Peppermint Bark Snack Cake
This easy Peppermint Bark Snack Cake is the Christmas cake you’ve been looking for! This easy and festive cake recipe is a simple one bowl chocolate cake, topped with a white chocolate peppermint buttercream, and crushed candy canes.
If you’re looking for more Christmas cake recipes with holiday cheer, try Christmas Lights Gingerbread Snack Cake, Peppermint Mocha Coffee Cake, Christmas Eve Cake, Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Tree Cupcakes, or Frosted Gingerbread Banana Bread.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Peppermint Bark Snack Cake
- Ready In: 45 minutes
- Makes: 9-inch cake
- Main Ingredients: canola oil, cane sugar, Dutch cocoa powder, white chocolate
- Flavor Profile: cool mint, rich chocolate and creamy white chocolate
- Dietary Info: gluten free swap available
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: one bowl chocolate cake with white chocolate peppermint buttercream
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: I love this chocolate cake recipe as it's quick and easy! You don't need a stand mixer for this recipe either.
- One Bowl: This is a one bowl Christmas cake recipe, meaning everything can just be dumped into one bowl and mixed up and you can't mess it up!
- Simple and Festive: This organic cake is simple and festive. Proof you don't need to spend a lot of time to make this holiday themed cake!
- Organic Cake: While the holidays can be full of artificial colors, I use organic candy canes here that are made with plant based dyes. This completely organic cake is a mindful indulgence you'll feel good about sharing with friends and family!
This Peppermint Bark Snack Cake tastes just like the iconic peppermint bark, but in cake form. Quick, easy, and one bowl is all you need to make this festive Christmas cake!
The holiday flavors truly shine in this cake, with minimal decoration. If you love holiday flavors, but no fuss baking, then try some of my other favorite holiday recipes that are quick, easy, and full of holiday cheer. Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies, Eggless Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies, Dark Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Bark, Easy Christmas Present Brownies, Peanut Butter Pretzel Christmas Crack, and Vegan Christmas Tree Brownies are all simple holiday recipes to try!
Ingredients
- Cake Flour: You'll need cake flour for a light and tender crumb. I use Homemade Organic Cake Flour, but store bought also works.
- Dutch Cocoa Powder: I use organic Dutch cocoa powder as it's naturally sweet, don't use natural cocoa powder.
- Baking Powder: Make sure to use baking powder, not soda. For more info on leavening agents check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder.
- Canola Oil: I use organic canola oil as it has the most neutral flavor. If you are avoiding seed oils, just use EVOO in its place.
- Milk: Use whole milk for the best flavor.
- White Chocolate: You'll need organic white chocolate for the white chocolate ganache frosting. Be sure to use a white chocolate that doesn't have stabilizers, so avoid chocolate chips and use a chocolate bar or melting chocolate.
- Candy Canes: I top this Christmas cake with organic candy canes for a festive topping.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Tips for Peppermint Bark Snack Cake
- Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
- Use a high quality white chocolate that is meant for melting. Avoid white chocolate chips that contain stabilizers as those will hinder your melting. (Stabilizers are things like soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin).
- I use a 9-inch round cake pan, but a 9×9-inch square cake pan also works (I've made this both ways!).
- You can use crushed up candy canes or even a peppermint crunch for ease.
- Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge because of the white chocolate ganache.
- Gluten Free — Replace the cake flour with 212 grams (1 ⅓ cups) gluten free flour blend, I used the Namaste Organic Perfect Flour Blend for testing.
- High Altitude — Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
How to Make Peppermint Bark Snack Cake
- To make the frosting: In a heatproof mixing bowl, add the white chocolate and heavy whipping cream.
- Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each one to prevent burning, until completely melted. Add in the peppermint extract and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), add the cane sugar, cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, and sea salt.
- Whisk together to combine.
- Add in the canola oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Mix on low until combined into a smooth batter.
- Transfer to the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pan. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
- Remove the white chocolate ganache from the fridge and whisk, using a hand mixer, until it's light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the pan.
- Top the cake with the frosting and spread evenly.
- Top with crushed candy canes.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can double the recipe and make this in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Be sure to check the cake to ensure it's done as it may need a few minutes longer.
Replace the cake flour with 212 grams (1 ⅓ cups) gluten free flour blend, I used the Namaste Organic Perfect Flour Blend for testing.
There is already peppermint extract in the frosting, so if you don't have candy canes, then this will still taste like peppermint bark (minus the texture the candy canes provide).
You can, though natural cocoa powder is not as sweet. So, I do not prefer this type for cakes.
Use a white chocolate that is meant for melting. I like Mama Ganache, that's what I use anytime I want to melt white chocolate. Using a white chocolate chip may be difficult to melt well because they usually have stabilizers.
Yes, you can. But, I'd recommend not putting the candy canes on top until ready to serve as they can melt or leak color into the frosting.
I would recommend freezing the baked cake (unfrosted). Wrap it completely in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Then, remove from the freezer 24 hours before you plan to serve and frost it at that time.
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Peppermint Bark Snack Cake
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Stand Mixer (or hand mixer)
- 9×9-inch Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper Sheets
- Heatproof Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
White Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 340 grams white chocolate
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Batter
- 215 grams cane sugar
- 212 grams cake flour
- 57 grams Dutch cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- candy canes
Instructions
- To make the frosting: In a heatproof mixing bowl, add the white chocolate and heavy whipping cream. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each one to prevent burning, until completely melted.
- Add in the peppermint extract and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), add the cane sugar, cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, and sea salt. Whisk together to combine.
- Add in the canola oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix on low until combined into a smooth batter. Transfer to the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pan.
- Remove the white chocolate ganache from the fridge and whisk, using a hand mixer, until it's light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the pan.
- Top the cake with the frosting and spread evenly. Top with crushed candy canes.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
- Use a high quality white chocolate that is meant for melting. Avoid white chocolate chips that contain stabilizers as those will hinder your melting. (Stabilizers are things like soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin).
- I use a 9-inch round cake pan, but a 9×9-inch square cake pan also works (I've made this both ways!).
- You can use crushed up candy canes or even a peppermint crunch for ease.
- Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge because of the white chocolate ganache.
- Gluten Free — Replace the cake flour with 212 grams (1 ⅓ cups) gluten free flour blend.
- High Altitude — Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Nutrition
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