My kitchen currently smells like the North Pole exploded, and I am not mad about it.
Every December, I hit a point where I am “cookie-d out.” I love a good cookie exchange, but sometimes you just need a slice of proper, fork-and-plate dessert. I wanted something that screamed “Christmas” but didn’t require me to stack layers, level tops, or use a piping bag (because honestly, who has time for that on December 23rd?).
Meet the Peppermint Fudge Cake.
This is a Texas-style sheet cake’s winter cousin. I tested this recipe three times this week to get the frosting consistency just right. The first time, the frosting was too thin and soaked right in (delicious, but not pretty). The second time, I used too much peppermint extract and it tasted like toothpaste don’t make that mistake!
The final version is perfection: a dense, incredibly moist chocolate base (thanks to my hot coffee trick) topped with a poured fudge frosting that sets into a glossy, decadent shell. Topped with crushed candy canes, it’s festive, fast, and feeds a crowd.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Peppermint Fudge Cake
If you are looking for a showstopper that requires zero cake decorating skills, this is it.
- No Stacking Required: It’s a sheet cake (baked in a 9×13 pan), which means no precarious layering or crumb coating. You bake it, pour the frosting on, and you’re done.
- The “Bloom” Technique: We mix boiling water (or coffee) with the cocoa powder. This “blooms” the chocolate, releasing a depth of flavor you just can’t get by whisking dry cocoa into flour.
- Feeds a Crowd: This is rich. Like, rich rich. You can cut smaller squares and easily get 15-20 servings out of one pan, making it perfect for holiday parties.
- Texture Contrast: The soft, pillowy cake against the slightly firm fudge frosting and the crunch of the candy canes is a texture lover’s dream.
- Make Ahead Friendly: Because it uses oil and buttermilk (or sour milk), this cake stays moist for days. It’s actually better on Day 2 when the peppermint flavor has melded with the chocolate.
Peppermint Fudge Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Boil Chocolate Mixture: In a large saucepan, combine 1 cup butter, water (or coffee), and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Combine Batter: Remove saucepan from heat. Pour the hot chocolate mixture over the flour mixture. Whisk until well combined (batter will be thick).
- Add Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the buttermilk, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth and glossy. (The batter will be thin now).
- Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Slightly: Place the cake on a wire rack and let it cool for 10–15 minutes. Tip: You want to frost it while it is still warm, but not piping hot.
- Make Frosting: While the cake cools, wipe out the saucepan. Combine 1/2 cup butter, milk, and 2 tbsp cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Finish Frosting: Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar and peppermint extract until smooth and pourable.
- Pour & Top: Immediately pour the warm frosting over the warm cake, spreading gently to the edges. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top immediately before the frosting sets.
Notes
- Coffee vs Water: Using hot coffee in the batter blooms the cocoa and adds depth without making the cake taste like coffee. Highly recommended!
- Warm on Warm: The secret to this cake is pouring the warm frosting onto the warm cake. This creates a bond between the layers so the frosting doesn’t slide off.
- Peppermint Strength: Start with 1/2 teaspoon of extract if you are sensitive to mint. 1 full teaspoon gives a bold “candy cane” flavor.
- Candy Canes: Humidity can make crushed candy canes sticky/melted (“weepy”) after a day. If making ahead, add the crushed candy just before serving for the best crunch.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for 3–4 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Ingredients (US measurements + substitutions)
We are using pantry staples here, but quality matters for the chocolate components.
The Cake Base
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour: Spoon and level it!
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar: Yes, it seems like a lot, but it balances the bitterness of the cocoa.
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter: We will be melting this, so no need to soften it.
- 1 cup Water (or Hot Coffee): Clara’s Tip: Use hot coffee! It doesn’t make the cake taste like java; it just intensifies the chocolate flavor. Decaf works fine too.
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Use regular Dutch-process or natural cocoa.
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk: This brings the tang and tenderness.
- Substitution: No buttermilk? Mix 1/2 cup regular milk with 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 mins.
- 2 Large Eggs: lightly beaten.
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda: For the rise.
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract.
The Peppermint Fudge Frosting
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (1 stick)
- 1/4 cup Milk: Whole milk is best for creaminess.
- 2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): Sift it if it’s lumpy!
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract: Start with 1/2 tsp if you are sensitive to mint. 1 tsp is “bold holiday mint.”
- Crushed Candy Canes: For topping.
How to Make Peppermint Fudge Cake Step-by-Step
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan generously.
Step 1: Make the Chocolate Mixture
- In a large saucepan, combine 1 cup butter, 1 cup water (or coffee), and 1/4 cup cocoa powder.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Remove from heat immediately. This boiling process blooms the cocoa!
Step 2: Make the Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking soda.
- Pour the hot chocolate mixture from the saucepan over the flour mixture.
