This candy cane cake features layers of moist, tender white-vanilla cake with a gentle peppermint hint. It’s finished with a creamy white chocolate peppermint buttercream and sprinkled with crushed candy canes for a festive holiday dessert!
If you want a holiday cake that looks stunning and tastes like Christmas, this candy cane layer cake is ideal. The crumb is soft and tender with a subtle peppermint note that enhances the flavor without taking over. The white chocolate peppermint frosting is exceptionally creamy and rich—think peppermint bark in frosting form. A touch of red food coloring gives the buttercream a pretty pink hue, and crushed candy canes finish the look and add crunch.
For the Candy Cane Cake Layers
This peppermint cake is essentially a white vanilla cake made with egg whites for a paler color and a more delicate texture. The lighter profile makes it a great base for peppermint flavor. The recipe uses whole milk and a small amount of oil for added moisture and to help the cake stay soft longer. Butter provides the primary flavor while 2 tablespoons of oil improve shelf life and tenderness.
For the White Chocolate Peppermint Frosting
The frosting combines fluffy buttercream with melted white chocolate and peppermint extract for a creamy, minty finish. It evokes the flavor of white chocolate peppermint candies and adds a luxurious richness. Tinting the frosting with a few drops of red food coloring creates a soft pink tone, and crushed candy canes on top add color and texture.
Baking Tips & Tricks
- Use cake flour (not self-rising). If you don’t have cake flour, see the recipe notes for an easy substitute. Always sift cake flour to remove lumps.
- Bring the milk and egg whites to room temperature before mixing to ensure even incorporation and avoid curdling.
- Mix the batter only until combined. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- Allow cake layers to cool completely before frosting.
- If layers dome while baking, trim the rounded tops with a serrated knife for even stacking.
- Choose high-quality white chocolate for the frosting—avoid candy melts, which lack depth of flavor.
- Let melted white chocolate cool until it’s no longer warm before adding it to the butter to prevent melting the frosting.
Make Ahead Tips
- To freeze cake layers: Cool layers completely, wrap each in plastic, then place in a freezer bag or wrap in foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before frosting.
- Make cake layers up to one day in advance: cool, store in an airtight container, then frost on the day you plan to serve.
This cake remains moist and flavorful with a balanced peppermint presence. The white chocolate in the frosting elevates the overall flavor and adds a smooth richness that complements the cake perfectly.
Candy Cane Cake
Equipment
- Two 8-inch round cake pans (with high sides)
Ingredients
Candy Cane Cake
- 2 3/4 cups cake flour (330 grams), sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk (240 ml), 2% works too
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (use 1 teaspoon for a stronger flavor)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (30 ml), canola works too
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 grams), room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (350 grams)
- 5 large egg whites (discard the yolks)
White Chocolate Peppermint Frosting
- 6 ounces white chocolate (170 grams)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), softened but not melty
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar (330–440 grams)
- 1/2–2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- a few drops red food coloring
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream (30–45 ml) or whipping cream
- 2–3 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
Candy Cane Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease and flour the sides.
- Whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, oil, and peppermint extract.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Mix in the egg whites 1–2 at a time, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Sift in about one-third of the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined.
- Alternate adding the milk and the remaining dry ingredients: add half the milk, then another third of the dry ingredients, then the rest of the milk, and finally the remaining dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake starts to pull from the pan edges.
- Cool the cakes in their pans for at least 1 hour, then invert and remove from the pans to finish cooling completely.
White Chocolate Peppermint Frosting
- Chop the white chocolate finely.
- Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second intervals on medium power, whisking between intervals until smooth. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Beat the butter in a large bowl until fluffy.
- Beat in about 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, and a few drops of red food coloring. Start on low speed and increase gradually.
- Beat in the cooled melted white chocolate—ensure it’s not warm to prevent melting the butter.
- Continue adding the remaining powdered sugar 1/2–1 cup at a time, alternating with tablespoons of cream, until the frosting is thick and creamy. Adjust peppermint extract to taste.
Assembling the Cake
- If the layers are domed, trim the tops with a serrated knife to level them.
- Place one layer on your serving plate, bottom side up, and spread about one-third of the frosting over it.
- Top with the second layer, bottom side up, then frost the sides and top. If crumbs appear in the frosting, apply a thin crumb coat, chill 20 minutes, then finish with a thicker decorative layer.
- Sprinkle crushed candy canes over the top to decorate.
Notes
- Pan sizes & bake times: This recipe was tested in two 8-inch round pans with 2-inch sides. Alternatives:
- Two 9-inch round pans — bake 22–27 minutes
- Three 8-inch round pans — bake 20–25 minutes
- One 9×13-inch pan — bake about 40 minutes; halve the frosting recipe
- Cake flour substitute: If you don’t have cake flour, measure 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, remove 6 tablespoons, and replace those 6 tablespoons with cornstarch. Sift together several times.
- Room temperature: For the best texture, ensure butter, egg whites, and milk are room temperature.
- Peppermint extract: Use peppermint extract (not peppermint oil); it’s sold in the baking aisle near vanilla.
- Storage: Store the cake covered at room temperature up to 8 hours. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
- Nutrition: Nutrition facts are estimates for one slice with frosting and candy canes, based on 10 equal servings. You may get up to 12 slices.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 111 g,
Protein: 8 g,
Fat: 42 g,
Saturated Fat: 25 g,
Sugar: 84 g
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