Candy Cane Chocolate Cake

November 3, 2020December 23, 2022

If you’re searching for a winter cake to make for an upcoming holiday party, look no further. This chocolaty and minty cake has it all. This candy cane chocolate cake is loaded with flavor. It’s perfect for any Christmas party!

Not the sugary sweet overload you often get with these types of desserts. I’m talking about a balanced and sensational blend of flavors that not only delight your pallet but leave you wanting more. It’s the perfect dessert and, as cakes go, it’s very easy to make. This recipe shows you how to make your own cake mix and frosting using essential ingredients that will push the flavor of your cake over the top and have relatives demanding to know where you got it.

Use a Standing Mixer

While you can certainly mix these ingredients by hand, I highly recommend using a standing mixer to cut down on time and make things easier for you. Also, if you are pressed for time, be aware that you will need to allow the cake to cool before decorating it. If you are having your allotted number of guests over this holiday season per your state and local government mandates, give yourself plenty of leeway so you aren’t having to rush at the last minute.

Cake Stuck in the Pan

9 times out of ten, when somebody reads an article about getting the cake out of a pan, that’s because their cake is already stuck and they need a miracle to get it out. If you don’t make kikes all the time, you may not even be aware that this can be a problem until it’s too late. My recommendation is that you apply your cooking spray or grease very liberally to avoid problems sliding the cake out after it’s baked. If you really want to be careful, line the cake pans with parchment paper and then coat with cooking spray. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially if you don’t have a lot of time for trial and error.

Candy Cane Chocolate Cake

Prep : 10 minutes

Bake time : 25-30 minutes

Decorate time : 15 minutes

Total time : 55 minutes

Ingredients for Cake

3 C flour
1 1/2 C special dark chocolate cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp kosher sal
4 large eggs
1/2 C sour cream
1 C buttermilk
1 1/2 C warm water
1/2 tsp espresso powder
1/2 C canola oil
1 tbsp pure peppermint extract

Ingredients for Frosting

1 1/2 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
1 – 8oz cream cheese, softened
1 1.2 Hershey special dark cocoa powder
1 tbsp pure peppermint extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
7 C powder sugar
1/4 C heavy whipping cream
Large piping bag with medium star tip
Large ice cream scooper
2 C crushed candy canes
8 mini candy canes

Directions for Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray three 9 in cake pans with pam baking spray
In a small bowl, whisk together the espresso and the warm water until combined
Using your standing mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined
Gradually add in the eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, espresso, oil, and vanilla extract until combined and
Divide the batter between the 3 pans
Place in the oven to bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
Allow cakes to cool for 20 minutes

Directions for Frosting

Using the standing mixer again, beat the cream cheese and butter until combined and smooth
Gradually mix in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt
Very slowly, beat in the powder sugar until combined
Whisk in the heavy whipping cream until the ice cream is smooth and fluffy
Using the ice cream scooper, scoop out 4-6 scoops of frosting and smooth evenly on one layer of cake
Place another layer of cake on top and spread more frosting
Place the last layer on top and frost the remaining cake with the remaining frosting
Coat the bottom sides of the cake in the crushed candy canes
Scoop remaining frosting into the large piping bag and pipe dollops of frosting around the top
Place a mini candy cane on each dollop
Cut and enjoy!

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