Lethal Peppermint Chocolate Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Grease and flour 2 round cake pans.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together cake ingredients on low for 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
• Increase mixing speed to medium high and beat for 2 minutes more.
• Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they test done.
• Remove from oven and cool completely.
• While cooling, prepare Ganache:.
• Put all ganache ingredients in 2 cup glass measuring cup.
• Cook on 50% power in microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring well after each minute until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
• Cover tightly and let sit for 3-4 hours or until it reaches spreading consistency. If it gets too thick, place in a pan of hot water over medium heat and stir until softens.
• To make filling:.
• Place butter and cream cheese in mixing bowl.
• Cream together until smooth and fluffy.
• Add candy, sugar, flavoring (or schnapps) and about 2 Tbs milk.
• Beat, adding additional milk until mixture is fluffy.
• When cakes are cool, layer them with the filling between layers, reserving about 1/2 cup of the filling for garnish, if you wish.
• Frost layers with cooled ganache.
• Pipe remaining filling on top of cake, or just sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
• Refrigerate to set ganache.

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Dust pans with flour; tap out excess. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yolk. Add cocoa and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with ice water in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until just blended and smooth after each addition. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.
• For dark chocolate ganache:
• Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer to small bowl. Chill until firm enough to spread, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Before using, let stand at room temperature until soft enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
• For white chocolate cream:
• Place white chocolate in large heatproof bowl. Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in saucepan. Pour hot cream over white chocolate. Let stand 1 minute; whisk until smooth. Whisk in extract. Cover; chill until mixture thickens and is cold, at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.
• Add 2 cups chilled cream to white chocolate cream and beat until smooth and peaks form. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk to thicken, if necessary, before using.
• Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer on platter, cut side up. Spread 1/3 of dark chocolate ganache over cake. Spoon 2 cups white chocolate cream in dollops over cake; spread evenly to edges. Top with second cake layer, cut side down; spread 1/3 of ganache over, then 2 cups white chocolate cream. Repeat with third cake layer, cut side up, remaining ganache, and remaining cream. Cover with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Chill while preparing frosting.
• For peppermint frosting:
• Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, egg whites, and corn syrup in large bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer. Whisk by hand to blend well. Set bowl with mixture over saucepan of gently simmering water; whisk constantly with hand whisk until mixture resembles marshmallow creme and ribbons form when whisk is lifted, 8 to 9 minutes. Whisk in peppermint extract. Remove bowl from over water and attach bowl to heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until mixture is barely warm to touch and very thick, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Using offset spatula and working quickly, spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle chocolate curls over top and sides. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a small heavy saucepan, heat butter and chocolate over low heat until blended, stirring constantly; transfer to a large bowl., Add eggs, egg yolks, sugar, extract and salt to chocolate mixture; mix well. Stir in flour. Pour into four greased 6-oz. custard cups or ramekins., Place custard cups on a baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160° and edges of cakes are set., Remove from oven; let stand 1 minute. Run a knife around sides of cakes; remove to dessert plates. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• PREPARE CAKE:.
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F
• Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.
• Dust pans with flour; tap out excess.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in medium bowl to blend.
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended.
• Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in yolk.
• Add cocoa and beat until well blended.
• Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with ice water in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until just blended and smooth after each addition.
• Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
• Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes; invert cakes onto racks and cool completely.
• *(Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.)
• PREPARE DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE:.
• Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan.
• Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
• Transfer to small bowl; chill until firm enough to spread, about 1 hour.
• **(Can be made 1 day ahead. Before using, let stand at room temperature until soft enough to spread, about 30 minutes.)
• PREPARE WHITE CHOCLATE CREAM:.
• Place white chocolate in large heatproof bowl.
• Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in saucepan.
• Pour hot cream over white chocolate.
• Let stand 1 minute; whisk until smooth; whisk in extract.
• Cover; chill until mixture thickens and is cold, at least 4 hours.
• ***(Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill).
• Add 2 cups chilled cream to white chocolate cream and beat until smooth and peaks form.
• ****(Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk to thicken, if necessary, before using.)
• ASSEMBLING THE CAKE:.
• Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter, cut side up.
• Spread 1/3 of dark chocolate ganache over cake.
• Spoon 2 cups white chocolate cream in dollops over cake; spread evenly to edges.
• Top with second cake layer, cut side down; spread 1/3 of ganache over, then 2 cups white chocolate cream.
• Repeat with third cake layer, cut side up, remaining ganache, and remaining cream.
• Cover with fourth cake layer, cut side down.
• Chill while preparing frosting.
• PREPARE PEPPERMINT FROSTING:.
• Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, egg whites, and corn syrup in large bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer.
• Whisk by hand to blend well.
• Set bowl with mixture over saucepan of gently simmering water; whisk constantly with hand whisk until mixture resembles marshmallow creme and ribbons form when whisk is lifted, 8 to 9 minutes.
• Whisk in peppermint extract.
• Remove bowl from over water and attach bowl to heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
• Beat on high speed until mixture is barely warm to touch and very thick, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Using offset spatula and working quickly, spread frosting over top and sides of cake.
• Sprinkle chocolate curls over top and sides.
• ***** (DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill.).
• E N J O Y !