Peppermint Bark Cake

Three-layers of my famous chocolate cake are stacked with peppermint white chocolate frosting, sprinkled with Andes peppermint crunch bits, and topped with a decadent dark chocolate ganache in this wintry Peppermint Bark Cake. It’s the perfect showstopper for your holiday dinner or Christmas dessert!

If there is one cake you make for Christmas, let it be this one! The flavors are so perfectly festive and cheery. I have been looking forward to making this cake all year and it was everything I dreamed of and more.

I based it off my tried-and-true Devil’s Food Cake, which is our family’s go-to chocolate cake recipe. Instead of using crushed candy canes, which are a little too crunchy for a cake (at least for me), I went with Andes peppermint crunch bits, which you can find online or at most any grocery store during the month of December. They have the perfect amount of texture and the same fresh peppermint flavor!

I spent the past year working on my collection of layer cake recipes and learned so much from each one. I had a wildly viral moment on social media with my Snickerdoodle Cake, added a much overdo classic with my Vanilla Cake recipe, a couple of dessert mashups in the form of an Apple Pie Cake and a Key Lime Cake, and a Banana Cake where the brown butter frosting stole the show. Then there the bucket list cake ideas I have been wanting to try for ages like Biscoff Cookie Butter Cake, Chocolate Turtle Cake, and an Italian Cream Cake. I also added some fun seasonal flavors like Lemon Blueberry Cake, Pumpkin Cake, and Cranberry Orange Cake.

What You’ll Need

This is a brief overview of the ingredients that you’ll want to gather up before you start making this cake. For specific measurements and instructions, keep scrolling to the printable recipe card below.

• Flour: I have tested this cake with cake flour, all-purpose flour, and even King Arthur measure-for-measure gluten-free flour substitute and they all work great.
• Sugar: A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar gives depth and flavor to the cake.
• Chocolate: Using both chopped bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder in the cake batter provides a more interesting, developed chocolate flavor than using cocoa powder alone. You’ll also need good quality white chocolate for the frosting.
• Eggs: For richness and adding structure to the crumb so the cake isn’t too crumbly.
• Fat: Oil helps keep the cake moist for days while butter adds great flavor to the cake crumb.
• Hot water: I use boiling hot water to melt the chopped chocolate, but you could replace it with an equal amount of hot coffee, if you prefer.
• Buttermilk: Adds needed moisture while also tenderizing the cake crumb for a soft, plush texture and improving overall flavor thanks to its tang and richness. See notes for substitutes below.
• Vanilla extract: An unsung baking hero that adds depth, dimension, and complexity to cakes. I make my own.
• Leavening agents: A combination of baking soda, baking powder, and salt flavor and give lift to the cake for that classic texture.

Let’s Make It!

1. Bloom the chocolate. Start by combining chopped chocolate and boiling hot water in a bowl. Stir until melted and smooth, then add the buttermilk and vanilla and set aside to use in a sec.
2. Cream butter, oil, and sugars. Beat these in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer until light, about 2-3 minutes. Then add the eggs and beat again.
3. Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients. Add half of the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed just until they start to incorporate, then add half of the chocolate-buttermilk mixture. Mix again, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Repeat with the remaining flour and chocolate-buttermilk mixture, mixing just until a smooth batter forms. Do not overmix.
4. Bake. Divide the cake batter evenly between three 8-inch cake pans lined with parchment paper circles. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F (177°C) until a tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Remove the cake layers from the oven and cool completely.

5. Make the frosting. Start by carefully melting the white chocolate using short bursts of heat in the microwave (15-20 seconds max, stirring between every burst until melted and smooth) or in a double boiler on the stovetop. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, beat the butter, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and vanilla until combined. Add the melted white chocolate and beat until creamy and light, adding as much of the heavy cream as desired to get a soft, spreadable frosting consistency.
6. Assemble. Place your bottom cake layer on a cake plate or decorative cake stand. Spread with a generous amount of the frosting (around ¾ cup) and sprinkle with ¼ to ⅓ cup of the Andes peppermint crunch bits. Repeat with the next layer of cake and frosting. Top with the final cake layer and spread a crumb coat of frosting around the top and sides of the cake. Freeze for 30 minutes to help set the frosting.
7. Make the ganache. Meanwhile, heat the cream in the microwave or on the stovetop until steaming and small bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour over the chocolate chips and corn syrup, then stir until completely melted and smooth. Set aside to thicken and cool.
8. Decorate. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting, then pour the ganache over the top of the cake. I used a spoon to nudge drips of ganache off the edge of the cake for the drip effect before filling in the middle. Sprinkle with more of the Andes peppermint crunch chips to finish.

Recipe Variations & Tips

• Use room temperature ingredients. You’ll get the best results (flat cake tops instead of domes, moist tender crumb) if you let your eggs, butter, and buttermilk come to room temperature before mixing up the cake batter.
• Try another design! If you have more skill than I do (not a high bar), you might try dividing your frosting in half and coloring part of it pink or red with food coloring (affiliate link), then decorating with red and white stripes for a striking visual presentation.
• Piping swirls. Another option would be to reserve a portion of your frosting to pipe swirls of frosting on top of the cake for decoration.

Recipe FAQ’s

More Peppermint Recipes

• Peppermint Swig Cookies
• Peppermint Bark Rice Krispies Treats
• Peppermint Bark Fudge
• Peppermint Ice Cream