Y’all my Chocolate Peppermint Cake ain’t your average Christmas dessert, y’all. This thing is next level. I love the moist fudgy texture of the pound cake. I also add a little peppermint flavor to it and bake it up before drizzling on my peppermint ganache. I love the ease of making it but it’s also gorgeous so get into it boos.
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Ingredient Notes
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Dutch-processed works great if you want an even deeper taste.
- Instant Coffee Powder: Just a pinch, but it makes the chocolate flavor pop. Don’t worry, no one will taste the coffee!
- Buttermilk: You can swap in homemade by adding one tablespoon and one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and let it sit for five minutes.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips: or bittersweet chips.
How to make Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Step 1: Beat the butter on high speed using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer. Add the granulated sugar to the butter slowly. Cream the two together, it will be very pale yellow and fluffy when it’s ready.
Step 2: Add the eggs one at a time mixing after each one. Be sure to stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing.
Step 3: Add the flour in two batches and mix it into the sugar, butter, and egg mixture using the lowest speed. Be very careful you don’t over beat.
Step 4: Add in the cocoa powder, coffee powder, baking powder, and salt. Then add the melted chocolate, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
Step 5: Mix everything just until they come together. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in your preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Step 6: Cool the cake in the pan and then invert it onto a serving plate. Let it finish cooling to room temperature. Lightly cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap so it does not dry out.
Step 7: Add the heavy cream and corn syrup to a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat until hot. Remove the pot from the heat, add the chocolate, and whisk together.
Step 8: Add the peppermint extract. Whisk until smooth and then allow the ganache to cool and thicken.
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Step 9: Drizzle the ganache over the cooled cake and let it set.
Step 10: Garnish with crushed peppermint candies and serve!
Chocolate Peppermint Cake Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature 3 sticks
- 2 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cups buttermilk room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons corn syrup
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ⅛- ¼ teaspoon Pure Peppermint Extract
- Crushed holiday peppermint for garnish
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Liberally prepare a 12-cup Bundt pan with the nonstick method of your choice.
- Pour the chocolate chips into a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating interval, until the chocolate is melted.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 2 minutes on high speed. Slowly add the granulated sugar. Cream together for an additional 5 minutes, until very pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed and slowly add the flour in 2 batches. Be careful not to overbeat. Add the cocoa powder, coffee powder, baking powder, and salt. Lastly, add the melted chocolate, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Make sure the chocolate cools slightly so as to not curdle the buttermilk. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until just combined. Be careful to not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 70 to 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check frequently to ensure you do not overbake this cake.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Let cool to room temperature. Lightly cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap so it does not dry out.
For the Glaze:
- In a small saucepan, add heavy cream and corn syrup and heat over medium heat until hot.
- Remove from heat then stir in chocolate. Continue to whisk until smooth then add in peppermint extract and allow to cool and thicken.
- Drizzle over cooled cake and let set. Garnish with crushed peppermint candy and serve.
Notes
- Don’t Over Mix the Cake Batter: Once you add the flour to the mixture, the gluten will begin to form and mixing intensifies this process. You want to mix just until all the ingredients come together and no more.
- Cool in the Pan: The cake will be very tender when you remove it from the oven. Letting it cool for 10 minutes in the pan gives it a bit of time to set up so it doesn’t break when it’s inverted.
- Wait to Add the Ganache: Make sure you allow the cake to cool completely before you pour the ganache over the top. If the cake is warm it may slide right off!
- Don’t Burn the Cream For the Ganache: Dairy heats very quickly and can bubble up and make a huge mess as well as take on an off-flavor when scalded. I suggest sticking quite close to the stove as the corn syrup and dairy are heating and giving it a frequent stir. As soon as you see little bubbles form around the edges, it is hot enough, and you can remove it from the heat and continue making the ganache.
How to store Chocolate Peppermint Pound Cake
After baking your pound cake, keep it lightly covered so that it doesn’t dry out before you add the ganache. Once you add the ganache, store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge. I suggest using a tall cake container to keep it well-sealed but it can also be wrapped in plastic wrap instead.How long will Chocolate Peppermint Pound Cake last?
On the counter, this beauty will stay moist and delicious for up to 3 days, but you and I know it won’t last that long! If you keep it in the fridge, it’ll hang on for up to a week.Can I freeze peppermint bundt cake?
Yep, you can freeze it! Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap, then foil, and stash it in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze the glaze separately in a freezer-safe container. Just thaw the cake and glaze in the fridge overnight, then warm up the glaze before drizzling.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Over Mix the Cake Batter: Once you add the flour to the mixture, the gluten will begin to form and mixing intensifies this process. You want to mix just until all the ingredients come together and no more.
- Cool in the Pan: The cake will be very tender when you remove it from the oven. Letting it cool for 10 minutes in the pan gives it a bit of time to set up so it doesn’t break when it’s inverted.
- Wait to Add the Ganache: Make sure you allow the cake to cool completely before you pour the ganache over the top. If the cake is warm it may slide right off!
- Don’t Burn the Cream For the Ganache: Dairy heats very quickly and can bubble up and make a huge mess as well as take on an off-flavor when scalded. I suggest sticking quite close to the stove as the corn syrup and dairy are heating and giving it a frequent stir. As soon as you see little bubbles form around the edges, it is hot enough, and you can remove it from the heat and continue making the ganache.
Recipe help
First, remember always to grease that pan like your life depends on it. If it’s still stuck, flip it upside down on a rack or plate and let gravity do its thing. Give it a gentle shake or tap. If it’s still stubborn, carefully run a knife around the edges.
Use my homemade cake release for the best release. Just 3 ingredients and I store mine in the fridge.
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Great cake though made it plain can’t wait to make it with the peppermint.
You often say use the whisk attachment and I wonder if that’s a typo or the method to make it. Because most recipes say use the paddle attachment or do you switch after you’ve whisked the butter.
Definitely not a typo but intentional. I find that the whisk whips more air into the batter.
I love chocolate in any form its my fave other then cheesecake yummmm!
Ms. Jocelyn is it instant coffee or coffee powder, please respond want to make two cakes these weekend.
You will need just the instant coffee powder.
Can’t find coffee powder?
That’s ok. You can also omit it from the recipe.
The chocolate is so rich and decadent and the peppermint is so fun and festive
This cake is my new holiday favorite!! All of my favorite flavors and I can’t wait to make this again in a few weeks. 🙂
Delicious yet simple recipe that the whole family loved. Can’t wait to make it again!
Made this for a neighbor. They were so happy! This is their favorite flavor combo. So moist! We had a slice with coffee and visited. So nice.