“There’s nothing better than cake, but more cake.”
— Harry S. Truman

Peppermint Christmas Cake. December 12, 2023.

My dad and I have always had a shared love of 7-minute frosting on chocolate cake. We especially loved out the outer layer hardened just a bit to give it a nice crackle. The pillowy and marshmallow-like texture and taste of 7-minute frosting is unique and incredibly delicious! To be sure it is a little more involved as well which is probably why we never had it very often growing up. And admittedly, even though I love it I didn’t make it often in my own household. But with Christmas on the way I wanted to pull out this classic frosting and create a festive cake. However, for a holiday touch I added peppermint flavor to the meringue-like frosting for this cake.

My standby chocolate cake recipe is used in this Peppermint Christmas Cake. As noted below I use dark baking cocoa for that rich dark chocolate taste that pairs so well with the peppermint; however, regular baking cocoa is great as well. On another note, the icing makes enough to frost the middle and top of a 9-inch cake. If you want icing for the sides, I recommend doubling the recipe.

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

3 cups cake flour
3 cups sugar
1 cup dark baking cocoa (regular baking cocoa is fine too)
1.5 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cups water

Peppermint Frosting Ingredients

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 egg whites (room temperature)
2 tsps. corn syrup
1 1/2 cups white sugar (not powdered)
2 drops red or pink food coloring

Instructions

Make cake

Combine all dry ingredients in mixer.
In a separate bowl beat together eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture and combine well.
Mix in boiling water. Batter will be thin.
Divide batter equally between 2 9-inch cake pans that have been greased and lined with wax paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until cake is set.
Cool cakes for 10 minutes before removing from pans.
Let cakes finish cooling on rack before frosting.

Make peppermint frosting

Note on frosting: this frosting is enough for the top and middle of a 9-inch cake. If you want more frosting for the sides then double the recipe.
Combine sugar, egg whites, corn syrup and water in the top layer of a double boiler.
Mix ingredients for a minute with a hand mixer.
Set up the bottom of double boiler on the oven and bring water to boil.
Set top of double boiler in the bottom portion (the water should not touch the bottom of the pot).
Using hand mixer blend sugar mixture continuously on high until frosting is spreadable and stiff peaks form.
Add peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and 2 drops of red food coloring.
Blend in extracts and coloring and remove from stove.
Use to frost cake immediately.
Store cake in fridge.

Have a beautiful day!

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Peppermint Christmas Cake