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Holiday Peppermint Cake

Holiday peppermint cake is a soft, two-layer vanilla cake with a hint of peppermint, fluffy peppermint buttercream, and crushed candies on top. Bake the layers until they spring back lightly, then frost and decorate just before serving for a festive finish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 33 minutes
Cooling 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 13 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 700
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs large, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
For the peppermint buttercream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
For decorating
  • 0.5 cup peppermint candies crushed, or candy canes

Equipment

  • 2 8-inch round cake pans
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

Bake the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
  3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
  4. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  6. Mix in the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
  7. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions and beginning and ending with the flour; mix on low just until combined.
  8. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
  9. Bake for 28 to 33 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes.
  11. Loosen the edges, turn the cakes out onto wire racks, and remove the parchment.
  12. Cool completely.
Make the peppermint buttercream
  1. Beat the softened butter in a large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes.
  2. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar on low.
  3. Add the heavy cream, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and salt, then beat on medium-high until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Assemble and decorate
  1. Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate and spread with about 1 cup of buttercream.
  2. Set the second layer on top and frost the top and sides with the remaining buttercream.
  3. Sprinkle the top evenly with the crushed peppermint candies just before serving.

Notes

For clean slices, sprinkle on the crushed candies just before serving. Store the covered cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze unfrosted cake layers for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free variation, use plant-based butter and unsweetened non-dairy milk, and replace the heavy cream with a non-dairy alternative.