Want to make the Best Candy Cane Cake Ever?  You will want to make this Candy Cane Peppermint Bundt Cake.  French Vanilla Cake is baked with a peppermint swirled layer inside and frosted with buttercream frosting then sprinkled with crushed candy canes. Simple and easy to make especially the decorating with a handful of candy canes that decorate the center of the cake. This recipe will be your go-to-Dessert for Christmas or anytime you want a refreshing cake.  Note: You can skip the peppermint candy canes and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. 

How to Make Candy Cane Peppermint Bundt Cake 

For this easy and quick recipe I used French Vanilla Cake Mix or you can use white cake mix.  Also add a package of vanilla instant pudding mix , egg whites, vegetable oil, peppermint extract, little bit of red food gel and crushed peppermints.   Gather your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Note:  Grease and flour fluted bundt pan. I used this bundt pan.  Set aside.

Making the Cake

In large mixing bowl, add cake mix, pudding mix, egg whites, water and oil. Beat on low speed.  Use a rubber spatula to scrape down sides and bottom of mixing bowl. This is important due to beaters not reaching the bottom of the mixing bowl.

Once the batter is mixed, separate into a once cup measure and place in a separate bowl.  Add to this mixture add food coloring get and peppermint extract.  Stir to combine.  Set aside.  (If you want to add crushed peppermint candies into this batter you can, but make sure they are crushed pieces).

Pour 1/3 of white cake batter into bundt pan, smooth top with back of spoon, make a tunnel on the top of batter. Add red peppermint batter to the center of  tunnel, be careful not to touch sides of pan or get on any white batter. Add remaining white batter on top of the red tunnel, gently smooth batter over the top.

Bake cake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until center is done. Remove from oven and invert onto cooling rack.  Once cake is cooled, frost with buttercream frosting or glaze, sprinkle with peppermint candies.

Note:  The photo below is another cake you can make with this same recipe.  The cake is baked in two 4″ round cake pans,  with red batter swirled inside the cake pan. Baked and frosted with buttercream. Garnish with chocolate peppermint candy stir sticks around the perimeter of the cake,  pile the top of cake with buttercream and crushed peppermint candies.

White Buttercream Frosting

Frosting:  In medium mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioner’s sugar together, add extracts and cream. Continue whipping frosting until smooth and creamy.  If frosting is too stiff add increments of cream., Or to make it really easy, purchase a can of vanilla frosting place in microwave for 5 seconds, stir until smooth and somewhat runny.  Pour glaze over top of cake, sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.  Insert large candy canes into the center of the bundt cake for fun presentation.  Wrap or up wrap candies is up to you.

Note: I place the candy canes in a deep cup that fit inside the bundt center to hold candies.

Candy Cane Peppermint Bundt Cake

Print Recipe

Cake is baked in a bundt pan with a ribbon of peppermint batter layered inside the cake and decorated with full size candy canes standing in the center of the baked and frosted cake.

• Author: Liz Bushong
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 60 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1–18.25 ounce package French Vanilla White cake mix
• 1–3 ounce package vanilla instant pudding & pie mix
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 –1/3 cup water
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies-garnish
• 24 large peppermint sticks-garnish

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

4 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 cup butter, softened- tested Land a Lakes

1 teaspoon clear vanilla or creme bouquet extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-2 tablespoons half n half or cream

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour fluted pan, set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, add cake mix, pudding mix, egg whites, water and oil. Beat on low speed.
3. Separate batter into a one cup measure and place in a separate bowl. To this mixture add the food coloring and extract. Stir to combine, set aside.
4. Pour 1/3 white cake batter into prepared pan, smooth top with back of spoon, making a tunnel
5. Add red batter onto tunnel, be careful not to touch sides of pan with red batter.
6. Add remaining white batter on top of red/pink batter. Gently smooth batter top.
7. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until center is done.
8. Remove from oven and invert onto cooling rack.
9. Frost with buttercream frosting when cake is cooled, then sprinkle with peppermint candies.

Frosting:  In medium mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioner’s sugar together, add extracts and cream. Continue whipping frosting until smooth and creamy.  If frosting is too stiff add increments of cream.

 

Notes

Check out Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane Cake recipe for a different way to serve.

•  The candy canes are standing in a small white cup that fits in the center of the bundt cake.
• The candy canes are not unwrapped so guests can take home.

Recipe Card powered by

Other Holiday Desserts you might like to try!