Description

This rich and festive Chocolate Peppermint Cake features moist cocoa layers infused with peppermint flavor and is beautifully frosted with a creamy Peppermint Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Perfect for holiday celebrations, it combines the classic flavors of chocolate and peppermint with a light, silky buttercream that's both visually stunning and delicious.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Peppermint Cake:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
3/4 cup hot water or hot coffee
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract, optional

Peppermint Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

6 large egg whites
2 cup granulated sugar, lightly packed
2 cups unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract or more to taste
Bright white color gel
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
Red color gel

Assembly:

1/2 cup crushed candy canes plus more for outside of cake
Candy cane sprinkles

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Instructions

Prepare the Cake Batter: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 6″ round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine all dry ingredients and stir to mix thoroughly. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients, slowly adding hot water or coffee to avoid cooking the eggs if very hot. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the batter is very thin.
Bake the Cakes: Evenly pour the batter into the prepared pans, using a kitchen scale if desired to ensure equal amounts. Bake for 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out mostly clean. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pans before turning them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until blended. Place the bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F or is no longer grainy to the touch (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the bowl is no longer warm (approximately 5-10 minutes).
Add Butter to Meringue: Switch the mixer to the paddle attachment. Gradually add cubed butter while mixing until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and peppermint extracts and mix until fully incorporated. Remove 1 1/2 cups of buttercream to a separate bowl; add powdered sugar and red color gel to make the red frosting. Use bright white color gel to whiten the remaining buttercream if desired.
Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread about 2/3 cup of buttercream over the layer and sprinkle with 1/4 cup crushed candy canes if desired. Repeat with the remaining layers. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting around the cake and chill for 20 minutes to set.
Final Frosting and Decoration: Frost the outside of the cake generously, smoothing with an icing smoother. Use a cake comb on the sides to achieve an even finish by scraping off excess frosting each time until smooth. Pipe red buttercream dollops on top using a 1M piping tip, spacing them apart. Pipe smaller white buttercream dollops in between using a 4B tip. Decorate the base with crushed candy canes and candy cane sprinkles to finish.

Notes

Ensure there are no traces of egg yolks in the whites and that your mixer bowl and whisk are completely grease-free to achieve stiff meringue peaks.
The Swiss meringue buttercream may appear curdled during mixing; keep beating until it becomes smooth and creamy.
Use hot coffee instead of water in the batter for a deeper chocolate flavor.
The peppermint extract is optional but enhances the festive flavor profile.
Use a kitchen scale for precise batter distribution to ensure even cake layers.
Chilling the cake after applying a crumb coat helps the final frosting layer to be smoother and easier to work with.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 450 kcal
Sugar: 45 g
Sodium: 250 mg
Fat: 25 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 55 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg