This chocolate peppermint cake has the perfect balance of sweet chocolate and peppermint flavor! A perfectly moist chocolate peppermint cake on the bottom, with swirls of white chocolate buttercream, and topped with crushed peppermint pieces and sprinkles!
This cake is SO EASY to make and even better is made with NO EGGS and easily made vegan! This is a PERFECT cake for the holiday season and sure to impress ANY crowd! Enjoy!
This recipe is a DREAM! So EASY, festive, and perfect for a holiday party! Such a stunner and a Christmas crowd pleaser!
The chocolate cake is made in ONE BOWL and the entire recipe is made with NO EGGS and EASILY made vegan! This recipe is very allergy-friendly and you would NEVER know!
This was inspired by other cake recipes on my site like my easy double chocolate loaf cake and my chocolate strawberry bread with banana recipe!
Chocolate Peppermint Cake Ingredients
This recipe is so EASY to throw together! The best part is this recipe is made mostly with ingredients you already have in your fridge or pantry! For this flavorful, and moist, chocolate peppermint cake recipe you will need the following ingredients:
Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- Butter-Unsalted butter, or vegan butter, is preferred for this recipe. If you want to use salted butter, be sure to omit the salt ingredient from the recipe.
- Sugar-I used granulated sugar for this recipe but feel free to also use coconut sugar for this recipe.
- Buttermilk-I made my own buttermilk for this recipe. You add 1 cup of your preferred milk with 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar, then allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Flaxseed Mix- This creates your 3 flax eggs for this recipe. To make your flax eggs, add 3 tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with 6 tablespoon of water, mix, and then allow to set for 5 minutes. Done!
- Greek yogurt– I used 0 percent fat Greek yogurt for this recipe but you can use Greek yogurt with any fat content, or vegan yogurt, for this recipe.
- Peppermint extract-Be careful with your peppermint extract, only 1 tsp is needed here. If you prefer less of a mint taste, use 1/2 a teaspoon OR omit entirely.
- Vanilla extract-You can use vanilla extract, powder, or paste for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour– All-purpose is preferred but you can also use a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute as well!
- Cocoa powder– Use your preferred cocoa powder, unsweetened.
- Baking powder/Baking soda/Cornstarch– Do not skip this step. These ingredients are important to allow the cake to be soft and fluffy without an egg.
- Coffee– Be sure that your brewed coffee is at room temperature before adding to your cake mixture. You can also use instant coffee.
White Chocolate Buttercream
- Butter- Unsalted butter, or vegan butter, is preferred for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract-You can use vanilla extract, powder, or paste for this recipe.
- Powdered sugar– Feel free to also use your preferred powdered sweetener.
- White chocolate– Be sure to allow your melted white chocolate to cool completely before adding to your buttercream so that your frosting does not split!
- Candy canes– Add your favorite peppermint-flavored candy canes to a bag and crush with a rolling pin.
See recipe card for additional details and quantities.
Peppermint Cake Instructions
For the full instructions and measurements for how to make this delicious recipe, please skip down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Use the following step-by-step instructions for how to make this delicious peppermint chocolate cake:
To a large mixing bowl, add the melted room temperature butter with your sugar. Using a whisk, mix well. Then add your buttermilk, Greek yogurt, flax eggs, peppermint and vanilla extracts. Whisk well to combine.
To the same bowl, add the flour cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Using a whisk, gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Add half of the room temperature coffee to the mixture, gently whisk, and then add the rest of the coffee. Finish whisking until just combined (avoid overmixing your batter).
Pour your cake mix into your greased and prepped baking pan. Then place in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes.
When finished, remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely. While the cake cools, make the frosting.
Using a stand mixer, or hand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, add the room temperature butter to the bowl. Whisk on high for 1 minute. Then add the vanilla extract and mix for about 30 seconds.
Then add half of the powdered sugar, start mixing on low speed and then progress to high speed until completely combined. Then add the room temperature white chocolate and mix on high speed to whisk until fluffy
Once completed, swirl the buttercream onto the completely cooled chocolate peppermint cake. Add the crushed peppermints and optional sprinkles.
Hint: Be sure not to overmix your chocolate cake batter. Ensure to whisk until just combined for a tender, and moist chocolate cake texture.
Chocolate Peppermint Cake Substitutions
Are you gluten-free or vegan? This recipe has the following substitutions so that you can still easily enjoy this incredibly moist chocolate peppermint cake recipe!
- Gluten-free – instead of using all-purpose flour for this recipe, use a 1:1 gluten free flour substitute for a delicious gluten-free treat!
- Vegan – use vegan butter, milk, chocolate chips, and yogurt, to make this recipe vegan-friendly!
Peppermint Variations
This recipe is so versatile and would be delicious with different frosting, and topping, options:
- Vanilla Buttercream
- Chocolate buttercream
- Chocolate peppermint frosting
- Vanilla peppermint frosting
- Mint chocolate chocolate coated candies
- White chocolate chips
- Dark chocolate chips
- Mini mint marshmallows
Want more chocolate recipes? See my Molten chocolate lava cookies, and baked chocolate pudding hand pie recipes!
Equipment
You will need 4 pieces of equipment for this chocolate recipe. One large mixing bowl for making the chocolate batter. 1 stand mixer, or hand mixer, for making the white chocolate buttercream frosting. One small bowl for melting the white chocolate chips. Finally, a 9″ by 13″ rectangular baking pan, for baking your chocolate cake.
Other optional items for this recipe would be some festive and decorative sprinkles!
Storage
Store your finished chocolate peppermint cake, in an air tight container, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can keep your cake in the fridge for another 1-2 days but may start to dry out after day 5.
You can also double wrap your cake in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe plastic bag for up to 2 months in the freezer! This makes entertaining super easy.
Top tips
- Be sure that your brewed coffee is at room temperature before adding to your cake mixture. You can also use instant coffee.
- Do not overmix your chocolate cake batter. Ensure to whisk until just combined for a tender, and moist chocolate cake texture.
- Allow your melted white chocolate to cool completely before adding to your buttercream so that your frosting does not split!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There are many good egg substitutes for cake, including: yogurt, applesauce, cornstarch, and bananas!
A few reasons why your cake may be dry is: you overbaked your cake, you baked your cake at too high of a temperature, or you overmixed your cake batter.
You can add peppermint flavor to your cake by either flavoring your frosting or cake batter with peppermint extract or crushed peppermint candies.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Chocolate Peppermint Cake:
Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Equipment
- 1 9" x 13" rectangular baking pan
- 1 Large mixing bowl For the cake
- 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer For the frosting
- 1 Small bowl For melting the chocolate
Ingredients
Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- 3/4 Cup Unsalted butter Melted AND Room temperature
- 2 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Buttermilk Room temperature (Or 1 cup of your preferred milk with 1 Tsp of white wine vinegar, then allow to sit for 5 minutes)
- 3 Tbsp Flaxseed 3 Flax eggs (Mix 3 Tbsp of ground flaxseed meal with 6 Tbsp of water then allow to set for 5 minutes)
- 1/4 Cup Greek yogurt Room temperature (Or vegan yogurt)
- 1 Tsp Peppermint extract
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 Cup All-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 Cup Cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 Tsp Baking powder
- 2 1/2 Tsp Baking soda
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Coffee Brewed AND Room temperature
White Chocolate Buttercream
- 2 Cups Butter Room temperature (or vegan butter)
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
- 2 Cups Powdered sugar
- 1/4 Cup White chocolate Melted AND Room temperature
- 4 Candy canes Crushed
Instructions
Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x 13" rectangular pan and place a single piece of parchment paper to the bottom of the pan. Prepare all of your ingredients.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the melted room temperature butter with your sugar. Using a whisk, mix well. Then add your buttermilk, Greek yogurt, flax eggs, peppermint and vanilla extracts. Whisk well to combine.
- To the same bowl, add the flour cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Using a whisk, gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add half of the room temperature coffee to the mixture, gently whisk, and then add the rest of the coffee. Finish whisking until just combined (avoid overmixing your batter).
- Pour your cake mix into your greased and prepped baking pan. Then place in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Baking until when checked with a toothpick, the toothpick comes out clean from the middle of the cake.
- When finished, remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely. While the cake cools, make the frosting.
White Chocolate Buttercream
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted completed. Set aside to come to room temperature.
- Using a stand mixer, or hand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, add the room temperature butter to the bowl. Whisk on high for 1 minute. Then add the vanilla extract and mix for about 30 seconds.
- Then add half of the powdered sugar, start mixing on low speed and then progress to high speed until completely combined. Then add the room temperature white chocolate and the other half of the powdered sugar, then start on low speed and then progress to high speed to whisk until fluffy (feel free to add a teaspoon of milk if needed).
- Once completed, swirl the buttercream onto the completely cooled chocolate peppermint cake. Add the crushed peppermints and optional sprinkles.
- Serve and enjoy!
The perfect holiday dessert, minty and chocolatey deliciousness 😋 🎂