Chocolate Peppermint Reindeer Cake Food

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT REINDEER CAKE

Steps:

• For the reindeer, make this cake recipe twice back to back.
• FOR THE CAKE:.
• Heat oven to 350. Place 3 cups of water in a saucepan and set on the stove with a high heat.
• In a stand mixer, blend sugar, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla. In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. Slowly mix into wet and when just incorporated pour in one cup of boiling water. Pulse until thoroughly mixed and pour into two parchment lined Loaf tins. Bake 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Wrap and chill well before cutting and assembling cake.
• TO ASSEMBLE:.
• Slice your loaves into two layers. Mix buttercream frosting and spread generously between each layer. Sprinkle with chopped candy cane before stacking each new layer. Chill continuously to ensure cake keeps a firm shape. Once stacked, using a serrated blade, carve out general reindeer shape. Once desire form is taken do a smooth crumb coat using additional frosting. Do final coat using clean fresh frosting. Chill when it looks how you want it and use a fork to create added grooves and dimension.
• FOR THE ANTLERS:.
• Slightly melt candy canes in a 300 degree oven and bend into desire shapes (Watch your fingers, it's hot!). Adhere to one another by placing an end under a flame for a moment and sticking to a larger piece (They burn very quickly so be stealthy and don't be devastated if any are ruined). Once done pierce the top of you cake with a pointed end and coast delicately with white candy melts.
• FINISHING TOUCHES:.
• Finish by spraying with edible pearl spray and placing a bed of coconut around your reindeer. (If you're a terrible person and don't like coconut, you can also use powdered sugar or crushed candy canes instead. Paint on a glittery red nose for an extra festive touch!

EASY CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT CAKE

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.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CAKE

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.

PINK REINDEER CAKE

Steps:

• CHOCOLATE CAKE:.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep three 8 x 2 inch round cake pans by spritzing with vegetable oil and lining with parchment paper circles.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
• In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• PINK PEPPERMINT BUTTERCREAM:.
• Cover the bowl of your stand mixer with the ingredients inside with a damp tea towel. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, icing sugar and peppermint extract until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Remove and reserve an 1/8 cup of buttercream to tint green for piped leaves. Tint the rest of the buttercream with the pink gel colour - beat the colour into the buttercream until shade achieved, about twenty seconds.
• To build the cake:.
• Frost and layer your cakes. Add a small dollop of buttercream to a cake board or cake plate. Place the first cake layer on top, pressing gently to adhere. Using an offset spatula, apply a generous layer of buttercream to the layer. Place the second layer on top of the first. Add another layer of buttercream. Finally, place the third layer on top and press gently to adhere. Frost the entire exterior of the cake, using a cake bench scraper or offset set spatula to smooth.
• Fill a large 18 inch piping bag with a large multi-opening grass tip, such as Wilton #234, with the remainder of the pink peppermint buttercream.
• Begin piping lines of "fur" on the outside of the cake. Hold piping bag at a 90 degree angle against the cake and squeeze piping bag and pull away, creating a short "spurt" of fur. Cover the entire cake with fur. Practice the piping method first on a plate or piece of parchment paper, then move to the cake once you feel comfortable.
• Make the fondant pieces: using commercial store-bought fondant, with clean and completely dry hands, mold the antler pieces and the triangular ears. Place wooden skewers cut to size into the bottoms of the antlers and ears and set aside to firm up.
• Make the face - roll fondant to ¼ inch thick, then using a circular cookie cutter or glass, punch out a circle shape and gently coax it into an oval shape using your fingers. Set aside. Using black fondant, make a nose and a smiley face. Make the eyes by rolling a 1 inch piece into a ball, flattening it gently and cutting off the bottom to curve it.
• Use a very tiny amount of water to stick the black nose and smile to the white face piece. Let dry.
• Apply the fondant to the cake! Decide what the front of your cake will be. Then, gently press the face piece and eyes into the buttercream to create the face. Place the ears and antlers into the top. Pipe fur around the ears.
• Optional: add drop stars, sprinkles and piped leaves! Add a little remaining pink buttercream into a small bowl and add a few more drops of pink gel colour to darken. Place into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip.
• Colour the reserved buttercream with a little green gel colour for leaves. Place the green buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a leaf piping tip.
• Pipe drop stars and leaves along the antlers and ears, adding a few sprinkles here and there for colour and festive sparkle!

CHOCOLATE REINDEER CAKE

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.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a mixer beat together the butter with the sugars until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in the vanilla. On a low speed beat in the flour mixture a little at a time. Gently mix in chocolate chips.
• On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop teaspoons of the batter about 2 inches apart. Bake until just cracked on top, about 8 to10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time. Cool completely.
• For the glaze: In a small bowl mix together the sugar; mint extract and water until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium resealable plastic bag and snip off the corner. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies. Let cookies stand until set, about 10 minutes.

