Chocolate Peppermint Cake Recipe Featuring Challenge Butter

I had a friend in town from Texas and I watched her lovely son Ben one afternoon and it was the perfect opportunity to bake something festive! I have so many favorite holiday desserts but I think this chocolate peppermint cake is the one I enjoy the most! Chocolate and peppermint are such a match made in heaven !

The secret to the cake is the icing made with Challenge Butter. Challenge Butter has been a quality staple in kitchens since 1911. It's churned daily from two natural ingredients: the freshest 100% real pasteurized sweet cream and salt. That's it. Nothing artificial or synthetic. The taste is pure, and the flavor is consistent ! I love love baking with it!

So excited to share the recipe for Mister Chef Ben’s peppermint chocolate cake today!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups all purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups water

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 5 oz dark chocolate, chopped

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted Challenge Butter

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 large eggs

ICING

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted Challenge Butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup butter flavored crisco shortening (or an additional stick of butter) We used another stick of Challenge Butter over the shortening.

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 7 cups powdered sugar

  • 2 chocolate peppermint candy canes crushed into tiny pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 8 inch round cake pans. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally, until melted.

Whisk in vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Quickly beat in eggs (do this quickly so they don't cook) into the chocolate mixture until combined. Whisk in dry ingredients, until smooth.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cakes cool in pans until cool to the touch - then frost.

Cream butter in a stand mixer. Add vanilla, peppermint extract and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Then add the crushed candy canes! Scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed.

When all sugar has been mixed in, beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Assemble the two cake layers with a thick layer of frosting in between the layers. Frost cake as desired.

It’s soooo delicious and festive!

Be sure to grab The Ultimate Stress-Free Thanksgiving Guide from Challenge Butter too! Creating the perfect Thanksgiving dinner can be intimidating, so they created a guide so anyone can pull off a delicious Thanksgiving. Whether you are a seasoned cook, or a Thanksgiving newbie, they’ve got you covered!

This post was sponsored by Challenge Butter! Thank you for supporting the brands that keep GFY creating!

RecipesSamantha RubleComment