This easy Double Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Peppermint Ganache is sure to WOW your family this holiday season! It’s rich, moist and chocolatey with just the perfect amount of peppermint flavor.

Contents

Decadent Double Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake: Your Ultimate Holiday Dessert

As the festive season approaches, there’s a magical combination that captivates taste buds and evokes the true spirit of Christmas: chocolate and peppermint. It’s a classic pairing that instantly transports you to a winter wonderland, full of joy and indulgence. Just think of those irresistible Ghirardelli dark chocolate peppermint bark squares – truly addictive, aren’t they?

This enchanting flavor duo has long been a cherished favorite, inspiring countless holiday treats. Here at The Beach House Kitchen, we’ve celebrated this delightful combination in past creations like our Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies and the ever-popular Double Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies. There’s just something about the cool, minty kick perfectly complementing rich, dark chocolate that truly jingles the bells of holiday cheer!

This year, we’re taking that beloved flavor profile to new heights with our Double Chocolate Cake featuring a luscious Chocolate Peppermint Ganache. This cake is a true holiday showstopper: exceptionally rich, wonderfully moist, and intensely chocolatey. It’s the quintessential bundt cake, designed to beautifully grace your holiday dessert table and impress every guest with its stunning presentation and sensational taste.

Why a Bundt Cake is Your Holiday Baking Secret Weapon

For those who love baking but also appreciate simplicity and elegance, bundt cakes are an absolute dream. I’m a big proponent of finding the easiest route to stunning desserts, and bundt cakes consistently rank at the top of my list. They offer an incredible “wow” factor with minimal effort, making them ideal for busy holiday preparations.

The market today offers an astounding array of beautiful bundt pans, each designed to create intricate patterns that make it look like you’ve spent hours perfecting your masterpiece. The truth is, these cakes are incredibly simple to whip up. The key to their success lies in one crucial step: generously greasing your bundt pan. A properly prepared pan ensures your cake releases perfectly, preserving all those gorgeous details and making you look like a baking pro.

For this specific recipe, I used my trusted Nordic Ware Heritage pan, a 10-cup capacity pan known for its elegant design. This particular pan is a fantastic choice when you plan to top your bundt with a flowing ganache. The deep crevices and beautiful curves of the design perfectly cradle the rich ganache, allowing it to pool and cascade in all the right places, creating an even more visually appealing and delicious finish.

Crafting Your Perfect Chocolate Peppermint Masterpiece

The beauty of this Double Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake lies not only in its stunning appearance and incredible flavor but also in its surprising simplicity. The cake itself relies on a clever shortcut – a box cake mix – elevated with a few key additions to create a truly homemade taste and texture.

The Bundt Cake: Simple Ingredients, Spectacular Results

The ingredient list for the cake is remarkably short, comprising just five items. We start with a high-quality chocolate cake mix, such as Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix, which provides a rich base. To enhance the moisture and deep chocolate flavor, we incorporate a box of instant chocolate pudding mix. This secret ingredient is what gives the cake its incredibly moist crumb and rich density, making it taste like it was made entirely from scratch.

Rounding out the cake batter are four large eggs, which should ideally be at room temperature for optimal mixing and a lighter texture. Melted butter adds richness and moisture, while a cup of water helps achieve the perfect batter consistency. By combining these simple components, we create a cake that is far more decadent than its easy preparation suggests.

The Star Topping: Chocolate Peppermint Ganache

The ganache is where the festive peppermint magic truly comes alive. This velvety smooth topping is made with semisweet chocolate chips, providing a balanced sweetness that complements the rich cake. Heavy whipping cream forms the luxurious base, giving the ganache its irresistible silkiness. The crucial flavor comes from the peppermint extract. We recommend starting with a quarter teaspoon, then tasting and adjusting to your preference. Some might enjoy a subtle hint of mint, while others might crave a more robust and invigorating peppermint punch. A touch of vanilla extract rounds out the flavors, adding warmth and depth to the ganache.

I genuinely hope you’ll give this incredibly easy, yet utterly decadent, cake a try this holiday season. It’s simply sinful in the best possible way and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser at any festive gathering. Get ready for rave reviews and empty plates! Enjoy!

Expert Tips for a Flawless Holiday Bundt Cake

To ensure your Double Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake turns out perfectly every time, keep these cook’s notes in mind:

Peppermint Power: As mentioned, begin with 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract in your ganache. Peppermint can be quite potent, so it’s always easier to add more than to try and reduce it. Whisk it in, taste, and then gradually add a tiny bit more if you desire a stronger, more vibrant peppermint flavor.
Pan Prep is Paramount: A well-greased bundt pan is non-negotiable. Use a baking spray that contains flour, or thoroughly grease the pan with softened butter or shortening, then dust it evenly with cocoa powder (for chocolate cakes) or flour. Tap out any excess. This creates a non-stick barrier that ensures your beautiful cake releases without a hitch.
Room Temperature Ingredients: For the best cake texture, ensure your eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to incorporate more evenly into the batter, creating a smoother, more uniform crumb.
Don’t Overmix: When combining the cake ingredients, mix until just smooth and well combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a tougher, drier cake.
Cooling Patience: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for the recommended 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack. This initial cooling period allows the cake to firm up slightly, making it less prone to breaking when flipped. Let it cool completely on the wire rack before applying the ganache. Applying ganache to a warm cake will cause it to melt and run off rather than set beautifully.
Ganache Consistency: If your ganache seems too thick, you can add a tiny splash more heavy cream (about 1 teaspoon at a time), whisking until it reaches a perfect drizzling consistency. If it’s too thin, let it sit for a few more minutes to thicken naturally as it cools.
Festive Garnish: While optional, garnishing the top of your cake with some crushed candy canes adds a delightful crunch, a burst of extra peppermint flavor, and a truly festive, eye-catching appearance that screams “holiday!” You can also add a sprinkle of chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips for extra texture.
Storage: Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze individual slices, well-wrapped, for up to a month.

Recipe: Double Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Peppermint Ganache

Double Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Peppermint Ganache

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 10 servings

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Cooling Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

Bundt Cake

1 15-oz. box Duncan Hines Classic Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (do not make according to package directions)
1 3.4-oz. box chocolate instant pudding mix
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup (one stick) butter, melted
1 cup water

Chocolate Peppermint Ganache

6-oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (more if needed until you get to drizzling consistency)
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
Crushed candy canes, for garnish, if desired

Instructions

Bundt Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Generously spray bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour (or butter and cocoa powder).
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, melted butter, and water. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto the wire rack to cool completely. This prevents sticking and ensures a clean release.

Chocolate Peppermint Ganache

Place the finely chopped semisweet chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.
In a small saucepan, bring the heavy whipping cream just to a boil over medium heat. Watch carefully to avoid scorching.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it stand undisturbed for 4-5 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.
After resting, slowly whisk the mixture until it becomes completely smooth and glossy.
Whisk in the peppermint extract and vanilla extract. Start with 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract and add more to taste if desired.
Once the cake is completely cooled, pour the ganache evenly over the top, allowing it to drizzle down the sides and into the crevices of the bundt cake.
Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes for a festive finish, if desired. Let the ganache set slightly before serving.

Nutrition

Keyword: bundt cake, chocolate, peppermint, holidays, Christmas

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Before your first bite, snap a photo and share!

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see! Be sure to follow The Beach House Kitchen on Instagram and tag @thebeachhousekitchen or tag #thebeachhousekitchen!