DARK CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT PATTIE CAKE

Steps:

• If you're one of those individuals who always opts for the chocolate-covered Thin Mints when your local Girl Scout representative comes calling, this dessert is for you. The refreshing peppermint counterpoint takes the edge off the intense fudge-like cake.
• To facilitate cutting the Peppermint Patties, I often freeze them first. Use a hot, dry long-bladed knife to cut perfectly clean slices of the cake.
• Serve with whipped cream, cocoa fudge sauce, and a drizzle of mint syrup.
• Cocoa Fudge Sauce, recipe follows, for serving
• Mint Syrup, recipe follows, for serving
• To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 9 1/2 to 10-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper, and flour the pan, tapping out the excess flour.
• Melt the chocolate with the butter and cream in the top of a double boiler. Reserve.
• In the bowl of a mixer with a whip, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until very thick and light (about 5 minutes). Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg yolks and mix until just blended. Add the flour, salt, and vanilla and mix until combined, scraping the bowl once or twice. Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl and stir in the Peppermint Pattie pieces. The mixture will be quite thick.
• In a clean mixing bowl, with a clean whip, beat the egg whites to medium soft peaks. Lighten the batter by stirring in about one-third of the egg whites. Fold in the remaining whites and the place batter in the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 45 to 50 minutes. The top of the cake will feel set and very fine hairline cracks will just start to form around the edges. Remove and cool in the pan on a rack.
• To make the ganache topping: Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan to just under a boil. Add the chopped chocolate and, over very low heat, constantly stirring, cook the mixture until it is completely smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable. This can take several hours. You can make the topping up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate it, and allow it to come to room temperature for several hours before using. You can also hasten the cooling process by placing the melted ganache over an ice bath and gently stirring it till thickened; however, the resulting texture may not be quite as smooth and creamy.
• Place the cooled cake upside down on a cardboard cake circle or a service plate. Remove the sides and bottom of the springform pan. Remove the parchment liner. Using an offset spatula, decoratively spread the ganache over what is now the top of the cake, drawing the ganache all the way out to the edges of the cake. Using the offset spatula, level the edges to give the cake a finished look. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream, Cocoa Fudge Sauce and Mint Syrup.
• Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in the sugar and cocoa. Whisk in the cream and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat, whisking often. Allow to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened somewhat. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and strain though a fine sieve. Cool and serve at room temperature. This can be made up to 1 week ahead of time. It can also be frozen.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down and simmer several minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. Reserve.
• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Have a strainer and a bowl of ice water at the ready. Working quickly, place the mint leaves in the boiling water and blanch until just wilted (about 10 seconds). Immediately strain the mint and place the leaves directly in the ice water to set their color. Strain the mint again, pressing to remove excess liquid.
• Place the mint leaves and half of the reserved syrup in a blender. Puree the mint, stopping several times to scrape down the blender bowl. Add the remaining syrup and blend for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a clean storage container and allow to sit overnight, covered, at room temperature.
• Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solid mint puree. Store the syrup, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks. Shake or stir lightly before using.
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups

WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick baking spray with flour.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in white chocolate morsels and peppermint baking chips.
• In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg yolk, vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; mix until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into a ball and knead for 2 to 3 turns. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat to about 1/2-inch thickness.
• Using a 4-inch cutter, cut out dough (cut straight down, do not twist). Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart.
• Whisk 1/4 cup water with 1 egg and brush over tops of scones. Lightly sprinkle scones with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake scones for 18 to 20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Serve with Candy Cane Cream, if desired.
• Candy Cane Cream:.
• In a medium bowl, beat cream and candy canes at medium speed with an electric mixer until medium peaks form. Garnish with mint leaf and crushed peppermint candies, if desired.

MOLTEN PEPPERMINT-CHOCOLATE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a small heavy saucepan, heat butter and chocolate over low heat until blended, stirring constantly; transfer to a large bowl., Add eggs, egg yolks, sugar, extract and salt to chocolate mixture; mix well. Stir in flour. Pour into four greased 6-oz. custard cups or ramekins., Place custard cups on a baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160° and edges of cakes are set., Remove from oven; let stand 1 minute. Run a knife around sides of cakes; remove to dessert plates. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PEPPERMINT FROSTING

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.

LETHAL PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and flour 2 round cake pans.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together cake ingredients on low for 1 minute, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
• Increase mixing speed to medium high and beat for 2 minutes more.
• Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they test done.
• Remove from oven and cool completely.
• While cooling, prepare Ganache:.
• Put all ganache ingredients in 2 cup glass measuring cup.
• Cook on 50% power in microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring well after each minute until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
• Cover tightly and let sit for 3-4 hours or until it reaches spreading consistency. If it gets too thick, place in a pan of hot water over medium heat and stir until softens.
• To make filling:.
• Place butter and cream cheese in mixing bowl.
• Cream together until smooth and fluffy.
• Add candy, sugar, flavoring (or schnapps) and about 2 Tbs milk.
• Beat, adding additional milk until mixture is fluffy.
• When cakes are cool, layer them with the filling between layers, reserving about 1/2 cup of the filling for garnish, if you wish.
• Frost layers with cooled ganache.
• Pipe remaining filling on top of cake, or just sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
• Refrigerate to set ganache.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CAKE

Steps:

• Cream butter, sugar and egg yolks together.
• Add melted chocolate.
• Sift flour, salt, and baking soda together. Add to butter mixture, alternately with sour milk. Mix thoroughly; add vanilla.
• Pour batter into a greased and floured pan.( i used 8 inch round cake pan).
• Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes
• Cool.
• FROSTING.
• (this made a ton of marshmallow like frosting ).
• Place sugar,water and egg whites to cook over boiling water (in double boiler).
• Beat constantly for 5 minutes with a dover beater (I'm guessing a whisk on that one). Add the peppermint extract or crushed after dinner mints.
• Continue beating until frosting is thick and creamy.
• Remove from heat and continue beating until frosting is of spreading consistency.
• Spread over top and sides of cake.