Shortcut Peppermint Layer Cake Recipes

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.

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.

LAYERED PEPPERMINT POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan. Mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk on low speed. Pour into pan.
• Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Fold in peppermint candies.
• Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Spread 1 cup whipped cream mixture over 1 cake layer. Repeat with second layer. Top with remaining layer. Drop remaining whipped cream mixture in dollops on top of cake. Store in refrigerator.

DEVIL'S FOOD LAYER CAKE WITH PEPPERMINT FROSTING

Steps:

• PREPARE 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 flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar 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.
• *(Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.)
• PREPARE 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.
• **(Can be made 1 day ahead. Before using, let stand at room temperature until soft enough to spread, about 30 minutes.)
• PREPARE WHITE CHOCLATE 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.
• ***(Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill).
• Add 2 cups chilled cream to white chocolate cream and beat until smooth and peaks form.
• ****(Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk to thicken, if necessary, before using.)
• ASSEMBLING THE CAKE:.
• 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.
• PREPARE 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.).
• E N J O Y !