- Mix on low speed (or whisk by hand) until combined. It will look a bit odd at first, but keep mixing.
- Add the buttermilk, beaten eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and glossy. The batter will be thin this is normal!
Step 3: Bake
- Pour the batter into your prepared 9×13 pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Test with a toothpick in the center. It should come out clean or with moist crumbs. Note: Do not overbake this cake, or it loses its fudgy quality.
- Place the pan on a wire rack. Let the cake cool for only about 10-15 minutes before frosting. We want the cake warm (but not piping hot) when we pour the frosting.
Step 4: The Fudge Frosting (Make this while cake cools)
- Wipe out that same saucepan (less dishes!). combine the 1/2 cup butter, milk, and 2 tbsp cocoa powder.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar and peppermint extract.
- Whisk vigorously until smooth. If it’s too thick to pour, add a teaspoon more milk. If too thin, add a bit more sugar.
Step 5: Pour and Decorate
- Pour the warm frosting immediately over the warm cake.
- Use a spatula to spread it gently to the edges.
- Immediately sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top. The frosting sets quickly, so if you wait, the candy won’t stick!
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing (if you can wait). The frosting will harden into a soft fudge layer.
Expert Tips (8-12 bullets – PERSONAL experience)
- Coffee is Key: I cannot stress this enough—using hot coffee instead of water makes the chocolate taste “more chocolatey.” My kids have never noticed the caffeine difference (and they bounce off the walls anyway).
- Peppermint Potency: Peppermint extracts vary wildly in strength. Smell yours first. If it makes your eyes water, use less. Start with 1/2 teaspoon, taste the frosting, and add more if needed.
- Sifting Sugar: For the frosting, if your powdered sugar has hard lumps, sift it. Nobody wants to bite into a ball of dry sugar in their fudge frosting.
- The Warm Pour: Pouring warm frosting on a warm cake creates a magical interface where the frosting slightly melts into the top layer of the cake. It binds them together perfectly.
- Crushing Candy Canes: Don’t take out your aggression on the candy canes too hard. If you pulverize them into dust, they melt into the frosting and look pink and messy. You want distinct chunks. I put them in a Ziploc bag and gently tap with a rolling pin.
- Buttermilk Substitute: I rarely have buttermilk. My go-to swap is putting 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a measuring cup and filling it to the 1/2 cup line with milk. Let it curdle for 5 minutes. Works every time.
- Slicing Clean: To get those perfect squares for Instagram, run your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between cuts. It slices through the fudge topping without cracking it.
- Make it Festive: If you don’t like candy canes, holiday sprinkles or shaved white chocolate look beautiful against the dark fudge background.
Storage & Freezing (room temp/fridge/freezer)
This cake is surprisingly resilient.
- Room Temperature: This is safe on the counter! Cover the pan tightly with foil or a lid. It stays fresh for 3-4 days. The sugar in the frosting acts as a preservative.
- Fridge: If you prefer cold cake (which gives the fudge topping a nice snap), store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: You can freeze slices of this cake. I recommend freezing them without the candy canes if possible, as the candy can get sticky and “weep” when thawed. Wrap slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQs (6-8 common questions)
1. Can I use mint extract instead of peppermint? Be careful here! “Mint” extract is often Spearmint (like gum/toothpaste). You specifically want Peppermint extract for that candy cane flavor.
2. My frosting is grainy. What happened? This usually means the sugar didn’t dissolve fully or the butter separated. Make sure you whisk the sugar into the hot butter mixture immediately. If it’s very grainy, you can add a tiny splash of hot water and whisk vigorously.
3. Can I make this in a Bundt pan? This recipe is specifically designed as a sheet cake (Texas sheet cake style). The batter is quite thin. If you use a Bundt pan, bake time will increase significantly (45-55 mins), and you must grease the pan incredibly well.
4. Why did my candy canes melt? Moisture is the enemy of hard candy. If you put the candy canes on while the frosting is steaming hot, or if you store the cake in a humid container, the candy will start to dissolve. It still tastes good, it just looks a bit “weepy.” Add the candy canes just before serving if you want them perfectly crunchy.
5. Can I use chocolate chips instead of cocoa powder? For this specific recipe, no. The cocoa powder reacts with the baking soda for the rise. Chocolate chips would change the fat content and structure. Stick to cocoa powder!
6. Is this cake super sweet? It is a sweet dessert, yes! The cake itself is semi-sweet (dark chocolate vibes), but the fudge frosting is sugary. The crushed peppermint adds a nice sharp contrast to cut the sweetness.
Culinary disclaimer:
This content is provided for informational purposes only. It does not replace medical advice, professional diagnosis, or personalized treatment.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to see your holiday spreads! Tag me in facebook and Pinterest or leave a comment below. If you’re looking for more holiday favorites, try my No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake or these easy 3 Ingredient No Bake Cookies!
