BARK YEAH!!! i have teamed up with my friends over at the feed feed & william sonoma to create the ultimate holiday cake. throughout the next week or so, feed feed editors will be sharing peppermint bark creations. it made the most sense to me to make a cake, because.. cake! the contrasting vanilla & chocolate layers are inspired by the peppermint barks dark chocolate & white chocolate layers. the cake is also infused & topped with loads of bark, because when it is the holiday's there is no such thing as too much chocolate. check out what my fellow feed feed editors have created for the 12 days of peppermint bark creations over at the feed feed!
ingredients
for the vanilla cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups raw sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup william sonoma peppermint bark, chopped
for the chocolate cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups raw sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dutch process cococa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup william sonoma peppermint bark, chopped
for the ombre frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4-5 cups icing sugar, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
directions
- for the vanilla cake: in the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and sugar. add the eggs and butter until light and fluffy. mix in vanilla and oil until combined. in a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. gradually add to stand mixer at low speed. once the flour is JUST combined into the wet ingredients, add the milk. stir in peppermint bark. divide batter equally into two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans. bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cake bounces back to touch.
- for the chocolate cake: in the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and sugar. add the eggs and mix until light and fluffy. mix in vanilla, peppermint extract and oil until combined. in a separate bowl sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. gradually add to stand mixer at low speed. once flour is JUST combined into the wet ingredients, add the milk. stir in peppermint bark. divide batter equally into two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans. bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cake bounces back to touch.
- for the frosting: add all ingredients except cocoa powder in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes. separate frosting into three bowls (the plain should have the most frosting reserved because of the crumb coat): keep one plain, then mix cocoa powder by the tablespoon into the remaining two. Use your discretion on the color, adding more or less cocoa powder to create the contrast you like best.
- to decorate: begin with a white frosted crumb coat layer and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. next, begin with the darkest chocolate frosting at the bottom, followed by light chocolate, followed by white. add some chopped peppermint bark to the top and serve!
