Best Christmas Chocolate Cake
Ultra-moist dark chocolate layers, peppermint buttercream, chocolate ganache drip—elegant holiday centerpiece.
Ingredients
- Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups 260 g flour · 2 cups (400 g) sugar · ¾ cup (75 g) cocoa
- 2 tsp baking powder · 1½ tsp baking soda · 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup 240 ml buttermilk · ½ cup (120 ml) oil · 2 eggs · 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup 240 ml boiling water or coffee
- Peppermint Buttercream:
- 1½ cups 340 g butter · 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ –1 tsp peppermint extract · 3–5 tbsp cream
- Ganache Drip:
- 8 oz 225 g dark chocolate · 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream · 1 tbsp corn syrup
Instructions
- Bake 3×8-inch layers 350 °F 28–32 min; cool completely.
- Beat peppermint buttercream—start mild, taste.
- Stack & crumb coat; chill 20 min. Final coat smooth.
- Make ganache; cool to 90 °F; drip edges then flood top.
- Decorate with sugared cranberries, rosemary, candy canes.
- Chill 15 min to set; serve at room temp.
Notes
- Coffee enhances chocolate—hot water works too.
- Freeze wrapped layers up to 2 months.
- Ganache at 90 °F = perfect drip length.
- Room-temp cake = moist slices.
- GF: 1:1 flour blend.
- Less mint: ¼ tsp + crushed candy canes on top.