Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cakes, great little cake recipe with dark chocolate fudge and peppermint! Perfect for Christmas and New Year’s!
Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cakes recipe is a great holiday or Christmas dessert. I was a little wrapped up with the holidays (no pun intended!), but happy to be back and looking forward to some non-dessert recipes next week. BUT it’s still the holidays, so here’s a great little cake! Looking for a bigger cake? Check out my Brownie Cake!
Doesn’t get much better than chocolate and peppermint, and these chocolate peppermint cakes are sure to put a smile on anyone’s face! And did I mention this is a great recipe to use up some of those candy canes you probably have around the house right about now?
Yes, these little cakes are a bit of work, but check out my tips at the end of the recipe for some ideas to make this recipe quicker and easier if you’re in need of some shortcuts. I highly recommend using a round cookie cutter to cut out the cakes rather than trying to cut by hand!
Unfortunately, I didn’t get any good pictures of the process thanks to some technical difficulties and two small children home on winter break, but I was able to get a few pictures of the finished product.
Happy New Year!
Hope you enjoy these fun Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cakes!
Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cakes
Ingredients
Cake:
- 10 large eggs yolks & whites separated
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 3/4 cup hot water
Frosting Filling:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese (regular or reduced fat), softened
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar
- 4 candy canes finely crushed
Dark Chocolate Glaze:
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
Candy Cane Candy (for decorating, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or lightly spray 2 large 12×18-inch baking sheets with sides with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper then butter again or lightly spray with nonstick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl beat egg yolks and 2 cups sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined; beat in vanilla. In a small bowl whisk together flour cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until mixed. Stir coffee into water until dissolved. Alternated adding flour mixture and coffee into eggs/sugar mixture while beating with electric mixer on low speed just until combined.
- In a separate large mixing bowl beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into cake batter until just combined.
- Spread batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 14-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool slightly then run a knife along edges of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake over on work surface and remove parchment paper. Cool completely then using a 3-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter (or sharp knife) cut out cake into circles.
- Prepare frosting by mixing together butter and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in peppermint extract. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until desired consistency.
- Place a cake layer on work surface, top with frosting, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes, top with another cake layer and repeat with frosting, then candy canes, then top with a third cake layer. Repeat with remaining cake, frosting, and crushed candy canes. If there are any crushed candy canes left, sprinkle around sides of cakes.
- Place heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high power in 30 second intervals until very hot and bubbly. Pour over chocolate chips in a bowl and stir together with corn syrup until smooth. (If mixture is not completely melted, microwave on half power in 15 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.) Cool slightly then spoon over tops of each cake. Store cakes in refrigerator until ready to serve. Cover cakes if storing for more than a few hours. Top with candy cane candy if desired before serving.
- Makes about 14 cakes (your yield may vary slightly depending on how closely you cut your cake circles)
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
About Lisa Huff
Lisa Huff is a Cookbook Author, Freelance Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Blogger/Writer, and award-winning home chef. She loves creating unique recipes from healthy to decadent including cocktails, appetizers, main dishes, dessert recipes and more and has appeared on various shows, publications, and websites.
These little cakes would be so fabulous for the holidays.
These look amazing! Happy New Year, Friend!
Thanks Laurie! Happy New Year to you!