Love peppermint patties? Then you will adore this flourless peppermint patty chocolate cake. With a chocolate base, this cake is topped with a white chocolate ganache and finished off with a layer of decadent chocolate ganache. It’s probably the biggest peppermint patty you’ll ever eat!
I adore peppermint patties. I’ve even tried making my own. They’re one of those seemingly low-fat foods (at least in my head) that I can eat a few of without feeling too guilty. With my birthday last month, I thought that a peppermint patty flavored cake would be perfect to celebrate the occasion.
Don’t get me wrong – this is definitely NOT a low-fat dessert. Sure, you can eat multiple slices, but one (small serving) will be plenty. We start off with a flourless chocolate cake and then top it with a rich and creamy white chocolate peppermint ganache and then top THAT with a layer of decadent chocolate. Got your attention yet?
I made this cake over a few days because I didn’t want to be rushed. Plus, I wanted to spend my birthday doing other things like shopping and skating. Yes, I love to bake, but I didn’t want to be stuck inside the kitchen all day.
The cake base rose a lot higher than I expected (I used a 10″ springform pan). And while it wasn’t dry, the cake’s structure did not stay together very well. Every time I attempted to cut into the cake, the base would crumble and lose its shape (see the photos above). While disappointing, the overall flavor of the cake was top-notch and definitely reminiscent of a peppermint patty.
If I make this cake again, I’ll keep the ganache layers the same but may use the flourless chocolate cake from this recipe. That particular cake was much sturdier and would be able to hold up the two layers of ganache.
Peppermint patty flourless chocolate cake
Ingredients
Flourless chocolate cake
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
- 8 ounces unsalted butter
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 5 and ⅔ ounces (3/4 cup) brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 Tablespoon coffee or water
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
White chocolate mint ganache
- 12 ounces white chocolate finely chopped, or white chocolate chips
- 4 ounces (1/2 cup) heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ - 1 teaspoon mint extract
- Pinch salt
Chocolate glaze
- 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
- 10 ounces (1 and 1/4 cup) heavy cream
Instructions
Bake the cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with a removable bottom (or a springform pan) with parchment paper, and generously grease or spray the pan and parchment. Place the chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until the chocolate has melted. Stir to combine and set aside to cool until it is room temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs and brown sugar on medium speed for about 5-7 minutes or until it triples in volume. Turn the mixer to low and add in the melted chocolate, coffee or water, vanilla, and salt. Transfer the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake your cake for about 40 minutes or until the edges are set but the middle is still underdone. Allow the cake to cool until room temperature. The center of the cake will collapse as it cools - this is totally OK and expected.
Make the mint ganache
- In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and corn syrup. Turn the stove on to medium to heat the mixture until it comes to a simmer. Place the white chocolate in a medium sized bowl. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate and let it sit untouched for one minute. Then whisk the chocolate and cream together until it is smooth. Add the butter, mint extract and salt and continue whisking until everything is well combined.
- Gently pour the white chocolate ganache into the sunken middle of the cake and smooth it out if needed. Refrigerate the cake until the white chocolate ganache has set - at least 2 hours.
Make the glaze and assemble the cake
- Remove the cake from the pan and put it on a cake pan and set it on a wire rack with a baking pan set underneath. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the heavy cream and corn syrup until it comes to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit untouched for one minute. Then whisk the chocolate and cream together until it is smooth.
- Pour the chocolate over the cake and smooth the top. Allow the ganache to drip off the sides and smooth with an offset spatula. , using a small offset spatula to push it to the edges and to smooth it over the sides. Refrigerate the cake until the chocolate ganache has set - about 30 minutes. If desired, you can garnish the top of the cake with fresh mint leaves, chopped peppermint patties or chocolate curls.
- Allow the cake to come to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Notes