Mint chocolate is one of my very favorite flavor combinations.
Orange chocolate? Not so much. I’ve never been a huge fan of chocolate and fruit except for one rare exception of these delicious {vegan!} raspberry jam brownies. Oooooooo if you haven’t baked those yet, you must. They’re dangerously good…..kinda like this candy cane cake! What we have here is an intensely mint dark chocolate loaf cake topped with an even more intense dark chocolate ganache and crushed candy canes.
I made this cake the other day for a special treat while we decorated the Christmas tree. We ended up going to three different places before we found the perfect tree this year! Then, as Adam strung the lights and Dexter drank the water in the tree stand, I cut this cake and poured us a mug of peppermint tea to share. I love my little family. Every year Adam gets me a dessert ornament and this year, we found the CUTEST Dairy Queen soft serve ice cream cone ornament at a little shop in Berkeley. I’m hoping by the time I’m forty, I have an entire Christmas tree dedicated to desserts.
Anyway, if you like mint chocolate you will LOVE this cake. It’s perfect for Christmas parties or a special Christmas Eve at home.
To make a fun candy cane layer cake, double the recipe below and divide the batter between two 9″ cake pans. Use a chocolate buttercream frosting with crumbled candy canes to frost.
I want to eat this cake for breakfast. And for morning snack. And for lunch. And for ……..you get the picture. And don’t tell me that you have enough will power to keep your fingers out of the ganache! Lucky for y’all, I photographed this cake before it sat on my counter all afternoon. By night (when I served it), it had finger swipes all through the sides.
I’m sorry.
Not really.
Mint Chocolate Candy Cane Cake
makes 1 loaf cake
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder (I like Hershey’s Special Dark)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
ganache—
8 oz dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup cream
3 candy canes, smashed in a plastic bag with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until lightly crushed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a loaf pan. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Sift in the cocoa powder and mix until all is combined.
Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and peppermint extract, beating until combined. Slowly stream in the buttermilk alternately with adding the dry ingredients.
Continue beating until smooth then pour batter in prepared loaf pan, smoothing top with a rubber or offset spatula.
Bake cake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then invert on a cake stand or large plate while you prepare the ganache.
To make the ganache, bring the cream to a simmer on the stove. Pour cream over chocolate chips and mix until all chips melt and mixture is smooth and combined. Pour ganache over cake and scatter crushed candy cane on top. Ganache will harden slightly as it cools, coming to more of a fudge-like consistency.
Time:
1.5 hours
AdrienneCarolyn
December 10, 2012 at 4:06 amPerfection! This is my Christmas Eve treat for sure!!
Joelle (on a pink typewriter)
December 10, 2012 at 4:13 amYessss, mint + chocolate is a perfect march (almost as perfect as pb and chocolate). I have a peppermint/choco recipe coming up on my blog tmrw that I made for dessert last night!
Anne
December 10, 2012 at 4:21 amI was planning on bringing spring rolls to a Christmas party this weekend….I’m thinking this sounds much better 🙂
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
December 10, 2012 at 4:34 amThis looks so beautiful Jenna! That’s so cute that Adam gets you a dessert ornament each year. Hallmark has a small line of baking ornaments and my mum has been giving me one each year as well. So far, I’ve got an oven and a Kitchen Aid-like mixer!
Blog is the New Black
December 10, 2012 at 4:36 amThis is basically my heaven!
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance
December 10, 2012 at 4:45 amOh. My. Pure decadence there. Looks insanely good, Jenna!
DessertForTwo
December 10, 2012 at 5:13 amThis sounds so simple and delicious! Perfect for tree-trimming 🙂
Molly @ RDexposed
December 10, 2012 at 5:13 amThree Christmas tree attempts? That’s dedication. We sorta threw in the towel and ended up with a Christmas tree to wide that it almost takes up and entire room.
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin
December 10, 2012 at 5:21 amMint and chocolate is one of my favourite flavour combinations too! This will be a perfect dessert to make over the holidays!
Molly @ Happy&Healthy
December 10, 2012 at 5:31 amI love that yall are now a little family, so cute!! Mint and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combos, can’t wait to try this cake!
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More
December 10, 2012 at 5:54 amYES!! I’ve been trying to decide what I want to make for our Christmas Eve holiday party dessert and this might just be the winner! 🙂
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles
December 10, 2012 at 5:56 amI’m obsessed with mint and chocolate right now…this looks delicious!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
December 10, 2012 at 6:06 amI love the dessert ornament idea, how cute and perfect!
