– 8 oz package cream cheese, softened (226g) – 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter – 2 cups sugar (400g) – 6 egg whites room temperature – 3 cups cake flour – 2 teaspoons baking powder (8g) – ½ teaspoon baking soda (3g) – ½ teaspoon salt (3g) – 1¼ cup buttermilk – ⅓ cup vegetable oil – 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons Peppermint Extract (8g) – Red Coloring Gel to tint – 4 oz dark or semi sweet chocolate – 2 oz heavy cream or whipping cream – Crushed Candy Canes Optional
Start with a 325-degree oven. Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan. A 15-cup pan with 12 cups of baking capacity was used. See notes.Separate your eggs and save 6 egg whites for this recipe.
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Place them in a basin aside. If using carton egg whites, pour the right amount into a measuring cup and put aside.Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds in a medium bowl and set aside.
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Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and peppermint essence to another bowl. Set aside.Add butter and cream cheese to the mixer bowl and mix on medium speed until smooth.
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Add sugar gradually and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Add 6 egg whites one at a time (approx) to a low-speed mixer and mix for 3-5 seconds.
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Add flour and buttermilk alternately on low speed, starting and ending with flour.Do not overmix the batter—just combine.Place 1 ½ cups of batter in a small bowl. Make batter redder.
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Fill bundt pan with batter. I alternated white and red batter. I had three white and two red batter "layers". Layer freely—this is forgiving.Tap the pan on the counter to level the batter, then knife-swirl the colours.
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When lightly squeezed, cake top should spring back. Bake times vary. On a wire rack in the pan, let cool 10 minutes before turning out.This recipe yields 7 ½ cups of batter.
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Mix 4 oz. semi-sweet or dark chocolate and 2 oz. heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat gradually in the microwave. Start with 30 seconds and add 10 seconds until the chocolate is almost melted. Stir until smooth.
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Chocolate thickens when cooled. Spoon, spread, or drizzle the glaze over the cake and sprinkle with crushed candy canes when it cools.
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