I stole this recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake from Southern Living: Christmas Cookbook 2016. A beautiful layered cake perfect for Christmas! Four layers of cake are made with chocolate cake batter made from scratch. Peppermint butter cream frosting is made with butter, cream and powdered sugar. Crushed peppermint candies and red food coloring are mixed with part of the frosting for between the layers. Moist chocolate cake layered with red peppermint frosting and covered with snow white frosting is the final result of this recipe.
Did you know? There are over 30 species of mint; the two most popular and widely available are peppermint and spearmint.¹ (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)
Chop 3 oz bittersweet chocolate.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 2 (8 inch) cake pans with shortening. Line the pans with parchment paper; grease the parchment paper and dust with flour. Bring 1 cup butter, ¼ cup unsweetened dark cocoa and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking often until butter melts. Add the chopped chocolate, whisking until melted.
Combine 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl.
Whisk the butter mixture into the flour mixture until blended.
Add ½ cup buttermilk, 2 beaten eggs and 1 tsp vanilla; whisk until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Crush peppermint stick candies to yield ½ cup.
Beat 1 ½ cups butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 8 cups powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended.
Beat in 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp peppermint extract and ⅛ tsp salt. Add ¼ cup heavy cream; beat at medium speed 1 minute or until smooth. Transfer 2¼ cups of the frosting to a bowl. Stir in the crushed peppermint candies and 2 drops red food coloring.
Spread ¾ cup tinted frosting between each cake layer.
Spread the remaining 3 ¼ cups white frosting on top and sides of cake.
Slice and enjoy!
Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- Shortening
- Parchment
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups (9 oz) AP flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 8 oz (1 cup) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup unsweetened dark cocoa
- 1 cup water
- 3 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting:
- 12 oz (1 ½ cups) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup crushed peppermint stick candies
- 2 drops red liquid food coloring
Instructions
Make the cake:
-
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 2 (8 inch) cake pans with shortening. Line the pans with parchment paper; grease the parchment paper and dust with flour.
-
Combine the granulated sugar, flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Bring the butter, cocoa and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking often until butter melts. Add the chocolate, whisking until melted. Whisk the butter mixture into the flour mixture until blended. Add the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla; whisk until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
-
Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks (about 1 hour). Cut the layers in half horizontally.
Make the frosting:
-
Beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Beat in the vanilla, peppermint extract and salt. Add the cream; beat at medium speed 1 minute or until smooth. Transfer 2 ¼ cups of the frosting to a bowl. Stir in the crushed peppermint candies and red food coloring; spread ¾ cup tinted frosting between layers. Spread the remaining 3 ¼ cups white frosting on top and sides of cake.
Recipe Notes
I use 4 pans instead of 2 pans, so I do not have to try to cut the pans evenly horizontally. If you use 4 pans, pour 1 ¼ cup + 2 tbsp batter into each pan. Bake the pans for 30 minutes, rotating in the oven every 10 minutes.