Chocolate Peppermint Reindeer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add milk, oil, eggs and vanilla; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. , Bake at 350° for 18-23 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For filling, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, vanilla and food coloring if desired; beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside about 1 tablespoon crushed candy. Fold remaining candy into cream mixture. Spread between layers and around sides but not over the top. , For glaze, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa and water; cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; whisk in vanilla. Gradually blend in sugar until smooth. Add additional water if necessary. Spread over top of cake. Sprinkle with reserved candy. Chill before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Butter and line 3 x 15 or 16cm round tins (alternatively do the baking in batches if you only have one tin). Heat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3.
• Gently melt the chocolate, butter and sugar together in a large microwave-safe bowl on medium heat for a minute at a time, stirring until melted or, set a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Leave to cool a little.
• Beat together the eggs with the vanilla and soured cream in a bowl. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder into another bowl and whisk to distribute. Stir the egg mix into the cooled melted chocolate, then fold in the flour mix and fold through until all the powder has disappeared.
• Spoon a third of the mixture into each tin (if you weigh the tins, you can get it perfectly even and your cakes will cook at the same rate and to the same height). Level off each thin layer with the back of a spoon.
• Bake until just cooked, so when a skewer poked into the centre of the sponge layer comes out with a few crumbs and the cakes are shrinking away from the tin a bit. This will take about 25-30 mins, but check after 20 to be safe as all ovens vary. Remove and cool in the tins on a wire rack, or on top of cold oven hob rings.
• Meanwhile, to make the ganache, microwave all the ingredients together in 30 sec bursts until they have all melted, stirring at each interval. Or melt everything together in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cool to room temperature before adding to the buttercream.
• To make the buttercream, beat the butter and vanilla paste until pale and creamy. Gradually add the icing sugar, beating well between each addition. (Using unrefined sugar will give the buttercream a natural caramel flavour.) Beat in the cooled ganache.
• To make the antlers, combine the sugar and butter with the vanilla paste until amalgamated but not creamed. Add the egg and combine. Mix the flour with the spices then tip that in and mix to form a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge to firm up for 20 minutes. Roll out on a floured surface to a 5/6mm thickness. Lay the template on the dough and cut around it using a small sharp knife - make two sets in case of breakages (any additional dough can be saved). Push the lolly sticks up into the bottom of the antlers and bake for around 15-20 mins until cooked through and golden. Allow to cool.
• Make the ears by pulling a little of the brown fondant icing off the block and kneading it with white fondant icing to make a pale brown. Roll the rest of the dark brown icing out thickly on a surface dusted with icing sugar. Roll the paler icing out thinly. Cut large teardrop shapes from the lighter icing to form the ears (about 6cm in size) and stick the lighter shape on top of the darker icing with a little water. Cut a larger teardrop around the lighter shape. Fold and pinch together at the base, push a cocktail stick into the bottom of each one and set aside to firm up.
• Trim the cakes flat if they have a little hump where they have been baked. Put the first layer onto a 16cm cake board and use a little of the chocolate frosting to secure it to the board. Spread frosting over the first layer then add layer two. Sandwich together by pressing gently and add another layer of frosting to this layer. For the last layer, take the sponge and invert it on top of the other two cakes, so that the smooth part of the cake - that was on the bottom of the tin -becomes the top. This will make it nice and neat. Spread a very thin layer of icing over the whole cake to crumb coat it and chill to set for about 30 mins.
• Add more buttercream to the cake to make a clean top coat - use a palette knife or side scraper to get a smooth finish (but do save a little of the buttercream for the final flourish). Mark out the eyes with a cutter so you can see where to add them. Roll little strips of black fondant icing for the eyes and lashes, then stick these onto the cake. Mould the nose with red fondant icing and stick it on with a cocktail stick, pushing one end into the nose and the other into the cake.
• For the little collar, roll out about 100g of green fondant icing on a surface dusted with icing sugar and cut a thin strip for the bow that will fit around the base of the cake. Stick the ends together with a little water, then make a bow by folding another thin strip and stick this onto the collar with another dab of water. Scoop the leftover buttercream into a bag with a large star nozzle. Pipe some fluffy reindeer hair on top of the cake, then add the ears and biscuit antlers, pushing them in gently but firmly.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat two 8-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level.
