Peppermint Candy Cane Cake with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
User Reviews
5
Peppermint Candy Cane Cake with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
Description
This peppermint cake combines a richly flavored peppermint batter made with eggs, sugar, melted butter and coconut oil, buttermilk, and Greek yogurt. The flour is sifted with baking powder, baking soda, and salt ensuring an even rise. The cake layers are filled with a cream cheese mixture made from room-temperature cream cheese and butter blended with powdered sugar, egg, flour, and vanilla extract for a dense, tangy filling. Crushed candy canes folded into the batter and frosting provide bursts of peppermint crunch.
The frosting complements the cake with softened cream cheese and butter mixed with peppermint extract and powdered sugar, thinned slightly with heavy cream to achieve spreadable consistency. The cake is often baked in a bundt pan but can be adapted to mini bundt pans or cupcake tins for smaller portions. Red food coloring adds a festive touch to the pale batter, while the crushed peppermint candies contribute texture and holiday flavor.
This cake is suitable for holiday celebrations, offering a refreshing peppermint profile contrasted with the richness of cream cheese. The combination of a moist crumb, creamy filling, and peppermint crunch creates a multi-textured dessert. Variations include gluten-free flours or adjustments for high-altitude baking as described in the notes. The cake can also be baked in sheet or cupcake pans for convenient serving sizes.
For best results, bring dairy ingredients to room temperature before mixing to ensure smooth batter and filling. Avoid overbaking to maintain moistness. When baking mini cakes or cupcakes, reduce the baking time accordingly. The cake stores well refrigerated and benefits from being served slightly chilled to maintain frosting texture.
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature, 1 package
- 4 tablespoons butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar aka confectioners sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peppermint Cake Batter
- 3 large egg room temperature, if you forgot, submerge eggs in bowl of warm, not hot water, 5-7 minutes
- 2 cups granulated sugar reduce to 1 ⅔ cup for High altitude
- 12 tablespoons butter melted (I used salted, if using unsalted add ¼ teaspoon additional salt)
- 1/3 cup coconut oil melted, or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature, I used whole milk, other % may be used
- 1/2 cup yogurt room temperature, plain, Greek
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted, (Increase to 3 ¼ cups for high altitude)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder reduce to ¾ teaspoon for high altitude
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup candy canes crushed, or peppermint candies
- 10 drops red food coloring optional
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter ½ stick, room temperature
- 4 ounce cream cheese room temp, regular or Neufchâtel
- 1 ¼-1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ cup candy canes crushed, or peppermint candies to sprinkle on top
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream half and half or milk, if needed to thin
Instructions
Step 1 | Prep Pan, Oven and Ingredients
- Remove eggs, cream cheese, butter, buttermilk, Greek yogurt from fridge one hour before baking.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175° C); see notes for high altitude. Grease a 10-inch (12 cup) Bundt pan with baking release spray or brush well with soft butter and flour, knocking out excess. Set aside.
- Sift together flour (3 cups), baking powder (1 teaspoon), baking soda (½ teaspoon), and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) in a separate bowl.
Step 2 | Make Cream Cheese Filling
- In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese (8 ounces) and butter (4 tablespoons) until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add egg, flour (4 tablespoons), and vanilla (1 teaspoon) and continue beating until smooth; 2-3 minutes on medium. Set aside.
Step 3 | Make Peppermint Cake Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs (3 eggs) and sugar (2 cups) for 3 minutes on high speed, until fluffy and pale in color.
- Slowly drizzle in melted butter (12 tablespoons), coconut oil (⅓ cup), and peppermint extract (2 teaspoons), with mixer on medium-high speed.
- Add buttermilk (½ cup) and Greek Yogurt (½ cup) until well blended with the mixer on low.
- Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients about ⅓ cup at a time and mix on low speed until blended. Add Crushed Candy Canes (½ cup) and, if adding, add red food coloring (10 drops) until the desired hue. Mix on low speed until just combined; do not overmix.
Step 4 | Prepare Bundt and Bake
- Spoon about ⅔ of the peppermint cake batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan (eyeballing it is fine). Spread all of the cream cheese filling evenly on top of the batter.
- Note: The cream cheese batter is thick, as best you can, avoid the edges of the pan and spoon the cream cheese filling as evenly as possible. Pour the remaining peppermint cake batter evenly on top and smooth. Place a pot holder under the bundt pan and give 2-3 taps to settle the batter.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean, with some moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto a wire rack, remove Bundt pan, and cool completely before frosting.
Step 5 | Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter (¼ cup) and cream cheese (4 ounces) in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Note: if your butter and cream cheese are too cool, this will not be as smooth. Make sure they are room temperature.
- Add powdered sugar (1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups), a ½ cup at a time with the mixer on low. Then add in the Peppermint Extract (1 tsp) and cream until desired consistency (1-2 tablespoons). Add more powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency.
- Decorate using Crushed Candy Canes as desired.
Notes
- To make this cake gluten-free, substitute with reputable all-purpose gluten-free flour blends or use almond and oat flours carefully.
- High-altitude adjustments include reducing sugar and leavening agents and increased flour with careful baking time monitoring.
- Mini bundt or cupcake pans can be used to make smaller portion cakes; bake 18-25 minutes depending on size.
- A 9×13-inch baking pan can be used, layering cake batter and cream cheese filling, gently swirling before baking.
- Bring all dairy ingredients to room temperature before baking for smoother texture.
- Watch baking times closely to avoid overbaking for moist results.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12-16 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 507 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 507kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 59g | 20% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 108mg | 36% |
| Sodium | 342mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 98mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 39g | 78% |
| Vitamin A | 818IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 0.01mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 67mg | 7% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
