A holiday must! This Vanilla-Peppermint Swirl Bundt Cake includes candy cane swirls to create a magnificently marbled interior. The resulting cake is deliciously moist, tender and a beautiful display for the holidays. Crushed soft peppermint candies make the cake sparkle just like a dusting of freshly fallen snow our stunning Let It Snow Bundt design. This recipe was created by Bake From Scratch magazine as part of the Bundt of the Month recipe collection.
Cake:
1⅓ cups (303 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (73 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs (250 grams), room temperature
1 large egg yolk (19 grams), room temperature
2⅔ cups (333 grams) all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons (3.75 grams) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
½ cup (120 grams) plus 1 teaspoon (5 grams) room temperature water, divided
2½ teaspoons (12.5 grams) red liquid food coloring*
¾ teaspoon (3 grams) peppermint extract
1 teaspoon (6 grams) vanilla bean paste
Garnish: finely crushed soft peppermint candies (see Notes)
Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at medium-low speed just until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup (120 grams) room temperature water and sour cream. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Place half of batter (about 3½ cups or 770 grams) in another medium bowl; fold in cocoa, food coloring, and peppermint extract until well combined. Fold vanilla bean paste and remaining 1 teaspoon (5 grams) room temperature water into remaining batter until well combined.
Thoroughly spray a 10-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Dollop and gently spread one-third of red batter (about 1 cup or 257 grams) in bottom of prepared pan; top with one-third of vanilla batter (about 1 cup or 257 grams), dolloping and then gently spreading to edges of pan in an even layer. (It’s OK if it’s not perfect; if batters start to smudge together, wipe your utensil clean and continue spreading.) Repeat procedure twice until all batter is used. Vigorously tap pan on a kitchen towel-lined counter several times to settle batter and release any air bubbles.
Bake for 50 minutes. Rotate pan, and bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, crack in top of cake appears mostly dry, and an instant-read thermometer inserted near center registers 206°F (97°C) to 210°F (99°C), 12 to 20 minutes more. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert pan onto a wire rack. Gently tap wire rack on counter a few times to help loosen cake; remove pan, and let cake cool completely. Using a small fine-mesh sieve, dust with candies, if desired.
Notes:To finely crush candy, place in a small resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to pound and crush candy until finely ground.
Absolutely beautiful presentation and a lovely recipe! I crushed peppermint candies in my food processor and dusted the top of the cake with them. Stunning presentation and a tasty cake.
Posted by Denise Regolizio
This cake is sooo flavorful, yet just the right amount of mint & vanilla combined to make your taste buds sing just a little bit! It’s a beautiful cake for Christmas, to serve or bring to a gathering. I dusted with powdered sugar to give it a snow effect, such a beautiful display of art in the snow Bundt pan. It was delicious and will be made again! Do as the recipe says, use the spray with butter & flour as the release from the pan was so easy. Great cake!
Posted by Christie W
Absolutely beautiful presentation and a lovely recipe! I crushed peppermint candies in my food processor and dusted the top of the cake with them. Stunning presentation and a tasty cake.
Posted by Denise Regolizio
This cake is sooo flavorful, yet just the right amount of mint & vanilla combined to make your taste buds sing just a little bit! It’s a beautiful cake for Christmas, to serve or bring to a gathering. I dusted with powdered sugar to give it a snow effect, such a beautiful display of art in the snow Bundt pan. It was delicious and will be made again! Do as the recipe says, use the spray with butter & flour as the release from the pan was so easy. Great cake!