Candy Cane Cake – Peppermint Layer Cake Recipe
Candy Cane Cake: A classic white cake infused with cool peppermint, topped with creamy peppermint buttercream frosting and crushed candy canes.
Candy Cane Cake
One of the most impressive desserts (and one of my personal favorite to look at on Pinterest) are layer cakes. They’re just so beautiful and delicious! I mean, layers of moist cake and frosting…what’s not to love?!
If I see a decadent layer cake on the menu at a restaurant, I can’t help it…Iย have to order a slice!
This candy cane decorated cake is a gorgeous Christmas layer cake that is guaranteed to get “oooohs” and “ahhs” at any holiday party or dinner.
Like any layer cake, this crushed candy cane cake takes a little TLC, but the end result is SO worth it! Though I have included some timesaving tips to help get it done faster. Enjoy!
For your convenience in re-creating our peppermint Christmas cake recipe, Iโve provided shop-able ad links to some of the products used; disclosure policy available here.
What You Need to Make Peppermint Cake:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 1 Tablespoons baking powder
- 5 egg whites
- Red food coloring
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- 3 cups butter, softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons peppermint extract
- 5-6 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups crushed candy canes
Kitchen Supplies Used
- (3) 9″ round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- 10″ round cake board
- Frosting decorating bag with star tip
- Offset spatula
- Cake smoother/scraper
How to Make Candy Cane Cake
Make your batter using our from-scratch peppermint cake recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
TIME SAVING TIP: You can also use a box cake mix and simply add peppermint extract to the batter.
Divide the cake batter evenly between 2 mixing bowls. Leave one bowl of batter white. Add 3-5 drops of red food coloring to the second bowl of batter and mix until the batter is a rich red. If needed, add more food coloring a drop at a time.
Scoop one cup each of white batter and one cup of red batter into each of the three cake pans. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the batter together.
Bake cakes for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool completely before removing from cake pans and onto a cutting board and leveling them by slicing off the dome.
PRO TIP: Try our foolproof cake cutting trick to level the three cakes!
To Make the Frosting:
Use a standing mixer to combine all ingredients until smooth, with stiff peaks. Scoop about a cup of the frosting into a piping bag and set aside.
To Assemble the Cake:
Place one layer of cake onto a cake board or cake stand.ย Scoop a cup of frosting onto the first layer and smooth with an offset spatula.
Repeat with remaining layers of cake, making sure to thoroughly coat the entire cake with frosting once all three layers are stacked.
Gently press crushed candy canes onto the sides of the cake, until fully coated. Take your frosting bag and pipe dollops of frosting on top of the cake. Finish with remaining crushed candy canes.
More of our favorite holiday recipes:
- Christmas Wreath Cupcakes
- Christmas Tree Oreos
- Mini Santa Belly Cakes
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Kid-Made Mini Gingerbread House Cakes
- Oreo Gingerbread Truffles
- Rudolph Cupcakes
- Copycat Starbuck Cranberry Bliss Bread
- Christmas Puppy Chow
- Peppermint Brownie Truffles
- Christmas Cheesecake
Peppermint Cake Recipe
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Candy Cane Cake - Peppermint Layer Cake Recipe
Equipment
- (3) 9" round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- 10" round cake board
- Frosting decorating bag with star tip
- Offset spatula
- Cake smoother/scraper
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 1 Tablespoons baking powder
- 5 egg whites
- Red food coloring
Frosting Ingredients
- 3 cups butter softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons peppermint extract
- 5-6 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups crushed candy canes
Instructions
To Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF and coat all three pans with non-stick spray.
- Whisk together the milk and peppermint extract in a small bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
- Alternate pouring milk and dry ingredients into the stand mixer bowl of butter and sugar, mixing on medium speed.
- Rinse out one of the mixing bowls and use it to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into the cake batter.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between 2 mixing bowls. Leave one bowl of batter white. Add 3-5 drops of red food coloring to the second bowl of batter and mix until the batter is a rich red. Add more food coloring as needed.
- Scoop one cup each of white batter and one cup of red batter into each of the three cake pans. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the batter together.
- Bake cakes for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before removing from cake pans and onto a cutting board.
- Using a cake slicer or our cake cutting trick to level the three cakes.
To Make the Frosting:
- Use a standing mixer to beat all ingredients together until stiff peaks form.
- Scoop about a cup of the frosting into a piping bag and set aside.
To Assemble the Cake:
- Place one layer of cake onto a cake board or cake stand.
- Scoop a cup of frosting onto the first layer and smooth with an offset spatula.
- Repeat with remaining layers of cake, making sure to thoroughly coat the entire cake with frosting once all three layers are stacked.
- Gently press crushed candy canes onto the sides of the cake, until fully coated. Take your frosting bag and pipe dollops of frosting on top of the cake. Finish with remaining crushed candy canes.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin our Candy Cane Cake Recipe on Pinterest:
More of our favorite holiday layer cakes:
Layered Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
- Christmas Cream Cheese Mints - December 10, 2024
- Grinch Punch - December 6, 2024
- Meringue Snowmen - December 5, 2024
