Peppermint Layer Cake With Candy Cane Frosting Recipes

PEPPERMINT CANDY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Prepare the cake mix as directed; transfer the batter to the pans. Bake and cool as directed.
• Combine half of the frosting with the crushed candy. Place 1 cake on a small cardboard circle, domed-side down; spread with the candy frosting. Place the other cake on top, domed-side up.
• Round the bottom and top edges of the layer cake with a small serrated knife as shown. Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of the remaining plain frosting.
• Microwave the marshmallows with 1/4 cup water in a large bowl until melted. Add the peppermint extract; gradually beat in all but 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar with a mixer until thick and stiff. Beat in the butter.
• Remove half of the frosting mixture; knead in a little more confectioners' sugar until smooth. Roll out into a 13-inch circle on a piece of parchment dusted with confectioners' sugar.
• Carefully invert the rolled-out frosting onto the cake; peel off the parchment, brushing off the excess sugar. Tuck around the bottom edge of the cake, pressing gently to adhere; trim the excess.
• Beat enough gel food coloring into the remaining frosting mixture until bright red. Knead in the remaining confectioners' sugar until smooth.
• Roll out the red frosting until 1/4 inch thick. Cut a 7-by-1 3/4-inch wavy stripe with a pointed tip out of paper (for a template, go to foodnetwork.com/caketemplate). Using the template, cut out 7 red stripes of frosting.
• Carefully arrange the red stripes around the cake with the tips meeting at the center; press gently to adhere and tuck around the bottom of the cake, then trim any excess. Wrap the cake in cellophane.

PEPPERMINT LAYER CAKE WITH M&M'S TREES

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Brush two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil, line the bottoms with parchment, brush the parchment with oil, then dust lightly with flour, tapping out the excess. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.
• Beat the vegetable oil and butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until combined. Add the granulated sugar and beat until light and creamy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the extracts. Reduce the speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until combined.
• Divide the batter between the cake pans. Tap them against the counter, then bake until golden brown and the cakes spring back when gently pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 15 minutes in the pans, then remove the cakes to the rack, remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Beat in the extracts, then the milk, beating until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove 1 cup of the frosting to a small bowl.
• Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring. Let cool slightly, then stir the melted chocolate into the reserved 1 cup frosting along with the cocoa powder.
• Make the trees: Using a serrated knife, carefully saw off the wide ends of 3 of the sugar cones so all the cones are varying heights. Cover the outside of all 4 cones with a thick layer of the chocolate frosting. Press M&M'S into the frosting to cover completely.
• Put 1 cake layer on a cake stand or platter. Spread about 1 cup white frosting on the cake. Top with the second cake layer, then frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining white frosting. Arrange the trees on top. Lightly dust the trees with confectioners' sugar.

DEVILS FOOD 4 LAYER CAKE WITH PEPPERMINT FROSTING

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yolk. Add cocoa and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with ice water in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until just blended and smooth after each addition. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.
• For dark chocolate ganache:.
• Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer to small bowl. Chill until firm enough to spread, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Before using, let stand at room temperature until soft enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
• For white chocolate cream:
• Place white chocolate in large heatproof bowl. Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in saucepan. Pour hot cream over white chocolate. Let stand 1 minute; whisk until smooth. Whisk in extract. Cover; chill until mixture thickens and is cold, at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.
• Add 2 cups chilled cream to white chocolate cream and beat until smooth and peaks form. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk to thicken, if necessary, before using.
• Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer on platter, cut side up. Spread 1/3 of dark chocolate ganache over cake. Spoon 2 cups white chocolate cream in dollops over cake; spread evenly to edges. Top with second cake layer, cut side down; spread 1/3 of ganache over, then 2 cups white chocolate cream. Repeat with third cake layer, cut side up, remaining ganache, and remaining cream. Cover with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Chill while preparing frosting.
• For peppermint frosting:
• Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, egg whites, and corn syrup in large bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer. Whisk by hand to blend well. Set bowl with mixture over saucepan of gently simmering water; whisk constantly with hand whisk until mixture resembles marshmallow creme and ribbons form when whisk is lifted, 8 to 9 minutes. Whisk in peppermint extract. Remove bowl from over water and attach bowl to heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until mixture is barely warm to touch and very thick, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Using offset spatula and working quickly, spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle chocolate curls over top and sides. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill.

CANDY CANE FROSTING

Steps:

• Mix carnation with peppermint extract and salt in medium-sized bowl. Add the confectioners' sugar (you may call it "powdered" sugar). Blend them together with a wooden spoon until smooth.
• When icing is smooth, add softened butter and stir well.
• When cake layers have cooled about 2hours, put bottom layer on plate. Put about 1/2 cup icing on layer. Spread with a spatula.
• Put second cake layer on top. Spread icing around sides of cake. Frost the top of the cake last. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top of cake.

SHORTCUT PEPPERMINT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of three greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions. Remove 1-1/3 cups batter to a small bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon cocoa, 1/4 teaspoon extract and if desired, 1/2 teaspoon food coloring until blended. , Transfer plain batter to prepared pans. Top with red batter. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-18 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., Mix 1 cup frosting with remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa, 1/8 teaspoon extract and if desired, 1/2 teaspoon food coloring. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup plain frosting. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost sides of cake with remaining plain frosting. Spread red frosting over top of cake. Gently press baking chips into frosting on top of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

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.