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Weekly Recipe: Heather Gray’s Peppermint Cake
Are you planning your holiday menu and looking to add a fresh dessert? If you and your family like peppermint flavor, this cake is the right one for you. Heather Gray’s peppermint cake, which originally appeared in our December 2010 issue, is a mixture of white and yellow cake mix and includes unsweetened cocoa, peppermint syrup and, of course, is topped off with actual peppermint pieces.
Gray had told us that her husband’s aunt turned her on to a Southern Living recipe, which she adapted her annual holiday menu, and that it’s so easy to make but it’s “so pretty everyone thinks you spent a lot of money on it.”
Sounds like the perfect after-dinner treat.
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Heather Gray’s Peppermint Cake
Cake
1 (18.25 oz.) package of white cake mix
3 egg whites
1 1⁄3 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 9-oz. package yellow cake mix
1⁄2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
11⁄2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. liquid red food coloring
1 tsp. cider vinegar
Peppermint syrup (available at Starbucks)
Frosting
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 lb. package powdered sugar
2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 bag of Starlight peppermint candies
Cake
Combine and beat first four ingredients according to cake mix directions. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat yellow cake mix plus next six ingredients following suggested mix times on cake mix box. Distribute the white batter evenly into the three greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Spoon the red batter on top of the white batter in each of the three pans. Swirl gently with knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cool on racks 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on racks. Drizzle peppermint syrup over all three layers before frosting the cake.
Frosting
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add in sugar and extract. Spread frosting between layers, then on top and on sides. Before serving, crush peppermints and press peppermint pieces on the bottom half of cake sides and sprinkle remaining pieces on top. As a special bonus, sprinkle entire cake with edible glitter, available at Make a Cake.
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