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Chocolate Peppermint Holiday Cake

December 16, 2014 by Kayley 61 Comments

Chocolate Peppermint Holiday Cake | thekitchenmccabe.com

Peppermint and chocolate is the perfect flavor combination for the Christmas season. I’ll peppermint anything I can, even if it’s not chocolate, as is probably obvious by now(see HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE,ย and HERE).

Yep. Love me some mint chocolate.

This Peppermint Chocolate Holiday Cake makes a wonderful, stunning dessert for any party or occasion. Layers of dark chocolate mint cake are frosted with a pink peppermint cream cheese buttercream. Rich ganache is draped over the top and the whole cake is sprinkled with crushed candy cane and these little Peppermint Meringue Kisses make the perfect, festive garnish.

Chocolate Peppermint Holiday Cake | thekitchenmccabe.com

ย The cake itself is easy enough to frost, seeing as perfection is not required thanks to the thick layer of chocolate ganache that blankets the top, easily hiding any imperfections. The ganache itself is ridiculously easy to prepare.

The one thing that will need to be made ahead of time is the peppermint meringue kisses, which need at least 5 hours to bake and cool. So bake those the day before if making this cake . And make sure to have extra meringues on hand, I promise they’ll be popular ๐Ÿ˜‰

Chocolate Peppermint Holiday Cake | thekitchenmccabe.com

Tips for slicing the cake:

You will need to remove the meringues from the top before slicing. After each slice is cut, top with a meringue or two, and place some on the side of the plate, if desired.

Keep your slicing knife in a large cup of boiling hot water. This will make your cuts smooth as the hot knife will glide through the cold cake. Keep a towel close by that you can use to wipe the water off the knife before each slice.

Chocolate Peppermint Holiday Cake | thekitchenmccabe.comChocolate Peppermint Holiday Cake | thekitchenmccabe.com

Chocolate Peppermint Holiday Cake
 
Print
Serves: 1 8 or 9 inch cake
Ingredients
  • 1 recipe Chocolate Mint Cakes(baked in 3 layers in 8" cake pans, leveled and cooled)
  • 1 C. Butter(2 sticks), softened
  • 8 oz.(1 pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened
  • ¼ t. Salt
  • Red Gel Food Color
  • 1 t. Vanilla Extract
  • ½ t. Peppermint Extract
  • 2 lb. Powdered Sugar
  • 2-3 T. Milk
  • 1½ C. Dark Chocolate chips
  • 1 C. Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 2 Candy Canes, crushed
  • Peppermint Meringue Kisses(for garnish)
Instructions
  1. Make the chocolate mint cake according to recipe instructions, baking in 3, 8" baking pans instead of mini bundts, Let cool and level the tops off.
  2. FOR THE FROSTING:
  3. Place the butter, cream cheese, salt, and a little red food color together in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat together with the paddle attachment until smooth and creamy.
  4. Add in the vanilla and peppermint extract. Add ¼ of the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add 1 T. of milk and beat into the frosting. Add another ¼ of the powdered sugar, beating in on low speed until incorporated. Add another T. of milk and mix in.
  5. Repeat this process until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. Add more milk, if necessary, until desired consistency is achieved. Scrap the bowl down with a rubber spatula. Beat one more time on medium speed until the frosting is smooth.
  6. Frost the cake with the peppermint frosting, keeping the frosting level between each level, covering the cake with the frosting and smoothing over the top and sides. Chill in the fridge.
  7. FOR THE GANACHE:
  8. Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave at 30 second intervals until the cream is very hot. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until smooth. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, in the center, and spread it to the edges of the cake, nudging portions of the ganache over the sides and allowing it to drip down. Smooth the ganache on top of the cake.
  9. Sprinkle the crushed candy cane around the top edges of the cake. Refrigerate until the ganache is firm and set.
  10. Top with peppermint meringue kisses before displaying or serving.
3.2.2925

Cake inspired by Southern Living Magazine

Frosting recipe via Southern Living

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Filed Under: Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts, Holidays

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Comments

  1. Jess @ What Jessica Baked Next says

    December 16, 2014 at 5:04 PM

    This cake is absolutely stunning! Love the peppermint chocolate flavour, so good! Perfect holiday bake!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 16, 2014 at 5:13 PM

      Thanks so much, Jessica!