• For the ganache: Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand 5 minutes, then stir until completely smooth. Let the ganache sit until it has cooled and thickened to a spreadable consistency, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cardboard cake circle on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch any drips. Spread about 1/2 cup of the ganache on top and place the second cake layer cut-side down over the ganache. Dollop half of the remaining ganache on top and spread with a large offset spatula so the ganache covers the top of the cake and slowly runs down the sides. Repeat with the remaining ganache, using the offset spatula to make a smooth, even layer over the surface and around the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• To decorate: Melt the white chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave in 15 second intervals on 50 percent power until melted, stirring after each interval. Let sit 5 minutes, then transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip. (Alternatively, transfer to a resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner.) Pipe a straight line through the center of the cake from top to bottom, then another line through the center from left to right, dividing the cake into quarters. Pipe 2 more lines to divide the cake into eighths. Pipe a circle of white chocolate around the edge of the cake. Pipe a small circle where the points intersect in the center of the cake. Place a candy-coated chocolate near the tip of each point for reindeer noses (one of them will be red). Add 2 reindeer eyes above each nose. Stick 2 pretzel twist pieces above each pair of eyes.

Steps:

• Line a 15x10x1-in. pan with parchment; set aside. , In a double boiler or metal bowl over hot water, melt baking chips until 2/3 are melted. Remove from heat; stir in peppermint oil until smooth. Spread into prepared pan. Melt dark chocolate chips in another bowl. Drizzle over top of white layer; cut through mixtures with a knife to swirl. Sprinkle with peppermint candies (pan will not be full). Refrigerate until firm, 15-20 minutes. Break or cut into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.
• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches water to a boil. Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl; set over (not in) water. Turn off heat; let stand until melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir to combine. Remove bowl; cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs and buttermilk until combined. Fold in flour mixture until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until cake pulls away from sides and a toothpick inserted in center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; invert onto a wire rack (and leave inverted) to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Set cake on a serving platter. Tuck parchment or waxed paper under sides of cake. Pour chocolate icing onto center of cake and spread evenly over top and sides. Let set, about 40 minutes. Serve cake with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or peppermint candies, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter for 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Whisk in confectioners' sugar, eggs, egg yolks and extract until blended. Fold in flour., Transfer to four generously greased 4-oz. ramekins. Bake on a baking sheet until a thermometer reads 160° and edges of cakes are set, 14-16 minutes., Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Run a knife around sides of ramekins; invert onto dessert plates. Sprinkle with crushed candies. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Make the cake: Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8-by-8-inch square or 9-inch round light-colored metal baking pan with oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and eggs. Use a whisk or an electric mixer to beat the mixture until foamy and slightly lighter in texture and color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, vanilla and salt, and whisk until combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
• Whisk in the cocoa powder until combined. Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and whisk until combined and no streaks of flour remain. Stir the espresso powder into the hot water, then add the mixture to the bowl. Whisk until incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan set on a rack for about 45 minutes.
• While the cake bakes, clean the mixing bowl and make the frosting: Add the butter to the bowl and mix on medium-high with an electric mixer until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to low, and slowly add the confectioners' sugar. Mix until the sugar is moistened, then add 2 teaspoons of the cream, the vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and salt. Turn the speed up to medium-high, and whip until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes, adding a bit more cream a teaspoon at a time, if necessary, to make a smooth and light frosting. Taste the frosting, and add a few more drops of peppermint extract if desired. The frosting can be kept at room temperature while the cake finishes baking and cooling.
• Top the cooled cake with an even layer of frosting, then use the tip of a toothpick to dot the frosting with a few small dots of gel food coloring, if using. Use a spoon or offset spatula to swirl the food coloring into the frosting to create candy cane-like stripes - just a few swipes will do the trick. If you mix it in too much, the frosting will turn pink. Top the cake with sprinkles and shaved chocolate, if desired. Store leftover cake loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.