White Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

Prep Time
35 mins

Cook Time
39 mins

Total Time
1 hr 14 mins

For the Cake

• 10 oz white chocolate
• 1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Frosting

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 5 large egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 lb (2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (add to taste)

Meringue Kisses

• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar (or process granulated sugar to superfine)**
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons crushed peppermints

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch pans.
2. Combine white chocolate and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 50% power in 30-second bursts, stirring between, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
4. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla.
5. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Add half of the melted white chocolate mixture and combine. Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining white chocolate, and finally the remaining flour, mixing just until combined after each addition.
6. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth the tops.
7. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool in pans for about 30 minutes, run a knife around the edges, then remove cakes and finish cooling on a wire rack. Once cool, wrap and chill in the refrigerator until cold.
9. While cakes chill, prepare the Italian meringue buttercream. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook to 238°F without stirring.
10. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a clean, dry bowl until stiff peaks form.
11. With the mixer on medium-high, carefully pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream between the whisk and the side of the bowl. Take care—hot sugar will burn. Continue beating until the meringue cools to room temperature.
12. Reduce speed and add the butter slowly, one tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla and add peppermint extract a drop at a time, tasting as you go.
13. Trim cake layers if needed. Place one layer on a cake plate and spread about 1 cup of frosting. Top with the second layer and apply a crumb coat or finish frosting the top and sides. Chill after a crumb coat for at least an hour before final decorating.
14. To make meringue kisses: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment and fit a piping bag with a large closed-star tip. Beat egg whites with salt to stiff peaks, then gradually add powdered (or superfine) sugar a few tablespoons at a time until dissolved. Stir in vanilla and fold in crushed peppermints. Pipe kisses onto parchment and bake 20 minutes. Turn oven off and leave meringues inside until the oven is completely cool (about 2 hours). Use as decoration; you won’t need all of them to decorate the cake.

**If you don’t have superfine sugar for the meringue, pulse regular granulated sugar in a blender to create a finer texture before adding it to the egg whites.

Serving: 1 (2-layer 8-inch cake)

Calories: 271 kcal | Carbohydrates: 48 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 7 g | Sugar: 42 g

Course: Cake

Cuisine: American

Keywords: cake, christmas, frosting, holidays, peppermint, meringue, white chocolate