Last Updated January 4th, 2024 at 11:09 pm by Lisa
Bake a Christmas Cake infused with festive peppermint for a stunning holiday centerpiece. This cheerful bundt is elegant enough for a dinner party, yet simple to make with kids — a perfect seasonal dessert.
With straightforward ingredients and a little time, this cake will quickly become a favorite for holiday celebrations.
What Are The Best Christmas Treats?
- This recipe was developed with easy ingredients I had on hand for a Christmas dinner party — it was a hit!
- Substitute candy canes or other peppermint candies if preferred.
- A beautiful bundt cake makes a great holiday dessert table centerpiece; decorative pans amplify the presentation.
- One of the easiest Christmas cake recipes — ideal for family baking and frosting fun.
- Serve a slice warm or the next day with coffee or tea for a cozy treat.
- Bring this show-stopping cake to a potluck for plenty of seasonal compliments.
Peppermint Christmas Cake Recipe
Many holiday cakes are elaborate, but this one is a reliable, straightforward recipe you can count on for family gatherings.
PRO TIP: All ingredients should be at room temperature. This cake is perfect for Christmas day or whenever you want a festive dessert.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Sea salt
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Peppermint extract
- Peppermint mocha coffee creamer
- Peppermint candies or candy canes
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Peppermint mocha creamer
Prepare and grease the bundt pan: spray with coconut oil and dust thoroughly with flour, even if your pan is non-stick. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
Sift together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon sea salt onto parchment or wax paper.
In a mixer, cream 1 ¼ cups butter with 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar until light. Beat four lightly beaten eggs into the butter-sugar mixture, then add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract and ½ cup vegetable oil.
Alternately add the flour mixture and 1 ¼ cups peppermint mocha creamer, mixing slowly until fully incorporated.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, building the sides slightly higher than the center if the batter is thick.
Bake 60 minutes, or up to 65–70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Top Cake Baking Tips
- Bake on the top oven rack for even browning.
- Rotate the pan halfway through baking for an even rise.
- If baking ahead, wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap to retain moisture.
Mix Peppermint Frosting & Decorate
In a mixer, beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with ¼ cup softened butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons peppermint mocha creamer until smooth. Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract if you want a stronger mint flavor.
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. If transporting, place the cake on a round cake cardboard and secure a small dollop of frosting underneath to prevent slipping.
Pipe the peppermint buttercream across the top — a large round tip works well. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over the frosting and reserve a few whole pieces for the center. Crush candies in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or chop on a board.
How to Serve Holiday Cakes
Present the cake on a pretty cake stand, holiday platter, or serving board. Frost it on a small cake cardboard round to make transferring to a serving dish easier — trim the cardboard edge afterwards for a clean look.
Christmas Bundt Cake Variations & Swaps
Candy Cane Layered Cake: Bake this batter in round or square pans to create layered cakes. Slice and fill with frosting for a festive layered dessert.
Keep it simple with a dusting of powdered sugar, or cover the cake with the peppermint cream cheese frosting or a whipped bakery-style frosting for extra indulgence.
White Chocolate: Fold in white peppermint chocolate chips or chopped peppermint bark for added texture.
Cake Flour: Substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour by adding 2 extra tablespoons per cup of flour (an extra 6 tablespoons for this recipe) for a lighter crumb.
Vegetable Oil: The oil contributes to a moist cake; I recommend keeping it in the recipe.
Traditional favorites include yule log (bûche de Noël), gingerbread, fruitcake, and gingerbread houses.
More Holiday Baking Recipes
Explore other festive recipes for Christmas dinner and holiday gatherings. Try holiday cookies, candy bars, and simple homemade frosting recipes to elevate your dessert spread.
Santa’s Cookies are fun to decorate with kids. Nut goodie bars make a family-favorite chocolate treat. Shortbread cookies with peppermint white chocolate and macadamia nuts add island-inspired cheer. Santa’s Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies are great for cookie exchanges and freeze well as dough.
Santas Cookies-
Nut Goodie Bar Candy
-
How To Make Vanilla Extract
-
Peppermint Candy Plate
-
Christmas Shortbread Cookies
-
Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies
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Peppermint Christmas Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Bundt Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ¼ cups butter
- 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 ¼ cups peppermint mocha coffee creamer
- 1 bag peppermint twists or candy canes
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons peppermint mocha creamer
Instructions
Bundt Cake
- Note: all ingredients should be at room temperature.
- Spray the bundt pan with coconut oil and dust with flour until well coated. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and sea salt onto parchment.
- Cream butter and sugar until light. Add beaten eggs, peppermint extract, and vegetable oil; mix until combined.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and peppermint creamer, mixing until incorporated.
- Pour batter into the pan, making the sides slightly higher than the center. Bake 60–70 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Bake on the top rack and rotate the pan halfway through. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out to finish cooling on a rack.
Peppermint Frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and creamer; mix until fluffy. Add peppermint extract to taste if desired.
- Fill a pastry bag with a large round tip and pipe the frosting over the cooled cake.
Decorate the Cake
- Cool the cake completely before frosting. Crush peppermints in a bag with a rolling pin and save a few whole for the center.
- Pipe frosting along the top and spirals if using a swirl pan. Sprinkle crushed peppermints over the frosting and place whole pieces in the center.
- If baking ahead, wrap the cake in plastic wrap or store in a cake carrier to keep moist.
Notes
Top Cake Baking Tips
- Bake on the top rack.
- Rotate the pan halfway through for even baking.
- Wrap baked cake in plastic wrap if preparing ahead to retain moisture.
How to Serve Holiday Cakes
Serve on a cake stand or festive platter. Frosting the cake on a cardboard round makes transporting and transferring to a serving plate easier — trim the edge for a polished look.
Christmas Bundt Cake Variations & Swaps
Candy Cane Layered Cake: Bake in round or square pans to make layered cakes with frosting between layers. For variety, add white peppermint chips or chopped peppermint bark. Substitute cake flour (add 2 extra tablespoons per cup of flour) for a lighter texture. Keep the vegetable oil in the recipe for a moist crumb.
Nutrition
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Calories: 556 kcal