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Moist Peppermint Fudge Cake: A Bakery Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 149 reviews

This Moist Peppermint Fudge Cake is a rich, chocolatey dessert infused with a refreshing peppermint twist. Combining a tender chocolate cake base with a luscious peppermint fudgy ganache filling and a creamy peppermint buttercream frosting, this bakery-quality recipe delivers deep flavor and a festive touch perfect for holiday celebrations or any special occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 170 grams (1 ¼ cups + 2 Tablespoons) All-Purpose Flour (Gold Medal recommended)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ¾ teaspoon Salt
  • 3 Tablespoons Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix or 2 Tablespoons Instant Clearjel
  • 26 grams (¼ cup) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Hershey’s recommended)
  • 100 grams (½ cup) Sugar
  • 113 grams (½ cup packed) Brown Sugar

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 large Eggs
  • ¾ cup Buttermilk
  • ¼ cup Brewed Coffee
  • ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 3 Tablespoons Dark Corn Syrup (or light corn syrup)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Butter Mixture

  • ¾ stick (3 ounces) Salted Butter
  • 43 grams (¼ cup) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Nestle recommended)

Peppermint Fudgy Ganache

  • ½ cup Heavy Cream
  • 172 grams (1 cup) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (Nestle recommended)
  • ¾ teaspoon Pure Peppermint Extract (Olive Nation recommended)

Peppermint Buttercream

  • 455 grams (3 ½ cups) Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Instant Clearjel (optional)
  • 4 ounces Cream Cheese
  • 1 ½ sticks (6 ounces) Salted Butter (room temperature)
  • 48 grams (¼ cup) Shortening
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ¾ teaspoon Pure Peppermint Extract (Olive Nation recommended)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 1″ tall ¼ sheet pan with parchment paper, then spray the bottom and sides with cooking spray. Alternatively, use a different pan size as per your preference.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together all dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pudding mix or clearjel, cocoa powder, and sugar—in a large bowl. Add brown sugar and whisk until well combined, breaking any clumps.
  3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, brewed coffee, vegetable oil, corn syrup, and vanilla extract together until smooth and well blended.
  4. Prepare Chocolate Butter Mixture: Melt salted butter in the microwave or on stovetop. Immediately add semi-sweet chocolate chips and whisk vigorously until fully melted and smooth.
  5. Combine Batter: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until just incorporated. Add the chocolate butter mixture to the batter and whisk until smooth and lump-free, allowing a few small brown sugar lumps to remain.
  6. Fill Pan and Rest: Pour batter evenly into the prepared sheet pan, smoothing the surface. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the instant clearjel or pudding to thicken the batter, aiding its rise.
  7. Bake Cake: Bake on the middle or top rack at 325°F for 16 minutes. Without opening the oven, reduce temperature to 300°F and continue baking for 6-10 minutes more. Check doneness by lightly touching the cake top and using a toothpick; bake a few minutes longer if needed until toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
  8. Cool and Freeze: Once cooled, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight. This helps firm up the cake, making it easier to cut into layers. For extended freezing, brush the cake with simple syrup before wrapping.
  9. Make Peppermint Ganache: Combine heavy cream and 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring between sessions, until smooth and melted. Whisk in peppermint extract. Chill in fridge, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a fudgy consistency suitable for spreading. Reheat gently if too thick before use.

Notes

  • Instant Clearjel is a food starch used in commercial baking to improve texture and can be substituted with chocolate instant pudding mix.
  • Use parchment paper and cooking spray to ensure easy cake removal from the pan.
  • Brushing cake with simple syrup before freezing prevents drying out for longer storage.
  • Allowing the batter to rest before baking helps activate the thickening agents for better rise and texture.
  • Chocolate butter mixture should be whisked vigorously to fully melt chocolate chips without overheating.
  • Cool and freeze cake before cutting for cleaner layer slices.
  • Peppermint extract is key to achieving the refreshing peppermint flavor throughout the cake.

Keywords: Peppermint fudge cake, chocolate cake, peppermint ganache, holiday cake, festive dessert, moist chocolate cake, peppermint buttercream

Find it online: https://hannahdelgado.com/moist-peppermint-fudge-cake-a-bakery-recipe/