Layered Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Celebrate the holidays with this decadent Layered Chocolate Peppermint Cake. A layer of rich chocolate cake is topped with a creamy peppermint mousse and finished with a layer of decadent ganache. It’s the perfect dessert for your Christmas party!

Chocolate Peppermint Cake

This Layered Chocolate Peppermint Cake is the perfect treat to bring to your next Christmas party. It’s a gorgeous dessert and has an incredible flavor with everything you want in a holiday dessert! A layered cake Layered Blue Velvet Cake is a beautiful dessert for Christmas. When you add the peppermint mousse to it, you have a bakery worthy cake for Christmas.

Important Ingredients You Will Need:

• Triple Chocolate Cake Mix– This is a great shortcut to making a delicious moist chocolate cake. You can certainly make a chocolate cake from scratch of you prefer.
• Peppermint Extract- This will add the peppermint flavor to the cake. You can also use peppermint flavoring or peppermint oil if you prefer.
• Peppermint Baking Bits- This adds the peppermint chunks to the cake. The peppermint chips are soft but if you do not have the chips you can swap candy canes. These will be hard.
• Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares- These are delicious candies. These square white chocolate peppermint bark  candies are perfect for this cake.

Can I Make the Chocolate Cake from Scratch?

Yes, you can make the chocolate cake from scratch. Whether you prepare the chocolate cake yourself from scratch or buy it at the store. It will come out the same.

How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Chocolate Cake Layer

Step 1- Wet Ingredients.

Set the oven to 350 degrees and use pam baking spray to grease the cake pans. Add the cake mix, butter, milk, and peppermint extract into a standing mixer and combine.

Step 2 Baking.

Separate the cake batter between the three prepared cake pans. Place the pans into the oven for 25-35 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and allow them to cool thoroughly.

Candy Cane Mousse

Step 1- Melting the Chocolate.

Add 1 1⁄2 C white chocolate chips, 3⁄4 C heavy whipping cream, and salt into a medium bowl and melt in the microwave in 45-second intervals. Mix the chocolate after each increment until fully melted. Then, add it into a large bowl, to bring it to room temperature.

Step 2- Gelatin.

Add 2 tsp of the gelatin and 2 tbsp of cold water into a small bowl and allow it to dissolve and absorb. Once the chocolate has cooled to room temperature, place the gelatin in the microwave for 15 seconds. Afterward, combine the two mixtures until fully incorporated. Pour in the peppermint extract and whisk to combine.

Step 3- Whipped Cream.

Add 1 C of heavy whipping cream into a medium bowl, and beat until stiff peaks. Use a rubber spatula to carefully add heavy whipping cream into the chocolate mixture and fold to combine. Continue to combine the rest of the whipping cream into the chocolate mixture. Add in 2/3 of peppermint baking bits and fold carefully into the chocolate mixture.

Assembling the Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Step 1- First Layer.

Take out one of the chocolate layers and set it on a cake board and remove the top using a cake leveler to even the surface. Add the candy cane mousse on top of the first layer and use a spatula to evenly spread. Set the first layer into the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.

Step 2- Second & Third Layer.

Repeat the same steps that you did with the first layer on the second layer of cake, once the 30 minutes is up. You can keep the cake in the fridge while you make the second layer of candy cane mousse (repeat the steps above). Take the cake out of the fridge and once the second batch has been made, and add on top of the second layer, and smooth evenly using a rubber spatula. Set into the fridge for an additional 30 minutes before adding the third and final layer.

Chocolate Ganache

Step 1- Heating the Cream.

Add the heavy whipping cream into a small pot and bring to a simmer. 

Step 2- Melting the Chocolate.

Pour the heated cream on top of the chocolate chips and let it sit for a minute before combining until smooth with a whisk. Add into a squeeze bottle.

Decorating

Step 1- Chocolate Ganache.

Drizzle the chocolate along the edge of the cake, until the entire top of it is coated in chocolate.

Step 2- Candy Canes.

Decorate the entire and decorate the entire top of the cake as you see fit using the candy cane ingredients. Place the whole cake into the fridge to allow it to set before serving.

Tips for making a Chocolate Peppermint Cake: