Homemade White Chocolate Peppermint Cake
This Homemade White Chocolate Peppermint Cake is a festive and delicious dessert for the holiday season. It’s made with layers of moist white chocolate cake, filled with peppermint mousse, and topped with crushed peppermint.
With its vibrant red and white colors, this cake is perfect for any Christmas gathering or as a special treat to enjoy at home during the holidays. The combination of rich white chocolate and peppermint is irresistible.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Festive dessert perfect for the holiday season.
- Rich white chocolate paired with a refreshing peppermint flavor.
- Makes a beautiful centerpiece for any Christmas gathering.
🛒Ingredients
You will need a few ingredients to help you make this cake recipe. Gather these ingredients on your next trip to the grocery store and get ready to enjoy this holiday dessert recipe.
Cake Ingredients:
- white chocolate
- eggs
- whole milk
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- baking powder
- salt
- butter
Peppermint Mousse Ingredients:
- white chocolate
- hipped cream
- sour cream
- peppermint crunch baking chips – I used the Andes brand.
White Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:
- white chocolate
- cream cheese
- butter
- vanilla
- peppermint crunch baking chips
See the recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make White Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Making this peppermint layer cake is simple. Just follow these step-by-step directions and you will have a rich treat to share with your friends and family.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and melt the chocolate.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Either in the microwave or over low heat on the stove, melt the 6 oz of white chocolate with ¼ c of the milk. If using the microwave, check at frequent intervals (such as 10 seconds) and stir. Set aside and allow the chocolate to cool.
Step 2: Start the cake batter
In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set to the side. Cream butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and thoroughly combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Add in the vanilla and cooled white chocolate and mix.
Step 3: Finish the batter
Using a spatula to fold in the ingredients, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, alternate between the flour mixture first, then the milk until all ingredients are incorporated together.
Step 4: Bake and cool the cake
Evenly divide the batter between 2- 9” cake pans (either lined with parchment paper – or nonstick). Bake in a 350-degree oven for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Run a knife around the edge release the cakes onto a cooling rack and allow them to come to room temperature before assembling.
Step 5: Melt the chocolate for the mousse
In a small pan over low heat, melt the white chocolate, sour cream, and half of the whipping cream. Continually stir until it is just melted, then remove from heat. Allow to cool and stir on occasion for about 20 minutes until it has come to room temperature.
Step 6: Make the whipped cream
In a medium bowl, whip the remaining cream until it is light and fluffy. Add the peppermint candies. Gently fold in the cooled white chocolate mixture and place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours to chill until almost set.
Step 7: Make the frosting
Melt the white chocolate slowly. Allow to cool slightly. Beat together cream cheese and butter for about a minute. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and white chocolate and mix until thoroughly combined.
Step 8: Start to assemble the cake
Take the first layer and place it in the center of the cake plate flat side up. Cover the top with the peppermint mousse. Place the top layer of cake, flat side down evenly on top. Using an offset spatula coat the top and side with an even layer of the frosting.
Step 9: Finish decorating the cake
Using your hands, scoop up a small handful of peppermint candies and gently press them into the side of the cake, firmly enough for them to stick to the frosting. Repeat until the entire side of the cake is coated in candies.
Step 10: Chill the cake before cutting
Place in the refrigerator for about an hour to allow the frosting to set before serving.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Swap out the white chocolate for dark chocolate for a richer flavor.
- Use crushed candy canes instead of peppermint crunch bits in the mousse and on the side of the cake.
- Add a layer of raspberry jam between the two layers of cake for a hint of fruitiness.
If you love peppermint desserts you may also enjoy these Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.
🥄 Equipment
Here are some tools and equipment that you will need to make this white chocolate peppermint cake:
- 2 9-inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper (optional)
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Spatula
- Cake stand or plate
🥫 Storage
Store this cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the baked cake layers before assembling and frosting, and thaw them when ready to use.
Serve With
This white chocolate peppermint cake is delicious on its own but here are some ideas for accompaniments:
- Vanilla or peppermint ice cream
- Spiked Frozen Hot Chocolate or coffee
- Fresh whipped cream
💭 Tips
Here are a few tips that you can use to ensure this recipe turns out perfectly for you.
- Break the white chocolate into smaller pieces for easier and faster melting.
- Melt the chocolate very slowly so as not to burn the chocolate.
- To prevent the cake from sticking to the pans, line them with parchment paper before pouring in the batter.
- Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature before starting to make the cake batter.
- Allow enough time for the cakes and mousse to cool completely before assembling.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
The best way to freeze cake is to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container or sealable freezer bag. This will prevent freezer burn and keep the cake fresh for up to 3 months. Make sure to thaw the cake completely before serving.
Yes, you can make the cake layers ahead of time and freeze them until ready to use. You can also make the mousse and frosting a day in advance and store them in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. It is best to assemble the cake no more than 24 hours before serving for optimal freshness.
🍽 More Peppermint Recipes
Do you enjoy peppermint, try these delicious recipes:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Homemade White Chocolate Peppermint Cake
Equipment
- 2 9-inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper (optional)
- mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Spatula
- Cake stand or plate
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 6 ounces white chocolate such as Lindt
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter room temperature
Peppermint Mousse Ingredients:
- 5 ounces white chocolate such as Lindt
- 1 cup whipped cream divided
- 1 ½ tablespoon sour cream
- ½ cup peppermint crunch baking chips pictured is Andes brand baking chips
White Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:
- 6 ounces white chocolate such as Lindt
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 ounces peppermint crunch baking chips such as Andes brand
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Either in the microwave or over low heat on the stove, melt the 6 oz of white chocolate with ¼ c of the milk. Melt very slowly so as not to burn the chocolate.
- If using the microwave, check at frequent intervals (such as 10 seconds) and stir.
- Set aside and allow the chocolate to cool.
- In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set to the side.
- Cream butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time and thoroughly combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
- Add in the vanilla and cooled white chocolate and mix.
- Using a spatula to fold in the ingredients, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, alternate between the flour mixture first, then the milk until all ingredients are incorporated together.
- Evenly divide the batter between 2- 9” cake pans (either lined with parchment paper – or nonstick).
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Run a knife around the edge and release the cakes onto a cooling rack and allow to come to room temperature before assembling.
For the Peppermint Mousse:
- In a small pan over low heat, melt the white chocolate, sour cream, and half of the whipping cream. Continually stir until it is just melted, then remove from heat.
- Allow to cool and stir on occasion for about 20 minutes until it has come to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whip the remaining cream until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the peppermint candies.
- Gently fold in the cooled white chocolate mixture and place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours to chill until almost set.
For the Peppermint White Chocolate Frosting
- Melt the white chocolate slowly (either on the stove over low heat or the microwave).
- Allow to cool slightly.
- Beat together cream cheese and butter for about a minute.
- Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla and white chocolate and mix until thoroughly combined.
To assemble
- Take the first layer and place in the center of the cake plate flat side up.
- Cover the top with the peppermint mousse.
- Place the top layer of cake, flat side down evenly on top.
- Using an offset spatula coat the top and side with an even layer of the frosting.
- Using your hands, scoop up a small handful of peppermint candies and gently press into the side of the cake, firmly enough for them to stick to the frosting.
- Repeat until the entire side of the cake is coated in candies.
- Place in the refrigerator for about an hour to allow frosting to set before serving.
Notes
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
