It’s that time of year! And to get into the spirit, I made a Vanilla Peppermint Cake to start the celebration a little early. This easy vanilla cake is paired with a delicious peppermint buttercream and a crunchy coating of candy canes!
PEPPERMINT CAKE
Ingredients
CAKE
- 5 large egg whites at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
BUTTERCREAM
- 1 lb (2 cups) room temperature butter
- 5 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- water
- candy thermometer
- Candy Canes, crushed
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 8" cake pans with pam and parchment. You also need to make sure that all the ingredients are at room temperature.
- In a medium bowl combine and stir the egg whites, 1/4 cup of milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.
- Add the butter and remaining milk, and mix on a low speed until just combined. Increase to medium speed and mix for 1-2 minutes.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 2 separate batches, beat on medium speed until it is just combined.
- Divide the batter between the two cake pans.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool on racks until cooled completely.
For the buttercream:
- In a small sauce pan put 3/4 cup of sugar and cover the sugar with a little bit of water until the sugar looks like wet sand. Cook on a stove top over high heat until it reaches 248 degrees (you will need a candy thermometer).
- While the sugar is cooking, whip eggs whites in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at a high speed until they reach soft peaks.
- Once the egg whites reach soft peaks add the other 1/4 cup of sugar and mix on a high speed until the egg whites reach stiff peaks. You can keep mixing the egg whites at a high speed until the sugar is done cooking.
- Once the sugar reaches 248 degrees, immediately add it to the egg white mixture. Mix on a high speed for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, add the room temperature butter and mix on a high speed for 5-10 minutes until the butter is fully combined and the mixture resembles buttercream.
- Add vanilla and peppermint extracts and mix until just combined.
- Use crushed candy canes to decorate.
Notes
*Makes 1 Cake
