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Moist Peppermint Fudge Cake Recipe

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4.8 from 54 reviews

This Moist Peppermint Fudge Cake is a rich and decadent chocolate cake layered with fudgy peppermint ganache and frosted with a fluffy peppermint buttercream. Featuring a perfectly tender crumb, intense chocolate flavor, and refreshing peppermint notes, this festive dessert is perfect for holiday celebrations. The cake is baked to moist perfection, layered with a luscious ganache filling, and finished with a light buttercream and mini candy cane decorations for a delightful seasonal treat.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 170 grams (1 ¼ cups + 2 Tablespoons) All-Purpose Flour (Gold Medal recommended)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ¾ teaspoon Salt
  • 3 Tablespoons Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix or 2 Tablespoons instant clearjel
  • 26 grams (¼ cup) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Hershey's recommended)
  • 100 grams (½ cup) Sugar
  • 113 grams (½ cup packed) Brown Sugar

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 large Eggs
  • ¾ cup Buttermilk
  • ¼ cup brewed Coffee
  • ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 3 Tablespoons Dark Corn Syrup (or light corn syrup)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Butter Mixture

  • ¾ stick (3 ounces) Salted Butter
  • 43 grams (¼ cup) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Nestle recommended)

Peppermint Fudgy Ganache

  • ½ cup Heavy Cream
  • 172 grams (1 cup) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Nestle recommended)
  • ¾ teaspoon Pure Peppermint Extract (Olive Nation recommended)

Peppermint Buttercream

  • 455 grams (3 ½ cups) Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Instant Clearjel (optional)
  • 4 ounces Cream Cheese
  • 1 ½ sticks (6 ounces) Salted Butter (room temperature)
  • 48 grams (¼ cup) Shortening
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ¾ teaspoon Pure Peppermint Extract (Olive Nation recommended)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a 1-inch tall ¼ sheet pan with parchment paper and spray the bottom and sides with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chocolate instant pudding mix or instant clearjel, cocoa powder, and sugar into a large bowl. Add brown sugar and whisk well, breaking up any clumps to ensure even mixing.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, brewed coffee, vegetable oil, dark corn syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and thoroughly combined.
  4. Prepare Chocolate Butter Mixture: Melt salted butter in the microwave or on the stove until just melted, avoiding overheating. Add semi-sweet chocolate chips and whisk continuously for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and fully melted.
  5. Combine Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until incorporated. Add the chocolate butter mixture to the batter and whisk until it is smooth and free of lumps, though small brown sugar lumps are acceptable.
  6. Pour and Set Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly. Let the pan sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the pudding mix or clearjel to thicken the batter, which helps achieve a better rise.
  7. Bake the Cake: Bake on the middle or upper oven rack at 325°F for 16 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 300°F and bake for an additional 6-10 minutes. Check doneness by lightly touching the cake surface or inserting a toothpick; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
  8. Cool and Freeze: Once cooled, wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight to make layering easier. For longer storage, brush with simple syrup before wrapping to maintain moisture.
  9. Make Peppermint Ganache: Combine heavy cream and semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate melts and the ganache is shiny. Stir in peppermint extract and refrigerate until thick and fudgy, stirring occasionally. Reheat gently if too firm before spreading.
  10. Prepare Peppermint Buttercream: Whisk powdered sugar and instant clearjel together. Beat cream cheese until softened, then add room temperature butter and shortening, beating until smooth and lump-free. Gradually add the sugar mixture, vanilla, and peppermint extracts while beating on low, then increase speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes to make the frosting fluffy.
  11. Layer and Frost the Cake: Using cake rings, cut the frozen or refrigerated cake layers. Spread a ¼-inch layer of peppermint ganache between each layer. Apply a thin crumb coat of peppermint buttercream on the cake exterior, then chill for 10 minutes until firm.
  12. Final Frosting and Decoration: Frost the cake with the remaining peppermint buttercream. Warm reserved ganache slightly and drizzle it down the sides of the cake. Pipe rosettes or any desired decoration on top using a pastry bag with a 1M star tip. Finish by topping with mini candy canes. Allow the cake to set in the fridge and bring to room temperature 2-3 hours before serving for the best texture.

Notes

  • Instant Clearjel is a food starch used in commercial baking that helps stabilize the cake batter; it can be substituted with chocolate instant pudding mix.
  • Grease the parchment-lined pan thoroughly to ensure the cake releases easily after baking.
  • Brushing the cake with simple syrup before freezing helps maintain moisture and freshness for extended storage.
  • The cake is easier to layer and slice when cold or frozen, making assembly simpler.
  • If the ganache becomes too cold and thick, warm it gently in short microwaving bursts to achieve spreadable consistency.
  • Use an offset icing spatula to spread batter evenly and to apply ganache and frosting smoothly during assembly.
  • Refrigerated cake layers can be used if assembling the cake on the same day without freezing.

Find it online: https://alinacooks.com/moist-peppermint-fudge-cake-recipe/