This decadent Peppermint Chocolate Cake brings together a rich chocolate cake, peppermint buttercream, and crunchy peppermint bark for a festive holiday dessert.
This Peppermint Chocolate Cake is ideal for the Christmas dessert table. It pairs the moist, deeply chocolate Best Chocolate Cake with a bright peppermint buttercream and a topping of peppermint bark or crushed candy cane for extra holiday flair.
Peppermint Chocolate Cake
Two favorite treats become one: a tender, cocoa-rich cake and a creamy peppermint buttercream, finished with crunchy peppermint bark. The result is like your favorite peppermint bark transformed into cake form—perfect for holiday gatherings.
How to Make Peppermint Chocolate Cake
This cake is straightforward to make: prepare a chocolate cake, whip up peppermint buttercream, then assemble and top with chopped peppermint bark or crushed candy canes.
Below are the ingredients and basic steps. Refer to the recipe card for full measurements, notes, and nutrition.
Ingredients for Best Chocolate Cake
See recipe card for full ingredient amounts and details.
Dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor—use store-bought or a homemade version if preferred.
Wet ingredients: milk (dairy or plant-based), oil (neutral oil or melted coconut oil), eggs (room temperature), vanilla extract, and boiling water. The boiling water thins the batter and yields an exceptionally moist cake—do not skip it.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Chocolate Cake
Prep. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans with baking spray or butter and flour.
Whisk dry ingredients. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder in a large bowl or stand mixer.
Mix in wet ingredients. Add milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium until combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water, mixing until smooth.
Bake. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake 30–35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. For three layers, split batter among three pans and check for doneness around 25 minutes.
Frost. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely before frosting with peppermint buttercream.
Ingredients for Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- butter – softened
- confectioner’s sugar – sifted
- peppermint extract
- pinch of salt
- milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
- chopped peppermint bark – for garnish (optional)
If you don’t have peppermint bark, crushed candy canes make a great substitute for garnish.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Frosting
Cream the butter. Beat softened butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium until smooth and lighter in color, about 3 minutes.
Add sugar and beat. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time. After each addition, briefly beat on high for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
Mix in extract and salt. Add peppermint extract and a pinch of salt and mix until combined.
Adjust consistency. Add milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired spreading consistency. For firmer frosting, add more confectioner’s sugar 1/4 cup at a time.
Frost and garnish. After the cake layers are completely cool, assemble and frost the cake. Sprinkle chopped peppermint bark or crushed candy cane on top if desired.
Storage Tips
To store: Keep the frosted cake under a cake dome at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze: Cool baked layers completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and place each layer in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw wrapped in the refrigerator overnight before filling and frosting.
More Favorite Holiday Dessert Recipes
Red Velvet Cake
Chewy Sugar Cookies
Sweet Potato Pie
Cinnamon Rolls
Pecan Pie
Whipped Cream
I hope you love this Peppermint Chocolate Cake as much as we do—it’s a wonderful dessert for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Peppermint Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cake recipe (see instructions above)
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
- 3–4 cups (340–454 g) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) peppermint extract
- Pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt
- 2–3 tablespoons (28–43 g) milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
- 1/2 cup (114 g) chopped peppermint bark, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the chocolate cake as instructed above and allow layers to cool completely.
- Peppermint Buttercream Frosting: Place softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium until smooth and lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
- Gradually add confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. After each addition, briefly beat on high for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
- Add peppermint extract and a pinch of salt, mixing until incorporated.
- Add milk or cream a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. For firmer frosting, add confectioner’s sugar 1/4 cup at a time; for softer frosting, add more milk or cream.
- Frost the cooled cake layers and sprinkle chopped peppermint bark or crushed candy cane on top if desired.
Notes
The cake batter will be thin after adding boiling water; this is normal and makes a moist, tender cake.
For a three-layer cake, split batter among three pans and begin checking for doneness around 25 minutes.
Storage Tips
To store: Keep the cake under a cake dome at room temperature for 3–4 days.
To freeze: Cool layers completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, place in freezer bags, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before filling and frosting.
Nutrition
Calories: 251 kcal
Carbohydrates: 42 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 9 g
Fiber: 1 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Originally published 2013.