This Chocolate Candy Cane Cake is layered with chocolate cake, chocolate ganache and peppermint candy canes throughout. It is then topped with peppermint candy canes making it the dessert that will please a crowd.
I’ll admit, cake is my jam but layered cake – hasn’t always been. I struggled for years with getting those perfect layers but I think I’ve FINALLY got it down and now, layered cakes are my new obsession.
This cake instantly became a family favorite – chocolate, more chocolate and peppermint, can you really go wrong? I think not.
Now, for those of you in the same boat I was, terrified of making a layered cake that isn’t perfectly layered, here is the trick I used…
How to Make Perfectly Layered Cakes:
I used the method I like to call the “knife it until it’s leveled”.
Basically, you just take a sharp knife and cut off the top about 1/8″ – 1/4″ of the cake. Just enough to level out the cake so when you stack them, they give that gorgeous layered look.
If you are afraid of not having a steady enough hand, you can also get a cake leveler like this one.
How to Make Chocolate Candy Cane Cake:
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 and using non-stick cooking spray, coat the 9-inch round cake pans.
Step 2: Using a medium whisk together the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Using a medium saucepan over medium to high heat, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. About 1 minute.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the pan and whisk quickly. Remove from heat.
Step 5: Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients until combined. You’ll now have your cake batter.
Step 8: Divide the batter between the three round cake pans. You want to avoid overfilling each pan or it will cause your cakes to overflow and bake uneven.
Step 9: Bake cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 10: Once your cakes are baked, you will want to place them on wire racks to cool. In the meantime, you can work on making your chocolate ganache.
Step 11: Make your frosting and set aside.
Step 12: Make Your Chocolate Ganache and Set Aside.
Step 13: Once the cakes are baked, cooled and your toppings are ready, assemble your cake.
Step 14: Serve and enjoy!
This is a completely homemade chocolate candy cane cake but if you wanting to save time, you can also use boxed cake mix and go straight to making your own homemade chocolate ganache and frosting.
If you plan on using boxed cake mix, I highly recommend the Duncan Hines brand as I find it to be the most tasty and moist.
You can check out the full cake recipe and directions below. Enjoy!
Want more delicious dessert recipes? Check out:
Chocolate Candy Cane Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- ½ cups cocoa
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups sugar
- 10 oz dark chocolate chopped
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 C semi sweet chocolate chips
- ½ C heavy whipping cream
- 1 large squeeze bottle
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups unsalted sweet cream butter softened
- 1 – 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ tablespoons Hershey special dark cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon pure peppermint extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 7 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups crushed candy canes
- 8 mini candy canes
Instructions
Cake Mix Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 and using non-stick cooking spray, coat the 9-inch round cake pans.
- Using a medium whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (dry ingredients).
- Using a medium saucepan over medium to high heat, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. About 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter until melted. About 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the canola oil and vanilla extract.
- Quickly whisk in the eggs to avoid them cooking into the chocolate mixture.
- Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients (from step 1) until combined. You’ll now have your cake batter.
- Divide the batter between the three round cake pans. You want to avoid overfilling each pan or it will cause your cakes to overflow and bake uneven.
- Bake cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once your cakes are baked, you will want to place them on wire racks to cool. In the meantime, you can work on making your frosting and chocolate ganache.
Frosting Directions:
- Using the standing mixer again, beat the cream cheese and butter until combined and smooth
- Gradually mix in the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt
- Very slowly, beat in the powder sugar until combined
- Whisk in the heavy whipping cream until the ice cream is smooth and fluffy
Chocolate Ganache Directions:
- Using a small pot, heat up the heavy whipping cream until steaming
- While heavy whipping cream is heating up, place chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl
- Once the heavy whipping cream is heated, pour over the chocolate chips
- Allow to sit for 1 minute before whisking until smooth
- Pour ganache into the squeeze bottle and set aside.
Assembling The Cake:
- Place one layer of the cake onto a serving tray or cake stand.
- Using the ice cream scooper, scoop out 4-6 scoops of frosting and smooth evenly on one layer of cake
- Place another layer of cake on top and spread more frosting
- Place the last layer on top and frost the remaining cake with the remaining frosting
- Coat the bottom sides of the cake in the crushed candy canes (they will stick to the frosting)
- Using the squeeze bottle, to create a drizzle effect around the top of the cake, squeeze some ganache over the side allow the chocolate ganache to drip down
- Scoop remaining frosting into the large piping bag and pipe dollops of frosting around the top
- Place a mini candy cane on each dollop
- Cut and enjoy!
Notes
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is a rough estimate only; actual values will vary based on the exact ingredients used and amount of recipe prepared.