This cake is basically a wintery version of my Chocolate Pumpkin Cake. Â I have been wanting to do another version of that cake for a year now, and this seemed like the perfect way to do it. Rich, chocolatey red velvet cake with the perfectly minted whipped topping… and then more chocolate of course!
How to Make a Red Velvet Cake with Peppermint Whipped Cream
First I baked two full red velvet cake recipes. Â Each entire recipe went into one 9×9 pan. Â (Make sure the batter does not fill the pan more than halfway.) Two cake recipes, two pans.
Also, I did not level my cakes. Â This was not a good idea! Â I highly recommend that you make sure your cakes are leveled to the same height. You can see how high the bottom layer is and making sure it is level before stacking is very important.
Bake two red velvet cakes in square pans. (recipe below)
Prepare Milk Chocolate Ganache.
Prepare Peppermint Whipped Cream.
You will also use straws, and offset spatula, a piping bag and 1M tip.
How to Assemble Red Velvet Cake with Peppermint Whipped Cream
To assemble this cake place your first red velvet layer on the cake stand.  Cover in about 3/4 cup of chocolate ganache. I love the look of letting it spill over the sides, but you can do whatever you prefer at this step.  Place other red velvet cake on a flat surface and cover with about 3/4 cup of ganache.  Set aside.
Cut a straw into four equal sections. Â Place the straws into the cake. Â I make sure the straws are at least 1-inch in from each side and in each corner. Â The homemade whipped cream is not sturdy enough to hold the weight of the top layer of cake on its own, that is why I add the straws. Â Just be sure to tell your family when you cut into the cake.
Cover cake in about 1 1/2 cups of peppermint whipped cream. Â I level the whipped cream to the height of the straws with an offset spatula.
Take other red velvet cake and center it on top of the cake on your cake stand.
Using a 1M tip, pipe out nine fancy swirls at least 2 inches high. Â Cover in red and chocolate sprinkles.
I would recommend serving right away, but the cake will keep for one day in the fridge.
The Peppermint Whipped Cream is amazing. Â It’s subtle, not overpowering. Â Light. Â Refreshing.
Such a perfect compliment to the rich Red Velvet and chocolate ganache!
I can’t recommend this cake enough. Â It is seriously the PERFECT cake for any holiday celebration!
Red Velvet Cake with Peppermint Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups cake flour, not self-rising
- 1 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
- 1 oz bottle McCormick® red food coloring
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and lightly flour three 9 x 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.
- In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time,beating well after each addition.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well.
- In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overheat.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter among the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
This is gorgeous! Your cakes are always works of art!
This cake LOOKS BANGIN. I love red velvet…but omg with PEPPERMINT whipped cream..for the holidays? Beautiful. Thanks for putting a great recipe.
YAY!!! The pumpkin cake was the hit at Thanksgiving, and my 12 year old daughter said, “Mom, you know what would be really good – chocolate and PEPPERMINT”!!! Thanks for sharing! I hate to invent something that has already been perfected and published 🙂
For the pumpkin, I didn’t bother with the straws structure, but I was worried about the whipped cream since i had to transport the cake to my aunt’s prior to the meal. I searched the webs for ways to stabilize whipped cream and ended up using a method with a teeny bit of unflavored gelatin in the whipping cream. (1/4 t dissolved in minimal water; cool slightly then add to cream before whipping) May not have needed it, but I will say the leftovers were sturdy and didn’t ooze for the 2 more days we had some remaining in the fridge.
Thank you for a beautiful cake – not too difficult, but 100x the WOW factor (I love that combo!)
I made this Saturday and it was a hit with my girlfriends! I was out of peppermint extract, (thought I had some!), so I just used vanilla and then sprinkled the whipped cream with the crushed Andes peppermint candies. I can’t wait to try the chocolate version!
PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE This is pure delight for your taste buds.
great flavour
As much as I have tried to love Red Velvet (I am a huge fan of red!), I could never taste the chocolate. I keep trying it, though. When I found a picture of your Chocolate Pumpkin cake on Bing, this recipe came up as well once I got to your site. With the Chocolate Ganache and Peppermint frosting, this may just become the one that makes me love Red Velvet. Now, if I can just make it look as pretty as the one in the picture! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
You can! I know you can. 🙂
This is beautiful. However, I hate peppermint (mint of any kind is too much of a ‘bathroom’ flavor…ewww) and one of the things that I love about red velvet is the cream cheese frosting. Is it possible to do a whipped cream cheese frosting? If so, do you have a recipe that you like for it? The look of this has got that minimalist elegance to it, and I love that. This may end up in the oven at some point.
Thanks,
Tiffany
P.S. To that person that couldn’t taste the chocolate: You may be using an inferior cocoa powder. I try to use only Ghiradelli or better, and you may want to do a dark chocolate, with a higher cocoa percentage, than a milk chocolate.
PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE This is pure delight for your taste buds.
CHERRY-MINT CHOCOLATE a burst of cherry zest
Both are great flavour
So I stumbled across this and a thought occurred to me, do you think one would be able to substitute the supporting-straws with say, pieces of candy-cane? I was thinking they might be a little bit sturdier for holding up the 2nd piece of cake, and their edibleness would certainly be an added perk, but I’m curious what you think. (:
Sounds like a great idea! 🙂
Can I half this recipe?