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!
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 474kcal
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.
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