Peppermint Candy Three Layer Cake

5 from 6 votes

Peppermint Candy Three Layer Cake

If you’re looking for a show-stopping winter holiday cake, Peppermint Candy Three Layer Cake is the recipe to make. Layers of wonderfully delightful, tender vanilla cake is topped with light peppermint frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American/Southern

Keyword layer cake, vanilla cake, white cake recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 27

Total Time 47

Servings slices

Calories 357kcal

Author Paula

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Cake

2 and ¾ cups cake flour sifted then measured, spooned & leveled
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 and ¾ cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter at room temperature
5 large egg whites at room temperature

For the Frosting

½ cup butter salted or unsalted, no substitutions
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
3 and ½ cups powdered sugar (aka confectioners) sifted then measured
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or whole milk
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
8 ounces Cool Whip
4 or 5 candy canes or hard peppermint sticks, crushed
*optional assortment of peppermint candy for decorations

Instructions

To make the white cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans or 3 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray or coat with solid vegetable shortening.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Stir until well combined.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar for about 4-5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture beginning and ending with the dry ingredients on low speed. Mix in each addition until just combined, making sure not to overmix the batter.
In a separate clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold half of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining ones until just combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and spread evenly.
Bake at 350°F for 27-30 minutes (9-inch pans) or 25 to 27 minutes (8-inch pans) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean or with dry crumbs.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the sugar. Add vanilla and milk. Mix until smooth. Stir the crushed peppermint into the mixture by hand.
Divide the Cream Cheese Frosting into two equal parts. Fold in 8 ounces of Cool Whip into 1/2 of the frosting.
You will frost BETWEEN the layers with the cream cheese frosting with peppermint.
Frost the OUTSIDE of the cake with the cream cheese frosting with the Cool Whip added.
Wait until the cake is completely cool before frosting. For a more professional cake, remove the domes from the tops of the cake layers with a cake leveler or large serrated knife. Place one layer of cake on a serving plate. Spread about 1 cup of the CREAM CHEESE frosting on top in an even layer. Repeat with the next cake layer and frosting, then top the cake with the final layer (if you have 3 layers). Frost the outside of the cake with the COOL WHIP FROSTING. An offset spatula makes it really easy to get an even layer.
Decorate the cake with candy canes and peppermint. Keep refrigerated.

Nutrition