Easy Holiday peppermint cake made at home with simple ingredients. A soft, moist vanilla cake is layered with peppermint-flavored buttercream and finished with crushed candy canes for a festive touch.
This cheerful, easy-to-make cake brightens any holiday table. If you want other options, try an Easy Christmas Cake or a Christmas Fruit Cake for variety.
How to Make Easy Peppermint Cake from Scratch
- Make the cakes – Bake two vanilla cakes and let them cool completely.
- Trim – Level the sides and dome with a sharp serrated knife so the layers stack evenly.
- First layer of icing – Place one cake on a stand and spread a layer of peppermint buttercream on top.
- Add peppermint sugar – Sprinkle a thin, even layer of finely pulsed peppermint sugar over the icing.
- Stack – Set the second cake on top and press gently to adhere.
- Crumb coat and finish – Cover the whole cake with a smooth coat of frosting.
- Decorate – Press crushed candy canes all over the frosted cake until fully covered.
Variations for the Holiday Cake
Chocolate peppermint cake – Swap the vanilla layers for a rich chocolate cake for a decadent version.
Boost the flavor – Add a splash of peppermint, vanilla, or almond extract to the batter or frosting for extra aroma and taste.
Whipped cream topping – Replace buttercream with stabilized whipped cream for a lighter finish.
Red velvet peppermint – Use red velvet layers for a festive interior color and pair with cream cheese or buttercream frosting.
White chocolate ganache – Pour a white chocolate ganache over the frosted cake for an elegant shine, then sprinkle with crushed peppermint.
Colored frosting – Tint the frosting red or green for a more colorful holiday presentation.
Tips and Techniques
Short on time – Use a boxed yellow or white cake mix; assembly and decorating are the same.
Cool completely – Make sure cakes are fully cooled to prevent the frosting from melting and sliding.
Smooth frosting – Use an offset spatula or bench scraper to achieve a clean finish.
Crush candy canes – Place canes in a sealed bag and crush with a rolling pin or pulse in a food processor.
Trim even layers – Use a sharp serrated knife to level cakes and remove domes for straight, stable layers.
Make peppermint sugar – Pulse candy canes in a blender or food processor until very fine for a sparkling peppermint sugar.
Storage
Refrigerate – Store the cake in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Note: candy canes will soften and become slightly sticky from fridge moisture.
Freeze – Freeze cake layers and frosting separately in airtight containers. Thaw completely before assembling and decorating.
More Christmas Cakes and Holiday Desserts
- Easy English Trifle (Christmas Trifle)
- Cranberry Upside Down Cake (with cake mix)
- Coconut Cranberry Cake (with cake mix)
- Easy Gingerbread Cake
- Chocolate Snowflake Cake
Alternate Holiday Cake Design
- Bake square cakes (suggested sizes: 8×4 and 4×4) and cool completely.
- Slice each cake and fill with icing, then frost both cakes smoothly.
- Cover both tiers with green marshmallow fondant for a polished look.
- Place the larger cake on a board, insert dowels for support, then set the smaller cake on top.
- Attach broken candy canes around the base of each tier using royal icing, glace icing, or a little corn syrup.
- Top with round peppermint candies and scatter chopped candy canes for a final festive touch.
This tiered design pairs well with modern or novelty cake ideas for holiday gatherings.
Recipe
Easy Peppermint Cake
Ingredients
- 2 vanilla cakes (this yields two 8×2 round cakes)
- 3 cups American buttercream frosting (add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract to the frosting)
- 1–2 teaspoons peppermint sugar (finely pulsed candy canes)
- 1.5 cups candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Bake two vanilla cakes according to your recipe or box instructions. Cool completely.
- Level the cakes by trimming the sides and dome with a serrated knife so both layers are even.
- Place one cake layer on a cake stand or board.
- Spread a layer of peppermint-flavored buttercream on top of the bottom layer.
- Sprinkle peppermint sugar evenly over the filling layer.
- Top with the second cake layer and press gently to adhere.
- Apply a crumb coat if desired, then frost the entire cake smoothly with the remaining buttercream.
- Press crushed candy canes onto the frosting until the cake is fully covered. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Follow the tips and techniques above for best results.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Expect the candy cane decoration to become slightly sticky from fridge moisture.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate calculated by an automated tool and may not be exact.