Chocolate Peppermint Cake
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
This easy chocolate peppermint cake recipe is made with a moist chocolate cake, peppermint flavor, and topped with a peppermint cream cheese frosting! It’s baked as an easy sheet cake, so it’s a breeze to decorate for the holidays. Simply top with a few crushed candy canes for a fuss-free holiday dessert!
When it comes to the holidays, I love baking with peppermint! And I love a delicious easy dessert as well. Like this no bake white chocolate peppermint cheesecake or my peppermint bark cookies. And now enter this delicious chocolate peppermint cake. I’m just adding it to my list of my favorite candy cane desserts for the holidays.
As much as I love a layer cake, like this decadent caramel cake, I love, love, love a sheet cake. There’s no fussy layers to level, crumb coats to worry about and frosting to perfection.
Just spread on top this sinful peppermint cream cheese frosting (a fun twist on my classic cream cheese frosting). Then sprinkle on top of the cake some crushed candy canes. And voila! A beautiful, delicious cake to serve for the holidays.
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy chocolate sheet cake recipe
- Frosted with a peppermint cream cheese frosting that’s quick to mix up
- No fancy layer cake, crumb coat, or decorating required.
- Can make the day before for a stress-free holiday cake
- Wonderful to freeze leftovers!
Ingredients Needed
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder – You can use natural cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder. I prefer Dutch process cocoa powder for a richer chocolate taste.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs – Make sure you use room temperature eggs. Here is my full guide on how to bring eggs to room temperature.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, try making your own homemade buttermilk. Do not use regular milk as it will not react the same with the baking soda.
- Oil – Use a neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
- Vanilla extract
- Peppermint extract
- Boiling water – You can also use hot coffee. Omit the added espresso powder.
- Espresso powder – You can also use instant coffee. Espresso powder helps to enhance the chocolate flavor, so don’t skip it!
- Cream cheese – Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. Read my full tutorial on how to soften cream cheese. I recommend using block-style cream cheese and full fat.
- Unsalted Butter
- Powdered Sugar – If you’ve run out make your own homemade powdered sugar.
- Candy canes
How To Make Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Make the chocolate cake:
Preheat and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180oC). Grease a 9×13 baking pan with butter or cooking spray. You can also line the pan with parchment paper Set aside.
Combine dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Combine wet ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together oil, vanilla, peppermint extract, eggs, and buttermilk.
Add dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until incorporated.
Add espresso/hot water. Stir the espresso powder into the boiling water. Carefully stir in the boiling water into the chocolate batter. Batter will be thin.
Bake. Pour batter into the prepared pan. . Bake 30-35 minutes until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely before frosting on a wire rack.
Make the peppermint cream cheese frosting:
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the cream cheese until smooth and combined, on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.
Mix in the peppermint extract. Add in a pinch of salt. Beat to combine.
Frost cake. When cake is cooled, frost with offset spatula. Sprinkle on crushed peppermint candies.
Recipe Tips
- You want your eggs to be room temperature before you begin. If you add cold eggs to the creamed butter mixture it will cause your butter to seize up and create a broken or curdled-looking batter. I place my eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before I use them.
- Make sure you are measuring your flour correctly so you don’t end up with too much in your cup which could yield a dry cake. Measuring with a scale is best but if measuring using cups, then be sure to spoon the flour into your cup and then level it off. Do not scoop directly from the bag or pack it down into the cup, which could yield 25% more flour than intended.
- Line or grease the pan well. This will help with the cake releasing so you can cut into individual slices easily. I like to line with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different frosting – You can always use a chocolate frosting, swiss meringue buttercream, or regular vanilla frosting. Then simply add the peppermint extract to the recipe.
- Bake in a different pan – You can bake this into a two layer cake or a bundt pan instead. Baking times will vary. Cake layers will take about 25-30 minutes. A chocolate bundt cake recipe will take about 50-60 minutes.
- Decorate with peppermint bark – Instead of crushed peppermint candy, whip up a homemade batch of peppermint bark. Then break into pieces and sprinkle on top of the cake.
Storage Instructions
You can make this peppermint chocolate cake the day before. Let the cake cool completely then cover well in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge. I like to set the cake out about 30 minutes to 1 hour before, so the frosting can soften.
I recommend storing the frosted cake, covered in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, I recommend freezing any cake leftovers. I like to cut the cake into slices. Then wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store in a plastic bag. You can thaw overnight, or more quickly at room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can, but I’m begging you to try this homemade cake version! It’s so soft and fluffy. And way better!
Make sure to test with a toothpick in the center of the cake. The toothpick should have a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. I also touch the top of the cake. The cake should spring back when touched.
More Recipes To Try
If you’re craving more cake recipes be sure to try my Berry Chantilly cake that’s better than Whole Foods! Made with a mascarpone frosting, fresh berries, and jam. Or try my easy Sock It To Me Cake recipe made in a bundt pan for no decorating required.
And for a classic cake that everyone will love, you have to try my funfetti cake recipe! You can always mix up the sprinkles for any holiday. Try red and green sprinkles for Christmas! If you’re looking to take it up a notch this holiday season, you must check out this Christmas Piecaken recipe!
Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup (63 g) cocoa powder (unsweetened or Dutch process)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
Peppermint cream cheese frosting
- 1 cup (8 ounces, 227 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (452 g) powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Crushed peppermint candies for decorating on top
Instructions
Make the chocolate cake:
- Preheat and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×13 baking pan. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour ¾ cup (63 g) cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt
- Combine wet ingredients. In a second mixing bowl whisk together oil, vanilla, peppermint extract, eggs, and buttermilk. 2 large eggs 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Add dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until incorporated.
- Add espresso/hot water. Stir the espresso powder into the boiling water. Carefully stir in the boiling water into the chocolate batter. Batter will be thin. 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- Bake. Pour batter into the prepared pan. . Bake 30-35 minutes until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely before frosting.
Make the peppermint cream cheese frosting:
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the cream cheese until smooth and combined, on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. 1 cup (8 ounces, 227 g) cream cheese, ½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter,
- Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. 4 cups (452 g) powdered sugar
- Mix in the peppermint extract. Add in a pinch of salt. Beat to combine. 1 teaspoon peppermint extract ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Frost cake. When cake is cooled, frost with offset spatula. Sprinkle on crushed peppermint candies.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can make this peppermint chocolate cake the day before. Let the cake cool completely then cover well in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, I like to let soften at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour to let the frosting soften.
- Storage: I recommend storing the cake, covered in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, I recommend freezing any cake leftovers. I like to cut the cake into slices. Then wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store in a plastic bag. You can thaw overnight, or more quickly at room temperature before serving.
- Espresso powder – You can also use instant coffee. Espresso powder helps to enhance the chocolate flavor, so don’t skip it!
- Cream cheese – I recommend using block-style cream cheese and full fat.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch process cocoa powder.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, try making your own homemade buttermilk. Do not use regular milk as it will not react the same with the baking soda.
- Oil – Use a neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
