Make This Red, White & Candy Cane Coated Cake for the Holidays
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Celebrate the holidays with a beautiful shortcut dessert that doesn't skimp on the wow factor! This Dark Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake starts with a cake mix and ends with a flourish of old-fashioned candies. It's sure to wow everyone in your family and they'll never guess how easy it was to make! Serve this wonderful winter cake in big slices with big mugs of peppermint hot chocolate - it's the holidays, tis the season to go all out!
Related: 25 Impressive Christmas Desserts
Ingredients You Need for Dark Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake
Dark chocolate fudge cake mix (like Duncan Hines)
Instant chocolate pudding mix
Eggs
Oil
Sour cream
Peppermint extract
Softened butter
Powered sugar
Salt
Whole milk
White chocolate
Red food coloring
Crushed peppermint candies
Related: 80 Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes That Make Great Gifts
How to Decorate Dark Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake
Decorate it with crushed peppermint candies or candy canes, or try pieces of chocolate peppermint bark for an even more indulgent treat. Peppermint chocolate kisses or chocolate-dipped peppermint meringues would also look beautiful and taste amazing!
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Ingredients
1 (15.25-oz) pkg dark chocolate fudge cake mix (like Duncan Hines)
1 (3.9-oz) pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
3?4 cup oil
1?2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
3 tsp peppermint extract, divided
1 lb (4 sticks) butter, softened
8 cups powdered sugar
1?8 tsp salt
1?3 cup whole milk
2 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
2 drops red food coloring
Crushed peppermint candies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray.
Using a hand or stand mixer, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, water, sour cream and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract. Mix just until smooth. Divide batter evenly between pans. Gently tap pans on counter to release air bubbles.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove pans to cooling rack for 15 minutes, then turn cake layers out onto rack to cool completely.
Using a hand or stand mixer on LOW, combine butter, powdered sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons peppermint extract and salt, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is spreadable.
Divide frosting into two bowls. Fold white chocolate into one bowl. Add food coloring to second bowl and stir to create swirls.
Spoon swirled frosting onto bottom cake layer and spread, allowing some to extend a bit beyond the edges. Top with second cake layer and frost entire cake with white chocolate frosting. Decorate top and sides of cake with crushed peppermint candies.
Kitchen Counter
Per serving: 975 cal, 52g fat, 156mg chol, 7g prot, 125g carbs, 105g sugar, 0g fiber, 597mg sodium
