Description
This Candy Cane Sheet Cake is a delightful holiday treat featuring a moist vanilla batter infused with crushed candy cane pieces for a festive peppermint twist. Topped with a creamy peppermint buttercream frosting and more crushed candy cane sprinkles, this cake is perfect for Christmas celebrations and brings a refreshing minty flavor with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 tablespoon vanilla 5 mL
- ¼ teaspoon salt 1 g
- ⅔ cup crushed candy cane (divided: ⅓ with batter, ⅓ sprinkled on top and swirled)
- 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 and line a sheet cake pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter until smooth, then gradually add the granulated sugar and mix until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.
- Add Flavorings: Mix in the vanilla extract and salt until well combined and smooth.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole milk and sour cream until fully mixed.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder to ensure an even texture.
- Add Egg Whites: Add the six egg whites into the stand mixer and beat on medium speed until combined.
- Alternate Adding Mixtures: Alternately add the milk and sour cream mixture and the dry flour mixture to the mixer, mixing until the batter is fully combined and smooth.
- Fold in Candy Cane: Gently fold in one-third of the crushed candy cane pieces into the batter, being careful not to overmix to maintain texture.
- Pour Batter and Add Candy Cane: Pour the cake batter into the prepared sheet cake pan, sprinkle another one-third of the crushed candy cane over the batter, and swirl it gently with a spatula.
- Bake the Cake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the center is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Make the Buttercream: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sifted confectioners sugar on low speed.
- Add Flavorings to Frosting: Slowly pour in the milk, peppermint extract, and vanilla, then beat the mixture until it is fluffy and well combined.
- Frost the Cake: Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the peppermint buttercream frosting over the cooled cake and smooth the surface using an offset spatula.
- Decorate: Sprinkle the remaining one-third of the crushed candy cane on top of the frosted cake to finish the festive look.
Notes
- If you see small clumps of butter after mixing wet ingredients, don’t worry; they will incorporate properly once dry ingredients are added. Optionally, you can use melted butter and warm the milk and sour cream slightly for easier mixing.
- You can substitute whole milk yogurt for sour cream for a similar texture and flavor; the difference is barely noticeable.
- If American buttercream is too sweet for your taste, try using Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream for a lighter, less sweet frosting.
- For clean, even edges, trim about ¼ inch from each side of the cake using a sharp serrated knife before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
