Lethal Peppermint Chocolate Cake
- Ready In:
- 4hrs 50mins
- Ingredients:
- 16
- Serves:
-
16
ingredients
-
Cake
- 1 (18 ounce) box chocolate cake mix
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1⁄3 cups buttermilk
- 1⁄2 cup cooking oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon peppermint schnapps or 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
-
Filling
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1⁄2 cup butter, softened (no subs, please)
- 1⁄2 cup crushed peppermint stick candy (about 7-8)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 -3 tablespoons milk
- 1 -2 tablespoon peppermint schnapps or 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
-
Ganache
- 3⁄4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1⁄2 - 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
directions
- Grease and flour 2 round cake pans.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together cake ingredients on low for 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
- Increase mixing speed to medium high and beat for 2 minutes more.
- Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they test done.
- Remove from oven and cool completely.
- While cooling, prepare Ganache:.
- Put all ganache ingredients in 2 cup glass measuring cup.
- Cook on 50% power in microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring well after each minute until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
- Cover tightly and let sit for 3-4 hours or until it reaches spreading consistency. If it gets too thick, place in a pan of hot water over medium heat and stir until softens.
- To make filling:.
- Place butter and cream cheese in mixing bowl.
- Cream together until smooth and fluffy.
- Add candy, sugar, flavoring (or schnapps) and about 2 Tbs milk.
- Beat, adding additional milk until mixture is fluffy.
- When cakes are cool, layer them with the filling between layers, reserving about 1/2 cup of the filling for garnish, if you wish.
- Frost layers with cooled ganache.
- Pipe remaining filling on top of cake, or just sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
- Refrigerate to set ganache.
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Reviews
-
This is a fabulous recipe which I have been making for Christmas and other special occasions ever since the book came out. It lookes like a lot of steps but is SO easy! Dragonfly made a couple of changes, so I just wanted to mention the original recipe doesn't call for any peppermint in the cake mix - it's unnecessary since there's mint in both the filling & frosting. Also, the Cake Mix Doctor recipe says prepare one-HALF of the peppermint filling. (you only need to cover one layer with it - although I noticed Dragonfly suggest using the extra as a garnish). And in the ganache, you can use 1/2 tsp of the extract, or 1 Tbsp of the schnapps. Also, instead of letting the ganache sit for 4 hours, I stick it in the fridge for about 20 minutes. But however you choose to make the cake - enjoy!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Dragonfly AZ
Chandler, 41
I live in Chandler, Arizona, which is near Phoenix. I have been a registered nurse for almost 25 years. Currently I am a clinical supervisor at a health care clinic. I love to cook rich foods with complex flavors, whether they be main dishes or desserts. I have also been eating low carb for about 5 years, so I am pretty good at modifying recipes to match my lifestyle.