Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT CAKE

Category: Cakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pan
1 cup flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
Chocolate-Peppermint Icing
Whipped Cream, for serving (optional)
Chocolate shavings or crushed peppermint candies, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. 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 Icing
4 oz chopped semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a boil over high heat; stir in peppermint extract. Strain cream into chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes; stir until smooth (mixture will appear oily at first.) Cool until mixture falls in ribbons when spoon is lifted, 2 to 6 minutes.