This recipe will make a 6 inch 3 layer cake.
Or an 8 inch short 2 layer cake.
Double the recipe if you want a tall 3 layer 8 inch cake.

This cake is a chocolate peppermint dream.
Layered with two different kinds of peppermint chocolate for the frostings it really does taste like peppermint bark.
Tender chocolate cake with a hint of peppermint, filled with peppermint chocolate ganache frosting, white chocolate peppermint cream cheese frosting, and peppermints.
The cake is then frosted in the chocolate peppermint ganache, put in the freezer to set the ganache and then frosted with a white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
Crushed peppermint is pressed along the side of the cake, giving it a peppermint crusted layer on the outside.

Before assembling this cake you need to make sure that you have time for the ganache frosting to set up.
I usually bake my cake the day before and put it in the freezer.
I would make the chocolate ganache frosting the night before as well so that it has time to harden.

Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Ingredients

---

• 2 eggs
• ⅔ cup water
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• ⅔ cup of hot cocoa
• 2 ounces baking chocolate
• ⅔ cup oil
• ⅔ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• ⅔ cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoon peppermint extract
• Crushed Peppermints

Instructions

---

1. Preheat oven to 325℉ and prepare three six inch pans by spraying them with pam and lining them with parchment.
2. Sift together your flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat your eggs until they are light and fluffy.
4. Take your hot cocoa and heat it in the microwave.
5. Add your chocolate to it and stir until the chocolate is completely incorporated.
6. To your eggs, add your oil, sour cream, vanilla, peppermint extract, and then your chocolate mixture, stir to combine.
7. Then add your sugar to the chocolate mixture.
8. After it is combined, slowly add your flour mixture and stir to incorporate.
9. Take your 3 pans and using a 1 cup measuring cup divide the batter evenly, filling your pans up to ⅔ full.
10. Bake at 325℉ for 30 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11. Put your cake in the freezer overnight and make your peppermint ganache frosting to set up in the fridge overnight as well.
12. When you are ready to frost the next day, make your white chocolate peppermint frosting.
13. Take your cakes out of the freezer and pop them out of the pan with a butter knife.
14. Take your first cake layer and set it on your cake board.
15. Put a little frosting on the cake board to hold it in place.
16. Put a thin layer of chocolate ganache frosting on your cake layer,
    then sprinkle it with peppermints,
    and then top it by piping on a layer of white chocolate frosting and put your next cake layer on.
17. Continue to stack your cake, frost the outside of your cake in a layer of the
    chocolate peppermint ganache and set it in the freezer to harden for a few hours.
18. When the chocolate ganache is hard.
19. Take your white chocolate peppermint frosting and frost over the dark chocolate ganache.
20. Put your cake over a baking sheet.
21. Take your peppermints in your hand and press them to the sides of the cake (see video tutorial)
    allowing the excess to fall into the pan as you go.
22. Decorate your cake as desired.
23. I like to top mine with peppermint lollipops.

Peppermint Ganache Frosting

1 recipe of this for a 6 inch, 2X for an 8 inch

Ingredients

---

• 1 ⅓ cup heavy cream
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (strongly recommended for bittersweet because of the sweetness of the white chocolate frosting)
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 4 tablespoon butter at room temperature

Instructions

---

1. Microwave the heavy cream for 1 minute, add the chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds.
2. Stir until smooth.
3. Add the butter, mixing until it is completely melted.
4. The mixture will be liquid, but as it cools it will thicken.
5. Let the mixture cool in the fridge until it has set up and is thick.

Peppermint White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

---

• 6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 package (8 ounces)cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon peppermint
• 3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Instructions

---

1. In a mixer, beat your butter on high until it is smooth.
2. Add in the cream cheese and beat on high until the mixture is smooth and combined well.
3. Add in the powdered sugar and beat for 2 mins.
4. Add in the peppermint.
5. Melt your white chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute.
6. Stir until it is smooth and there are no lumps.
7. While the mixer is going slowly add in the melted white chocolate and mix
   for 2 mins or until the white chocolate is well incorporated.