Chocolate Icing For Easy Chocolate Peppermint Cake Recipes

EASY CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.
• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches water to a boil. Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl; set over (not in) water. Turn off heat; let stand until melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir to combine. Remove bowl; cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs and buttermilk until combined. Fold in flour mixture until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until cake pulls away from sides and a toothpick inserted in center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; invert onto a wire rack (and leave inverted) to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Set cake on a serving platter. Tuck parchment or waxed paper under sides of cake. Pour chocolate icing onto center of cake and spread evenly over top and sides. Let set, about 40 minutes. Serve cake with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or peppermint candies, if desired.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Cut the butter into pats and add to a medium heatproof bowl along with the chocolate chips. Place the bowl over 1 inch of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Once the butter and chocolate start to melt, stir to combine and remove from the heat. Finely crush the chocolate wafers in a food processor until it becomes a fine meal. In a large bowl, combine the wafer crumbs with the melted chocolate and blend until the crumbs are moistened. Reserve a heaping 1 cup crumb mixture in a small bowl. Press the remaining crumb mixture in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 3-inch high sides. Freeze 1 hour.
• For the glaze: In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and whisk until it melts. Set aside to cool until room temperature, about 1 hour.
• For the filling: Quickly mix the ice cream, crushed candies and extract in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until blended. Put half the ice cream mixture onto the frozen crust and spread out. Evenly scatter the reserved cookie crumbs over the ice cream in the springform pan, pressing the crumbs down gently. Pour half of the chocolate glaze over the cookie crumbles and ice cream Freeze for about 3 hours.
• When you about ready to repeat the layers, place the glaze back over low heat, just until pourable, but not warm. Remove the springform pan from the freezer and repeat with the remaining ice cream and glaze. Place back into the freezer for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Remove the cake from the freezer about 20 minutes before serving for easy removal of the springform sides. Release the pan sides and transfer the cake to a platter. Break off irregular pieces of the Candy Brittle and peel off the foil as you go. Press the brittle upright, candy side out, onto the top and sides of cake.
• In a small, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the sugar, 3/4 cup water and corn syrup until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 300 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
• Place a 24-inch long sheet of foil on your work surface. Be extremely careful, the syrup is extremely hot. Pour the boiling syrup in wide zigzag lines across the foil. Working quickly and using an oiled offset metal spatula, spread the syrup evenly onto the foil, leaving a 1-inch border. Immediately sprinkle with all the candies, pressing the larger pieces into the syrup to make sure they stick. Be careful not to touch the syrup. Cool completely.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Combine confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, butter, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix using an electric mixer until blended and creamy.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PEPPERMINT-CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Position a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Lightly coat cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray.
• Whisk applesauce and 1 tsp. baking powder in a small bowl. Mix chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Pour 1 3/4 cups boiling water over and whisk until chocolate is melted. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp. baking powder into another medium bowl.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat mayonnaise, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl (or use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) until well blended, about 3 minutes. Add half of applesauce mixture and beat to blend. Add remaining applesauce mixture, then beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with chocolate mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, beating to blend after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Divide batter among prepared pans; smooth top.
• Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through, until center is set and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around sides of cakes and invert onto wire rack; remove parchment. Let cool.
• For the frosting:
• Heat chocolate, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium pot of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stirring occasionally, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between bursts, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in peppermint extract and 1/4 cup water. Chill, stirring every 5 minutes, until frosting thickens, about 25 minutes. If frosting gets too thick, gently reheat over pot of simmering water.
• For the chocolate petals:
• Heat chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium pot of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stirring occasionally, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between bursts, until chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Dip clean, dry pastry brush into melted chocolate. Brush a stripe of chocolate about 3" long and 1/8" thick on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill. Repeat process on second parchment-lined baking sheet. Swap trays and go over original brush strokes, repeating and chilling in between coatings and gently reheating chocolate if needed, until stems are 1/4" thick.
• When stems are thick enough, sprinkle one end with crushed candy canes. Chill until set, about 10 minutes.
• For assembly:
• Spread 1 Tbsp. frosting in the center of a platter. Place 1 cake layer, domed side down, on platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting evenly over top. Place remaining cake layer, domed side down, over frosting.
• Spread top and sides of cake with remaining 2 cups frosting, swirling top decoratively. Press chocolate stems into frosting on sides of cake. Serve at room temperature.
• Do Ahead
• Cake can be made 3 days ahead; wrap tightly in plastic and chill, or freeze up to 2 weeks. Frosting can be made 5 days ahead; chill, or freeze up to 1 month. Gently reheat over pot of simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between bursts. Chocolate stems can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled.

CHOCOLATE ICING

Steps:

• In a saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then add milk. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
• Sift together cocoa and confectioners sugar. Blend into butter mixture and add vanilla. If consistency is too stiff, add more milk.
• Spread Quickly over cooled cake, as frosting will set up very fast.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add milk, oil, eggs and vanilla; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. , Bake at 350° for 18-23 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For filling, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, vanilla and food coloring if desired; beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside about 1 tablespoon crushed candy. Fold remaining candy into cream mixture. Spread between layers and around sides but not over the top. , For glaze, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa and water; cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; whisk in vanilla. Gradually blend in sugar until smooth. Add additional water if necessary. Spread over top of cake. Sprinkle with reserved candy. Chill before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PEPPERMINT FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8-by-8-inch square or 9-inch round light-colored metal baking pan with oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and eggs. Use a whisk or an electric mixer to beat the mixture until foamy and slightly lighter in texture and color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, vanilla and salt, and whisk until combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
• Whisk in the cocoa powder until combined. Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and whisk until combined and no streaks of flour remain. Stir the espresso powder into the hot water, then add the mixture to the bowl. Whisk until incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan set on a rack for about 45 minutes.
• While the cake bakes, clean the mixing bowl and make the frosting: Add the butter to the bowl and mix on medium-high with an electric mixer until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to low, and slowly add the confectioners' sugar. Mix until the sugar is moistened, then add 2 teaspoons of the cream, the vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and salt. Turn the speed up to medium-high, and whip until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes, adding a bit more cream a teaspoon at a time, if necessary, to make a smooth and light frosting. Taste the frosting, and add a few more drops of peppermint extract if desired. The frosting can be kept at room temperature while the cake finishes baking and cooling.
• Top the cooled cake with an even layer of frosting, then use the tip of a toothpick to dot the frosting with a few small dots of gel food coloring, if using. Use a spoon or offset spatula to swirl the food coloring into the frosting to create candy cane-like stripes - just a few swipes will do the trick. If you mix it in too much, the frosting will turn pink. Top the cake with sprinkles and shaved chocolate, if desired. Store leftover cake loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE ICING FOR EASY CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT CAKE

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a boil over high heat; stir in extract. Strain cream into bowl of chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes; stir until smooth (mixture will appear oily at first). Cool until mixture falls in ribbons when spoon is lifted, 2 to 6 minutes.
• Set cake (Chocolate-Peppermint Cake) on a serving platter. Tuck parchment or waxed paper under sides of cake (to keep platter clean). Pour icing onto center of cake. Use an offset spatula or a dinner knife to spread evenly over the top and down the sides. Let set, about 30 minutes.

MINT-FROSTED CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom of 3 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a large bowl, beat eggs, water, oil, sour cream, vinegar, and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into egg mixture., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in mint extract and food coloring., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup mint frosting. Sprinkle with half the mints. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate until set., Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in corn syrup. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Pour over cake and quickly spread to edges. If desired, top with additional mints. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH MINT FROSTING

Steps:

• Stir cocoa and hot water over heat until blended. Remove from heat and beat until smooth. Let cool.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 2/3 cup sugar, and instant coffee. Make a well in the centre and add oil, cooled cocoa mixture, and egg yolks. Beat until batter is smooth.
• Add cream of tartar to egg whites and beat until foamy. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and beat until whites are very stiff. Fold into batter evenly.
• Bake in 8 x 8 square pan at 325 for 30 minutes.
• For the frosting, combine butter, icing sugar, cream, peppermint extract, and a couple of drops of green food colouring until smooth. Frost cooled cake and decorate with chocolate sprinkles.