Peppermint Brownie Cake

Now that the Thanksgiving madness is over, how about some Christmas cheer?? I’ve got just what you need with this peppermint brownie cake. Stand back, pumpkin – it’s peppermint time.

I have always been team “the earlier the better” when it comes to the Christmas spirit. Yeah yeah let every holiday have their time, but zombies aren’t my thing and I really don’t get why we need a whole day to celebrate colonialism and arguing with your family, so Halloween and Thanksgiving fall by the wayside in my mind. When the leaves start falling, I start hearing sleigh bells and seeing twinkling Christmas lights. This is especially important to me this year, when there is pretty much nothing to smile about. I need an IV of Christmas cheer, so of course I’m going to start listening to music and decorating early.

I recognize not everyone is like that though, which is why I held off on releasing this recipe until after Thanksgiving. But now that it’s Jingle Time all the time, there’s no reason to not enjoy everything peppermint chocolate. This is one of the most classic combinations, and a great favorite of mine. Peppermint bark, peppermint mochas, and of course, peppermint chocolate cake – all sublime. This brownie cake has a rich chocolate flavor that is offset by the bright peppermint frosting, leaving you wanting another piece.

One key piece of advice I have for the brownie cake is to not skip the coffee. If you haven’t made many chocolate desserts, you may find it a strange ingredient – especially if you hate coffee. But rather than lending a bitter taste, the coffee actually enhances the chocolate flavor. Trust me, you will not be eating an espresso brownie. The bitterness of the coffee works to lift the chocolate flavor, making it more pronounced. It’s not a dealbreaker to leave it out if you don’t keep coffee around the house, but if it’s available, add it in for sure.

I was worried about making an American buttercream with this, because I was afraid it would be too thick when combined with the brownie. However, I spent extra time whipping the butter and sugar together, and it came out the perfect consistency! I would like to try this with a lighter buttercream, like Swiss meringue, but this one is much faster and works well.

I hope you love this double-chocolatey, minty-fresh treat for the holiday season. I just can’t get enough, and I’m ready to go with the holiday recipes, so stay tuned! Until then, here’s to good drinking, great eating, and even better living.

Peppermint Brownie Cake

A chocolatey brownie cake, topped and sandwiched with peppermint buttercream.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Cool time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 45 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1 2-tiered cake

Ingredients

  

For the brownie

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 bag dark chocolate chunks (10 oz)
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 325 g sugar
• 175 g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 45 g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10 mini candy canes (for decoration)

For the frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• pinch of salt

Instructions

 

For the brownie

• Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-in round cake pans with nonstick spray and set aside. Put the chocolate and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between time in the microwave until the mixture is smooth and combined. Set aside.
• Whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
• Put the eggs and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium speed until light and frothy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and whisk for about 5 more minutes until well-combined.
• Turn the mixer to low and stir in the chocolate. When it is fully incorporated, turn the mixer off and remove the bowl. Fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula until there are no dry pockets and the mixture is fully incorporated.
• Divide the batter between the two pans and bake on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean (you don't want overly fudgy brownies so they can stack, but you also don't want them to be dry, so this is the sweet spot). Let cool for an hour before carefully turning out of the pan.

For the frosting

• Put the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).
• Add the sugar, extracts, and salt. Beat for 3 more minutes, or until the consistency is light and fluffy.

Construction

• Set one of the brownie rounds on a cake stand and add about 1/3 of the frosting on top. Set the other round on top and add the remainder of the frosting, adding it to the side if you don't like your cakes naked. Add the mini candy canes on top (crushed or whole), serve and enjoy!

Keyword brownie, cake, dessert, peppermint