Kaitlin @4loveofcarrots
December 10, 2012 at 6:06 ambe still my hear!! Mint and chocolate is my all time favorite!! I need this!
brandi
December 10, 2012 at 6:09 ami’m a sucker for anything with chocolate + mint. this looks so fun and festive! and easy, which is a requirement for me and decorating.
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
December 10, 2012 at 6:10 amI love that tradition, the ornaments sound adorable!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
December 10, 2012 at 6:17 amThis is so festive and pretty!
luv what you do
December 10, 2012 at 7:19 amWow, that cake looks incredible! I could spend all day inside with a fork eating it!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
December 10, 2012 at 7:34 amJenna the cake is dark, rich, fudgy and perfect looking! Can’t go wrong with any of Deb’s recipes or with peppermint + chocolate!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama
December 10, 2012 at 7:51 amI’m supposed to be looking for a recipe for lemon cake for the hubs birthday cake request. Maybe I can convince him this would be better?
K
December 10, 2012 at 7:56 amAwesome! I’m going to make this for a holiday dessert – I love chocolate-mint (and cake!) too! 🙂
Vinita
December 10, 2012 at 8:05 amLove how decadent that cake looks, like every chocolate cake should 🙂 The candy canes add a special touch to it and lots of lovely colour.
Sarah (Shh...Fit Happens)
December 10, 2012 at 8:24 amOMG that looks soooo good! Great pics too, looks like it should be in a magazine!
a farmer in the dell
December 10, 2012 at 8:49 amI love everything about this cake. Perfect Christmas Eve dessert!
Sarah @ Yogi in Action
December 10, 2012 at 8:55 amWow! Is it wrong that I kind of want to lick my computer screen looking at those pictures of that cake? If it’s wrong, then I don’t want to be right.
Definitely adding to my list of “things from eatliverun to make”
Em (Wine and Butter)
December 10, 2012 at 10:22 amHa – I am the worst for taking frosting/ ganache off cake. Once I ate ALL the cream cheese frosting off this carrot cake that was inconspiculously hanging in the fridge. Turned out my mum was saving it for a dinner party – whoops!
Your cake looks totally yum.
kalamckala
December 10, 2012 at 10:34 amWhoa this looks ridiculously, deliciously decadent! Peppermint and chocolate is a winner for sure – but I have to say that orange and chocolate are two long lost soul mates! Raspberry and chocolate though…that’s a whole other story (of perfection).
Amanda @ The Unfamiliar Kitchen
December 10, 2012 at 11:24 amDitto on the fruit and chocolate….especially in cake form. Not my thang. But I love how dark and rich this looks! That ganache looks ridiculous.
Caroline L.
December 10, 2012 at 1:09 pmA Christmas tree full of dessert ornaments? Too adorable! Loooove mint chocolate, this is going to be dangerous…
abby
December 10, 2012 at 2:30 pmI.love.mint. And this cake…OMG. I must try it!
Sarah
December 10, 2012 at 3:09 pmWoah. You have really hit it out of the park with this cake, and these photos! They are absolutely mouthwatering.
Adri {Food-N-Thought}
December 10, 2012 at 3:33 pmI love mint/chocolate combo, I will confess to always having a box of mint thin cookies covered in chocolate in my pantry, and grabbing one {almost} every night 😛
Must make this cake!
The idea of the dessert ornaments is the cutest!
Erica {Coffee & Quinoa}
December 10, 2012 at 3:42 pmYum! So festive! I’m impressed you kept your fingers to the ganache… I would have been cutting myself a slice every time I walked by 🙂
HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Pink Lime—downtown Vancouver’s best salon & spa! | Pink Lime Salon and Spa Vancouver
December 10, 2012 at 5:46 pm[…] An insanely delicious-looking Mint Chocolate Candy Cane Cake! […]
Amy Walters, aDESIGNdock
December 10, 2012 at 6:33 pmOh yes! Loving the chocolate fix here. I want to eat it for breakfast too ; )
Cassie
December 10, 2012 at 6:44 pmTree pictures!!! (por favor)
Wendy
December 10, 2012 at 8:00 pmI love the combination of mint and chocolate. This looks simply divine 🙂
Randilea @ Life As I Bake It
December 10, 2012 at 8:03 pmI agree about chocolate and fruit combos! Never been my favorite either. I do love mint, so I’ll have to try this cake 🙂
Also you should post a picture of your tree! Sounds like an awesome tree! What shop did you get the ornament? I live in Berkeley and would love a cupcake ornament, etc.
