercream Frosting

  • 10 peppermint candies (crushed)

  • 1/2 cup of egg whites

  • 1 and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar

  • 2 cups (4 sticks) of unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon of pure peppermint extract

Chocolate Glaze

  • 3/4 cup of bittersweet chocolate chips

  • 1/3 cup of heavy cream

  • 3 tablespoons of light corn syrup

  • 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Toppings

  • Oreos

  • Peppermint candies (crushed)

  • M-E-R-R-Y marshmallow letters with peppermint

DIRECTIONS

For the cake base:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit).

  2. Grease three 8-inch cake pans.

  3. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).

  4. Using a stand mixer, beat together the oil and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes. Continue to add the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Stop the mixer and make sure that all ingredients are evenly mixed.

  5. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Stop the mixer and make sure that all ingredients are evenly mixed.

  6. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the hot coffee. Mix on medium-low until fully combined. Stop the mixer and make sure that all ingredients are evenly mixed.

  7. Evenly divide the batter into thirds into each of the greased cake pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool completely before decorating.

For the crunchy buttercream frosting:

  1. Place the peppermint candies in a large Ziplock bag, squeeze out any excess air, and use a rolling pin to crush them into very small pieces.

  2. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a stand mixer. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place it over medium heat until lightly simmering. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double-broiler, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Whisking intermittently, heat the egg mixture until it reaches 160 F or is hot to the touch.

  3. Using the stand mixer, beat the hot egg white mixture over high speed for 8-10 minutes, or until it reaches stiff peaks. Over low speed, slowly add the chunks of butter. Once mixed, turn the mixer to medium high and beat until the buttercream is smooth. Add the vanilla and peppermint extract and beat for an additional 30 seconds. Using a spatula, fold in the crushed candy canes.

For the cake assembly:

  1. Level the cooled cake layers with a serrated knife and place them on your desired dish.

  2. Spread on roughly 3/4 cup of the buttercream to one layer with a spatula. Top with the next layer of cake and repeat, ending with the third layer.

  3. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Place in the refrigerator to cool while assembling the chocolate glaze.

For the chocolate glaze:

  1. Finely chop the chocolate bittersweet chips.

  2. In a small saucepan, combine the chopped bittersweet chocolate chips, heavy cream, and corn syrup. 

  3. Place over medium-low heat and stir continuously until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and whisk gently until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the glaze to cool until it is thick, but still can drizzle.

  4. Slowly spoon the chocolate glaze over the edges of the cake, allowing it to drip over the sides. Spoon the remainder of the glaze in the center of the top of the cake and spread it evenly.

  5. Allow the glaze to set at room temperature before adding the toppings.

For the toppings:

  1. Begin decorating the cake by gently pressing crushed peppermint candies into the bottom 1” of the cake.

  2. Top the cake with Oreo halves and any additional toppings of your choice. I added these adorable marshmallow/peppermint ‘M-E-R-R-Y’ letters I found at World Market and they made the perfect festive touch!

  3. SLICE AND ENJOY! :)

Enjoy! :)