Christmas Peppermint Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream
A festive layer cake that blends cool peppermint flavor with creamy, melt-in-your-mouth white chocolate buttercream. Perfect for Christmas gatherings, this cake features soft red-and-white layers topped with candy cane crunch for a beautiful, crowd-pleasing centerpiece.
Equipment
- Three 8-inch round cake pans
- Mixing bowls (medium and large)
- Electric stand or hand mixer
- Rubber Spatula
- Cooling racks
- Offset spatula or bench scraper
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cake turntable (optional for frosting)
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Red gel food coloring
For the White Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 6 ounces white chocolate melted and cooled
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Optional Decoration:
- Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
- White chocolate curls or drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch pans with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Divide the batter in three; tint one in red with food coloring.
- Pour batter into prepared pans, alternating colors for a swirl or layered look.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- To make the buttercream, beat butter until creamy, then slowly add melted white chocolate.
- Add powdered sugar in batches, mixing on low.
- Pour in vanilla, salt, and heavy cream until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Layer and frost the cooled cakes with White Chocolate Buttercream.
- Decorate with crushed candy canes and white chocolate curls.
- Chill for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing for clean layers and best flavor and texture.
Notes
Nutrition Information (per slice):
- Calories: 540 kcal
- Total Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Sugar: 50 g
- Protein: 5 g
