A dark chocolate cake baked in a bundt pan, finished with a chocolate-peppermint ganache and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint candies. This surprisingly simple recipe delivers holiday-worthy presentation and rich flavor with minimal effort.
Bundt cakes often look intimidating because of their elegant shape, but they are much easier to make than multi-layer cakes. The trickiest step is unmolding the cake, and with a few basic tips it comes out perfectly every time.
This cake is rich, chocolatey, and brightened by peppermint. It’s one of those desserts that keeps disappearing slice by slice—perfect for sharing at holiday gatherings or bringing to a party.
Everything comes together quickly, so once your ingredients are at room temperature you’ll be baking in no time.
How to Make Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
Bring the butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream to room temperature (about 2 hours on the counter). Preheat the oven to 350°F once your ingredients are ready.
Make the Cake Batter
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with both sugars for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream and mix until combined.
Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined; a few streaks of flour are okay.
With a rubber spatula, slowly stir in the hot strong-brewed coffee until the batter is smooth. Prepare a bundt pan by coating it with a nonstick spray that contains flour; if you don’t have that, spray and dust lightly with cocoa powder. Avoid pooling spray at the bottom of the pan.
Bake the Cake and Remove it From the Bundt Pan
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. The cake will continue to set slightly after it’s removed from the oven, so avoid waiting for a completely dry toothpick.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes. Place a cooling rack on top of the pan and flip it over in one smooth motion. Tap the pan to help release the cake. If it sticks, return it to the pan for a few more minutes and try again. Any small pieces that remain can be covered with glaze later. Allow the cake to cool completely on a rack before glazing.
Make the Chocolate Peppermint Glaze
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream, and light corn syrup. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between intervals, until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in peppermint extract or paste to taste.
Pour the glaze over the cooled bundt cake, letting it drip down the sides, then sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. For a pleasant texture that’s easier on the teeth than candy canes, use small melt-in-your-mouth peppermint candies or soft peppermint puffs if available.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
- Author: Elizabeth Buuck
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 Bundt Cake
Description
Rich dark chocolate cake drizzled with chocolate-peppermint glaze and finished with crushed peppermint candies for a festive touch.
Ingredients
For the Dark Chocolate Cake
- 1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 C granulated sugar
- 1/4 C light brown sugar
- 3/4 C sour cream, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
- 3/4 C dark cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 C whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/3 C strong brewed coffee, hot
For the Chocolate Peppermint Glaze
- 120 g bittersweet chocolate (60–70%), roughly 3/4 C
- 120 g heavy cream, about 1/2 C
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1 tsp peppermint extract paste (or peppermint extract)
- 1/4 C crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
For the Dark Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a bundt pan with a nonstick spray that contains flour.
- Cream the butter and sugars in a stand mixer for 5 minutes.
- Add the sour cream and mix until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated, then add the vanilla.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and, while stirring with a rubber spatula, slowly pour in the hot coffee. Stir until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45–50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool in the pan 10–15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
For the Chocolate Peppermint Glaze
- Combine the chocolate, heavy cream, and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between, until smooth and fully melted.
- Stir in the peppermint extract or paste.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled bundt cake and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
- Slice and enjoy.
Notes
This bundt cake freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, before freezing.
If you enjoyed this recipe, consider trying other festive treats from the same collection.