Description
This festive Candy Cane Sheet Cake combines a moist vanilla cake with crushed candy canes swirled throughout and topped with peppermint buttercream frosting. Perfectly balanced sweetness and a refreshing peppermint flavor make it an ideal holiday dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 tablespoon vanilla (5 mL)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (1 g)
- ⅔ cup crushed candy cane (divided: ⅓ in batter, ⅓ sprinkled and swirled on top, ⅓ for decoration)
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk (300 mL)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300 g)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (255 g), room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream
- 6 egg whites
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
For the Buttercream:
- 3 sticks unsalted butter (340 g), room temperature
- 1 pound confectioners sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (5 mL)
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract (2 mL)
- ¼ cup milk (60 mL)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet cake pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter until smooth, then add the granulated sugar and continue mixing until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.
- Add Vanilla and Salt: Mix in the vanilla extract and salt with the creamed butter and sugar until fully combined.
- Mix Milk and Sour Cream: In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole milk and sour cream until smooth.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder for even distribution.
- Add Egg Whites: Add the egg whites to the stand mixer bowl, mixing on medium speed until fully combined with the wet ingredients.
- Alternate Adding Milk Mixture and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the milk and sour cream mixture alternating with the sifted dry ingredients, mixing just until the batter is fully combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Candy Cane: Gently fold 1/3 of the crushed candy cane into the batter to maintain the candy pieces’ texture.
- Fill the Pan and Swirl Candy Cane: Pour the batter into the prepared sheet cake pan. Sprinkle another 1/3 of crushed candy cane evenly over the batter and use a spatula to swirl it throughout the top.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Prepare Buttercream Frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add the sifted confectioners sugar on low speed to avoid a sugar cloud.
- Add Flavorings and Milk: Slowly pour in the milk, peppermint extract, and vanilla. Increase the mixer speed and beat until the frosting is light, fluffy, and fully combined.
- Frost the Cake: Use an ice cream scoop to distribute the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Smooth the surface with an offset spatula for a uniform finish.
- Decorate: Sprinkle the remaining crushed candy cane on top of the frosted cake as a festive garnish.
Notes
- If you see little clumps of butter after mixing wet ingredients, don’t worry; it will smooth out once dry ingredients are incorporated.
- You can substitute whole milk yogurt for sour cream if desired without noticeable difference.
- If American buttercream is too sweet, consider making Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream for a lighter alternative.
- For clean edges, use a sharp serrated knife to trim about ¼ inch off each side after baking.
- To prevent candy cane pieces from sinking, fold them gently and avoid overmixing the batter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
