Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake

 

This Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake recipe is one that I have had my eye on for a while. The original recipe comes from Two Peas & Their Pod.  I had bookmarked it a while back and was waiting for the Christmas season to come along so I could bake it.  Christmas and peppermint just go together like peas and carrots, don't you think?

This moist and dense chocolate cake makes for the perfect holiday dessert, especially with its rich chocolate frosting and garnish of crushed candy canes or peppermint candy!

 

Not only is it fudgy and moist, but it is incredibly delicious, rich and chocolatey.  The peppermint flavor is subtle, having been balanced out by the use of vanilla extract as well.  

You don't have to decorate it with the candy canes but they do give it a very pretty finish! Not a fan of peppermint?  Leave the peppermint out altogether and just up the vanilla to 2 tsp. You will still have a delicious moist and rich chocolate cake.

Sour cream in the batter helps to keep it lovely and moist. I did cheat and use some warmed canned chocolate frosting to drizzle over the top and that worked out beautifully. If you wish to use the original topping do check out the original recipe. I was going for speed and convenience here. 

This is a beautiful cake for the holidays. I can see it being perfect for an after skating party get-together along with cups of hot chocolate.  A scoop of ice cream would be quite at home with a slice of this delicious cake!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BUNDT CAKE

Only a few simple baking cupboard ingredients.  Things you probably already have in the refrigerator and larder. 

For the cake:

• 1 cup (230g) butter
• 1/3 cup (37g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup (240ml) water
• 2 cups (250g) unsifted all-purpose plain flour
• 1 3/4 cup (335g) granulated sugar (In the UK use caster)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (60g) dairy sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

To finish:

• 1 can chocolate frosting
• 3 or 4 candy canes, crushed

 

The original recipe used unsalted butter.  I used salted and cut the salt in the recipe down by half.  Do not use hot chocolate mix.  Unsweetened cocoa powder is specifically for baking with and is not sweetened, nor does it have any other ingredients other than ground cocoa.

In the U.K. use caster sugar. It does seem like a lot of sugar, but it works out fine.

Do not use self-raising flour.  Plain all-purpose flour is all you need. Test your baking soda to make sure it is fresh by dropping some into some hot water. If it fizzles it is fresh.

Large eggs in North America are the equivalent of medium eggs in the U.K.

I used full fat sour cream.  In for a penny in for a pound.

I used pure peppermint and vanilla extracts.  I was a bit concerned that there was so much peppermint, but it ended up being correct.

 

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BUNDT CAKE

This can completely be made using a wire whisk. No need to crack out the big guns with this simple cake.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter and flour a 10 or 12 cup bundt pan and set aside.

Heat the butter, cocoa powder and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the butter has melted and everything is well combined. Set aside.

 

Whisk the flour, sugar and baking soda together in a bowl. Add half of the butter mixture, whisking everything together with a wire whisk. The batter will be thick.

Whisk in the remaining butter mixture, until smooth.

Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, combining thoroughly. Whisk in the flavorings and the sour cream, again until smooth and thoroughly combined.

 

Pour into the prepared pan and bake until risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

Invert onto a wire rack, remove the cake tin, and cool completely on a wire rack and then place onto a serving plate.

Heat the chocolate frosting in the microwave on high for about 30 to 45 seconds until melted slightly. Spoon over the cooled cake. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over top. Leave to set. Cut into wedges to serve.

 

This was quite a lovely and moist chocolate cake, with a dense fudgy crumb.  I quite enjoyed the flavor of it. The peppermint flavor was not overwhelming which was good. There is always the risk that things flavored with peppermint will come off tasting like toothpaste. The vanilla flavoring in this cake helps to balance that out.

I chose to take the easy way out and just use a canned frosting.  It was getting rather late in the day, and I was getting tired.  This worked beautifully.  Altogether this was a really delicious cake.

 

Here are a few other delicious holiday cakes that we have enjoyed here in The English Kitchen through the years!

EGGNOG BUNDT CAKE -This wonderfully flavored cake is dense like a pound cake and incredibly moist. It really is quite delicious and a great way to use up any extra eggnog you might have in  refrigerator. It has a sweet and spicy vanilla glaze.

ORANGE LAYER CAKE -  This recipe makes an incredibly delicious 9-inch layer cake. Moist and buttery with a lovely delicate orange flavor. It is filled and topped with a lush orange buttercream frosting.  Simple and yet incredibly delicious, this cake spells winner to anyone who is lucky enough to enjoy a piece of it!

Yield: 16 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 45 MinInactive time: 20 MinTotal time: 1 H & 25 M

Moist and delicious, this from scratch chocolate cake has a lovely peppermint flavor that everyone will enjoy! Easy to make and delicious!

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 cup (230g) butter
• 1/3 cup (37g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup (240ml) water
• 2 cups (250g) unsifted all-purpose plain flour
• 1 3/4 cup (335g) granulated sugar (In the UK use caster)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (60g) dairy sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

To finish:

• 1 can chocolate frosting
• 3 or 4 candy canes, crushed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter and flour a 10 or 12 cup bundt pan and set aside.
2. Heat the butter, cocoa powder and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the butter has melted and everything is well combined. Set aside.
3. Whisk the flour, sugar and baking soda together in a bowl. Add half of the butter mixture, whisking everything together with a wire whisk. The batter will be thick.
4. Whisk in the remaining butter mixture, until smooth.
5. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, combining thoroughly. Whisk in the flavorings and the sour cream, again until smooth and thoroughly combined.
6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Leave to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
7. Invert onto a wire rack, remove the cake tin, and cool completely on a wire rack and then place onto a serving plate.
8. Heat the chocolate frosting in the microwave on high for about 30 to 45 seconds until melted slightly. Spoon over the cooled cake. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over top. Leave to set.
9. Cut into wedges to serve.

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