Chocolate Peppermint Cake

This moist, dense cake embodies the holidays with its dash of minty flavor...

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (8 oz for cake and 4 oz for icing)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• Whipped cream
• Crushed peppermint candies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.

2. Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.

3. Bring some water to a boil in a small saucepan. Place butter and 8 oz chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the boiling water. Turn off the heat and let stand until melted. Stir to combine, remove from heat and cool slightly (about 5 minutes).

4. Whisk sugar and vanilla into cooled chocolate mixture. Whisk in eggs and buttermilk. finally, whisk in flour mixture.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour (until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and toothpick in center has moist crumbs).

6. Invert cake onto wire rack and allow to cool completely (about 1 hour).

7. Place 4 oz chopped chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil over high heat. Stir in the peppermint extract. Pour cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand five minutes, then stir until smooth. Allow to cool a bit (about 10 minutes).

8. Set cake on a serving platter or cake stand. Pour icing onto center of cake and spread evenly over top and sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour so icing can set.

9. Serve with whipped cream and crushed peppermint candies.

Serves 10