Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Buttercream
Inspired by the York Peppermint Patty’s classic combination of mint and chocolate, this cake is a year-round favorite. A touch of refreshing peppermint extract gives the meringue buttercream a hit of flavor that is a bright counterpoint to the sultry chocolate. To make the cake even more festive, you can add a drop or two of red food coloring to the peppermint meringue buttercream and decorate with crushed peppermint candies.
MAKES two 9-inch layers; serves 8 to 16
INGREDIENTS
15 peppermint candies
Super-Rich Chocolate Cake, prepared as directed through step 7
Peppermint Meringue Buttercream
- To assemble and decorate the cake with smooth sides and small rosettes, place one cake layer top side up on a cake turner. Use an icing wand to evenly spread 1 cup buttercream over the surface. Add the second cake layer top side up. Using an icing wand, spread about 1 cup buttercream on the top and about 1½ cups on the sides, smoothing as you go until the cake is fully iced and smooth.
- For the rosette border, place ½ cup buttercream in a piping bag with a #30 closed star tip and pipe rosettes at even intervals around the top of the cake. Lightly sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over the surface of the cake.
TIP
To crush the candies, place the unwrapped peppermint candies in a heavy-duty plastic bag. Using a heavy rolling pin or a hammer, smash each one directly in the center and crush them into small, even-sized pieces.