Julia {The Roasted Root}
December 10, 2012 at 8:05 pmOh bother….you had to show me something so wonderfully delicious and so totally up by sweet-toothed alley during a time I’m trying to take it easy on the sweets. sigh…you’re one great baker, lady!
Jan
December 11, 2012 at 3:19 amOh man. I think I could eat that 3 meals a day, and of course for snacks too. THANKS for sharing that fabulous recipe!
jenn
December 11, 2012 at 5:52 amA few things:
THIS LOOKS AMAZING.
Every time I try and comment a pop up comes up.
Please don’t go to posting every other day 🙁
Lia
December 11, 2012 at 5:53 amYuu-um! The ganache looks painfully tempting as it is. It would make a truly festive holiday dessert and, I swear, a good center piece for the table! Why not? Thanks for sharing this recipe and the wonderful pictures!
robyn @ thereallife_RD
December 11, 2012 at 6:16 amoh. my. lanta.
let my wipe the drool off my keyboard.
then gather the ingredients to make this…like now.
Alicia @ Alicia Carlson Photography
December 11, 2012 at 8:52 amYummy! My boyfriend’s niece recently told me how much she loves peppermint candy canes. I may have to make this for her!
Linda | The Urban Mrs
December 11, 2012 at 9:17 amCount me in! I definitely need this anytime of the day. Love the combination.
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe
December 11, 2012 at 3:20 pmMint and chocolate are one of my very favorite combinations. This cake looks wonderful! I love the idea of doubling the recipe and making it into a layer cake.
vanillasugarblog
December 11, 2012 at 5:11 pmthat is one gorgeous cake!
I am on such a peppermint kick lately
Katie @ SkinnyMinnieMoves
December 11, 2012 at 5:48 pmThat looks DANGEROUSLY fudgy!! mmmmm
Emily @ Life on Food
December 11, 2012 at 6:38 pmI cannot think of anything more perfect for this time of year. Bring on the ganache!
Kimberly H
December 11, 2012 at 8:52 pmThis looks amazing! Do you think a double-batch would make a bundt cake?
kamrul hasan
December 12, 2012 at 4:30 ami was the looking for the same and related info, what you describe on your article. And found you through google search. Its helps me a lots and i understood that you are one of skill article writer/ blogger. I have book marked your blog and hope to visit again to learn more. Thanks for your valuable efforts and time.
Ali @ WHOLEistically Fit
December 12, 2012 at 10:19 amThis looks incredible. Forget finger swipes, I’m going for a full-on face-plant… right into this delicious minty dark chocolatey-ness! 😉
Gloria
December 12, 2012 at 2:02 pmThat cake looks amazing! Jenna, I made your chocolate peppermint cookies with the white chocolate drizzled on top last year and they were my absolute favorite!
Beth
December 13, 2012 at 7:54 pmI made this cake today and it is delicious. My 13 yearnold son said “this may be the best cake I have ever had”. I love that it is a small cake. I will definitely make this again and again. I can imagine several variations on this same concept. Thanks for a great addition to my recipe collection.
Last Thing Fridays? Sure, Why Not!
December 14, 2012 at 4:28 pm[…] I Drooled Over. This Mint Chocolate Candy Cane Cake. […]
Katina
December 15, 2012 at 4:20 amThis cake was amazing! Thanks!
Courtney
December 16, 2012 at 7:32 pmI made this tonight for my roommates and my boyfriend for our own little Christmas celebration before everyone leaves for home. It was amazing!!!! Very dense, very rich, SO Christmas! With stress of finals hitting everyone, this cake was just what everyone needed. And it came together really simply. Loved it. Thanks!
Weekly Food Gawking-Holiday Edition | Haley Eats
December 21, 2012 at 7:18 am[…] Mint Chocolate Candy Cane Cake. […]
Jennie
December 30, 2012 at 5:54 pmIf I double it and make 2 9 inch round cakes, how long would I bake them?
Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cake - Dessertress
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November 5, 2013 at 2:23 pm[…] Recipe and Photos credit to eatliverun.com […]
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December 27, 2014 at 3:32 pm[…] family loves chocolate, and winter holidays scream mint chocolate to me, so I decided to make this candy cane cake from Eat Live Run, with a few small […]
Jen
December 25, 2020 at 1:31 pmGreat mint and dark chocolate flavor, but it came out dry. Was sure not to over bake but it just didn’t work for us.
Richa Singh
January 27, 2021 at 5:10 ami just love the combination of mint and chocolate. This looks so delicious.