Double Chocolate Peppermint Cake Recipes

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.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 2 8" round pans with non stick spray.
• In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, vanilla, mint extract (if desired) milk and eggs.
• Add the salt, baking soda and baking powder and whisk until combined. Stir in the coffee.
• Add the cocoa powder and flour and stir just until combined. Divide evenly between prepared pans and bake for 28-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.
• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream and chocolate in 45 second intervals on high, stirring each time, until completely smooth.
• Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (it won't whip if it's warm!).
• After cream is chilled, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl. Let sit for 1 minute, then microwave on high for 20 seconds or until dissolved. Set aside to come to room temperature.
• Beat cream mixture with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
• Stir in room temperature gelatin mixture and powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Place one cake layer on a cake plate and top with half of the whipped cream. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and chocolate shavings. Repeat layers one more time, using remaining whipped cream.
• Chill at least 2 hours so the whipped cream can set properly before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leaking. Spray inside bottom and side of pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press firmly in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Cool crust 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add condensed milk, beating just until blended. Add 1/3 cup whipping cream, the flour and vanilla; beat just until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Run small metal spatula around edge of cheesecake; carefully remove foil and side of pan. Place cheesecake on serving plate. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave 3/4 cup whipping cream on High 1 minute or until hot. Add chocolate chips; stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Pour ganache over cheesecake; smooth ganache with spatula. Let stand 10 minutes. Gently press crushed peppermint sticks into side of cheesecake. Cover; refrigerate any remaining cheesecake. Garnish with peppermint bark, if desired.