I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! I spent my Christmas holiday traveling with my family in Germany. It was such an amazing experience. Germany knows how to throw a festive and cozy Christmas. Everywhere I turned there was a Christmas market packed with jolly people eating great food and enjoying live musical performances. I ate a lot of amazing foods and desserts that I hope to be brave enough to try making and sharing on here one day! But until then, here’s a outrageously delicious Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cake that’s a great way to make use of all the peppermint candies you may have laying around. This cake is a showstopper worthy of a New Year’s party celebration!
Yield: 12
Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
This Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cake is made using THE BEST chocolate cake recipe! The chocolate cake is honestly perfect. I've made it over and over and have found no fault with it! This time I gave it a peppermint flair with Peppermint Buttercream, and garnishes of crushed candy canes and peppermint bark.
prep time: 3 hourcook time: 35 Mtotal time: 3 H & 35 M
ingredients:
Chocolate Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups HOT water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Peppermint Buttercream
- 2 cups softened unsalted butter
- 8 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 8-12 drops peppermint oil (to taste)
Chocolate Drizzle Drip
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
Garnishes
- Peppermint Bark
- Candy Canes
instructions:
How to cook Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together.
- Add in the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract and combine.
- Finally, mix in the hot water.
- Grease and line three 8-inch cake rounds, and evenly divide the cake batter. About 3 cups or so per round.
- Bake for 30-35 min or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in freezer overnight or until completely cooled.
Peppermint Buttercream
- Place the softened unsalted butter into a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
- Mix in the vanilla, and add the heavy cream incrementally. Mix until smooth.
- Add 8-12 drops (or more/less to preferred taste) peppermint essential oil to the frosting and mix well.
Chocolate Drizzle Drip
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the heavy cream for about 1 minute.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. If the chocolate chips need to melt more, pop in the microwave for 15 second increments and stir.
- Let cool for an hour in the fridge.
Assembly
- Place a dollop of buttercream on a cake stand to secure the first layer.
- Place the first layer on top and spread with an even layer of butter cream.
- Repeat with the next two layers.
- Once all the layers are placed on one another, frost the cake in a light layer of frosting and freeze for about 10 minutes.
- Once the frosting has set, frost the rest of the cake.
- Pour the cooled ganache around the edges of the cake, and add decorations of crushed candy canes, peppermint bark, and pipped frosting.
- For the two-toned piped frosting look, paint the insides of a pastry bag vertically with red food coloring, fill the pastry bag with frosting and pipe your desired shape!
NOTES:
-If you don't have 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk you can use 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt. Just as good!
-I like to make the cake rounds the night before and stick them in the freezer overnight. The cake is easier to work with when cool, and stays deliciously moist. Just make sure to wrap each round in plastic wrap.