      Reply
  2. Tina @ Just Putzing Around the Kitchen says

    December 16, 2014 at 5:51 PM

    This cake is insanely gorgeous! I need you to teach me how to decorate cakes….

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 17, 2014 at 12:57 AM

      Thank you so much Tina! =)

      Reply
  3. Kate | Food Babbles says

    December 17, 2014 at 2:04 AM

    This is absolutely stunning!! I will definitely be making this for Christmas and for every possible occasion before and after. Yum!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 17, 2014 at 7:13 PM

      Thanks Kate! I hope you like it! =)

      Reply
  4. Samina | The Cupcake Confession says

    December 17, 2014 at 12:53 PM

    What an absolute stunner this cake is!!!!! Loving the mint cake with the peppermint buttercream and that layer of chocolate ganache on top of that sliced cake is just WOW! Pinning this!!!!! <3 Loved it!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 17, 2014 at 7:13 PM

      Thank you so much, Samina! I appreciate your kind comments! =)

      Reply
  5. Geraldine | Green Valley Kitchen says

    December 17, 2014 at 4:04 PM

    Wow – what a beautiful cake. I’ve never decorated with ganache before – but you’ve inspired to me. Just gorgeous!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 17, 2014 at 7:12 PM

      Thank you Geraldine! I hope you try using the ganache…it’s really so easy!

      Reply
  6. Erica says

    December 17, 2014 at 4:38 PM

    Wait…seriously? Is this real life? Omg. That looks otherworldly good….Pinned!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 17, 2014 at 7:12 PM

      Haha…thanks so much, Erica!

      Reply
  7. Dana @ 3boysurocessed says

    December 17, 2014 at 6:27 PM

    This is beautiful! Love those meringue kisses!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 17, 2014 at 7:11 PM

      Thank you Dana!

      Reply
  8. Miranda @ Cookie Dough & Oven Mitt says

    December 17, 2014 at 6:45 PM

    What a gorgeous cake! Those meringues on top just send this cake over the top! Beautiful photos too. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 17, 2014 at 7:11 PM

      Thank you so much, Miranda!

      Reply
  9. Jessica @ Jessica in the Kitchen says

    December 17, 2014 at 7:26 PM

    This cake is a real stunner! Love the festivity and all the chocolate!!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 17, 2014 at 7:48 PM

      Thank you Jessica! =)

      Reply
  10. Amy says

    December 17, 2014 at 8:33 PM

    My favorite Christmas flavor combination is chocolate and peppermint and this looks absolutely divine. I can not wait to make this cake!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 17, 2014 at 9:24 PM

      Thank you Amy! They are my favorite flavors too! =)

      Reply
  11. Baby June says

    December 19, 2014 at 3:29 AM

    That is FLAWLESS. So beautiful. Even better that it has chocolate + peppermint ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 19, 2014 at 4:32 AM

      Thank you so much! =)

      Reply
  12. Lauren says

    December 3, 2015 at 2:04 AM

    Stunning cake! Id like to make this for our family Christmas party! Can you tell me if im supposed to frost the top of the cake with the buttercream? The picture looks like there isnt any pink frosting but the directions say to frost the top under #6. I want to make this perfect like the pic!
    Thanks so muh in advance!

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 6, 2015 at 10:02 PM

      Hi Lauren! You can frost the top of the cake if you like. I didn’t because it’s not necessary, visually. It won’t make a difference in how it looks if you do frost the top, though. =)

      Reply
  13. AB says

    December 13, 2015 at 3:46 PM

    I’m getting ready to make the cake and was wondering how long to bake it for in the 8″ pans,your intructions don’t say.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Kayley says

      December 15, 2015 at 1:10 AM

      Sorry about that! it should take 20-25 minutes =)

      Reply
  14. Sharon Brown says

    December 25, 2016 at 12:16 PM

    Amazing cake recipe and really detailed instructions. Making it for Christmas 2016 family dinner! Looks awesome!!!

    Reply
  15. Jenna says

    December 22, 2017 at 6:30 PM

    Hello! What a gorgeous recipe – I will be making it for Christmas this year! How do you store this cake? Cheers ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  16. angelamillswatson says

    April 28, 2019 at 6:58 PM

    So the 2 lbs of powder sugar is all for the peppermint frosting right? How much is 2lbs? A box or two?

    Reply

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My name is Kayley! Welcome To The Kitchen McCabe, a blog based on wholesome recipes, beautiful food and photography. More >>

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