New Year Tradition - Peppermint Whipped Cream Cake

Happy New Year! Welcome, 2020. We ate cake! My traditional white cake with peppermint whipped cream & crushed candy canes and new this year, chocolate cake with peppermint ganache and whipped cream. I’m not exactly sure that this tradition was intentional but I do know that the first one was for the new year 2014. I baked it because I wanted to make something light, bright, and energizing and there was no other flavor that could fill that order except peppermint. Whipped cream keeps it light, and the candy canes, to me, are bright. This cake is not really sweet at all, in fact, it may disappoint some but I love it! You can make it sweeter if you want by simply adding more sugar when you whip the cream, but I like it light and bright. Want the recipe? Here you go, consider it my gift to you to say, “Happy New Year!” This photo is actually the very first peppermint new year cake I made in 2014.

Kathy's New Year Peppermint Cake

1 box white cake mix

4 eggs (whites only)

1 1/4 C milk

1/3C oil

1 Qt Heavy Whipping Cream

3/4C sugar (more to taste)

8-10 Candy Canes - crushed

2-4 TBS Peppermint extract

*Mix and bake the cake to package directions making the changes I note below. I add an extra egg (whites only if you want your cake really white) and use milk instead of water as it gives a box mix a more homemade flavor. Bake the cake to box directions. *Once the cake cools put it in the freezer for at least an hour, overnight is even better. 

*Whip heavy cream with 1/2 - 3/4C sugar, and 1 TBS peppermint extract. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. 

*Crush candy canes, set aside. 

*Slice both rounds in half and start stacking them on a cake plate. Spread a layer of whipped cream and then sprinkle crushed candy canes on the whipped cream and continue doing this until you put the top of the cake on. Ice the whole cake with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle the rest of the crushed candy canes on top or wherever you want them. 

*I have silver star confetti that I use for my New Year cake because it makes me happy, but it's pretty with just the candy canes.

Modifications -  You can add 1 to 2 TBS peppermint extract to the cake mix if you want more peppermint flavor overall.

*The cake is easier to handle/ice when it’s frozen and it actually makes the cake more moist when it’s time to eat.