Description
This festive Candy Cane Sheet Cake combines a tender vanilla-flavored cake with crushed candy cane pieces swirled throughout and topped with a creamy peppermint buttercream frosting. Perfect for holiday celebrations, this cake delivers a refreshing minty sweetness and a delightful crunchy texture from the candy canes, all baked to perfection in a simple sheet cake format.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 tablespoon vanilla 5 mL
- ¼ teaspoon salt 1 g
- ⅔ cup crushed candy cane (⅓ mixed in 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 170 g, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream 120 mL
- 6 egg whites
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour 312.5 g
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
For the Buttercream:
- 3 sticks unsalted butter 340 g, room temperature
- 1 lb confectioners sugar 454 g, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract 2 mL
- ¼ cup milk 60 mL
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet cake pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter until smooth, then gradually mix in the granulated sugar until the mixture is creamy and light.
- Add Vanilla and Salt: Add the vanilla extract and salt to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until fully combined and smooth.
- Mix Milk and Sour Cream: In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole milk and sour cream until evenly combined.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder to ensure no lumps and an even rise.
- Add Egg Whites: Add the egg whites to the mixer and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternate adding the milk and sour cream mixture with the sifted dry ingredients 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 to the batter, being careful not to overmix to maintain texture.
- Prepare for Baking: Pour the batter into the prepared sheet cake pan. Sprinkle one-third of the crushed candy cane on top of the batter and swirl it gently with a spatula for a marbled effect.
- Bake Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Cool Cake: Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Make Buttercream Frosting: Using a clean stand mixer paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sifted confectioners sugar on low speed.
- Add Milk and Flavorings: Slowly pour in the milk, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract while continuing to beat the frosting until it is smooth, fluffy, and fully combined.
- Frost Cake: Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the buttercream over the cooled cake. Smooth the top and edges with an offset spatula for a polished finish.
- Garnish: Sprinkle the remaining one-third of crushed candy cane evenly over the frosted cake for decoration and added texture.
Notes
- If you observe small clumps of butter while mixing the wet ingredients, do not worry; it will smooth out once you add the dry ingredients. Alternatively, you can use melted butter and warm the milk and sour cream slightly to aid mixing.
- You may substitute whole milk yogurt for sour cream with no notable difference in texture or flavor.
- If classic American buttercream is too sweet for your taste, try making Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream for a lighter sweetness and fluffier texture.
- To achieve perfectly clean edges on the cake slices, use a sharp serrated knife to trim about ¼ inch from each side before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
