Description
A festive layered cake combining rich chocolate, bold espresso, and cool peppermint, perfect for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk (or plant milk for dairy-free)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs (or flax eggs for vegan)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- Crushed candy canes for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, oil, eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extracts.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients until just combined.
- Stir in boiling water and dissolved espresso until smooth.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Frost with peppermint buttercream and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top.
Notes
For a vegan option, substitute flax eggs and plant-based milk. Adjust peppermint extract to taste for a more subtle flavor.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 30mg