Chocolate Peppermint Pound Cake

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The Lowdown on This Chocolate Peppermint Pound Cake

Christmas is right around the corner boos, and I’ve got the perfect dessert to put you right in the holiday spirit: Chocolate Peppermint Pound Cake!

This ain’t your average Xmas pound cake, y’all. It has layers of chocolatey goodness, a glossy peppermint glaze that’s just the right amount of minty, and a sprinkle of crushed holiday peppermint on top to bring the festive sparkle. Santa’s not the only one who deserves a treat this year!

In my family, baking is like a love language, especially when the holidays roll around. There’s nothing like getting in the kitchen with my mama and auntie, whipping up something sweet that we can share with others.

But let me tell you, this chocolate peppermint cake? It’s decadent, rich, and straight-up heavenly. Yes boos, I’m all about that chocolate life during the holiday season! Get into it y’all!

Ingredients you’ll need to make Chocolate Peppermint Pound Cake

For the Cake

• Butter: The flavor butter gives to cakes is simply divine, y’all. Rich, tender, and ABSOLUTELY necessary.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake to perfection.
• Eggs: These give the cake structure and richness. Use room temp eggs for the best results!
• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the cake.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Brings all that chocolate flavor to the Xmas party. 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!
• Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise.
• Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
• Buttermilk: Adds tang and keeps your chocolate peppermint bundt cake cake moist.
• Vanilla Extract: A warm, cozy undertone that’s essential in pretty much any pound cake. High-quality vanilla makes a difference here!
• Semisweet Chocolate Chips: Melted into the batter for even more chocolate goodness.

For the Glaze

• Heavy Cream: The base for a smooth and luscious glaze.
• Corn Syrup: Keeps the glaze glossy and perfect for drizzling.
• Semisweet Chocolate Chips: These melt into the cream for a rich, chocolatey topping.
• Pure Peppermint Extract: Just a dash to bring that holiday magic! Too much can overpower, so go easy.
• Crushed Peppermint Candy: The festive crunch on top. You could switch it up with white chocolate shavings, but peppermint is what makes this cake scream Christmas!

How to make Chocolate Peppermint Pound Cake

Step 1: Mix the Cake Batter and Bake It Up!

1

Beat the butter on high speed using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer.

2

Add the granulated sugar to the butter slowly. Cream the two together, it will be very pale yellow and fluffy when it’s ready.

3

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.

4

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.

5

Add in the cocoa powder, coffee powder, baking powder, and salt. Then add the melted chocolate, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.

6

Mix everything just until they come together. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

7

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.

8

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 2: Make the Glaze and Glaze the Cake

9

Add the heavy cream and corn syrup to a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat until hot.

10

Remove the pot from the heat, add the chocolate, and whisk together.

11

Add the peppermint extract.

12

Whisk until smooth and then allow the ganache to cool and thicken.

13

Drizzle the ganache over the cooled cake and let it set.

14

Garnish with crushed peppermint candies and serve!

What to serve with chocolate peppermint bundt cake

• This pound cake is ideal for the winter holidays, boos! Consider serving at the end of Christmas dinner or your any holiday dinner parties you have planned. It’s perfect after your fried turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
• Serve it up with your favorite holiday beverage like this Christmas punch, a cup of French hot chocolate, or homemade eggnog.
• For extra indulgence, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, coffee ice cream, mocha ice cream, or homemade whipped cream.

Menu Option: Southern Holiday Spread With Chocolate Peppermint Pound Cake

This honey glazed ham is cooked in its own juices and glazed with a mixture of honey, pineapple juice and brown sugar.

My creamed spinach is pure comfort food! The ultimate accompaniment to any weeknight or holiday dinner.

This Southern potato salad is a classic staple recipe! Ham is made to be paired with anything potato, as simple as that.

This cranberry orange Chex party mix is the ultimate holiday snack to go with a slice of chocolate peppermint cake.

Recipe Substitutions

• Skip the Peppermint: Y’all can enjoy this chocolate pound cake without the peppermint flavoring! Make the chocolate ganache as instructed and replace the peppermint extract with vanilla.
• Buttermilk: You can make your own! Simply add one tablespoon and one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to the regular milk in this recipe and let it sit for five minutes.
• Replace the Peppermint Candies: Chop Andes mints or another chocolate mint candy for a decadent topping for the cake.
• Swap Out the Chocolate Pound Cake: The peppermint ganache would work great with my chocolate brownie swirl pound cake instead!

Recipe Variations and Additions

• Different Flavored Ganache: Replace the peppermint with almond flavoring and top the ganache with crushed toffee pieces or toasted almonds.
• More Chocolate: Toss in a handful of chocolate chips to the batter if you’re as crazy about chocolate as me!
• Nuts: Fold in some crushed pecans or walnuts into the batter for a nutty chocolate peppermint pound cake!
• Extra Festive Vibes: Add red and green sprinkles to the batter or on top of the glaze. This one’s perfect if you’ve got kiddos helping out, they all love sprinkles.

Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best chocolate peppermint cake recipe

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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!
4. 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.

Frequently asked questions

If you’re on the hunt for a holiday dessert that’s gonna have everyone doing a double-take, you need to get into this Chocolate Peppermint Pound Cake! You just can’t beat that fudgy, chocolatey goodness in every rich, moist slice. And when you drizzle that silky, smooth peppermint ganache on top? Child, you’ve got yourself a show-stopping Christmas cake that’s nothing short of spectacular!

Looking for more pound cake flavors boos? Discover all my pound cake recipes in one place so you can pick your favorite!

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

• Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
• German Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe 
• Chocolate Birthday Cake
• Raspberry Chocolate Cake
• Mint Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Pound Cake with Peppermint Ganache Glaze

This Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake uses my chocolate pound cake and pairs it with a peppermint chocolate ganache and is topped with crushed peppermint!

4.18 from 41 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Dessert

Servings: 16 servings

Equipment

• 1 Stand mixer
• 1 12 cup bundt pan

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

US Customary – Metric

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 474kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 760IU | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2.2mg

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