I was going to share this cake with you 340 days ago. I’m nothing, if not a procrastinator.
But really.
I think it was in the 11th hour last year that I decided to make it for Christmas dinner. But posting it here after the holiday seemed so silly. I mean, by then, everyone is already thinking about Super Bowl food. And I’ll be damned if this was going to get lost in the internet abyss!
In hindsight, of course, I realize this would also be great for Valentine’s Day. *facepalm* But whatever. Better late, than never. You just have to be able to find the peppermint chocolate, which seems to only be available in December. What’s up with that?
It was so excellent that I’m making it again this year. I might just make it every year from now on. Why even mess with perfection, right? It is truly the best holiday dessert, lookin’ fancy and all, but easy!
Chocolate Peppermint Roll Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 1 3/4 cups Devil’s Food Cake Mix (I used Betty Crocker)
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
FROSTING
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
- 5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 7 Ghirardelli Chocolate Peppermint Bark squares , chopped (about 1/2 cup)
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 2/3 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate morsels
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons skim milk
- 2 Ghirardelli Chocolate Peppermint Bark squares , chopped, for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a jelly roll pan (15x10x1-inch) with nonstick cooking spray and then parchment paper that slightly hangs over the edges.
- In a large bowl whisk together the cake mix, eggs, water, and oil, until fully incorporated and smooth. Poor into pan, making sure it’s evenly distributed. Bake for about 11 minutes, until cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Lay a clean kitchen towel on a flat surface. Sprinkle with the powdered sugar. Gently turn the cake out onto the towel and very carefully remove the parchment paper. While still hot, roll the cake up in the towel, starting at the short end. Cool completely on a wire rack, while rolled up, about an hour.
- In the meantime, make the frosting. Place the butter, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and peppermint bark in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Once cake has cooled, unroll the cake carefully. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake. Re-roll the cake.
- Make the chocolate ganache: place the chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a medium-sized microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute until melted. Whisk until combined; whisk in the powdered sugar until combined. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until pouring consistency is reached.
- Trim the ends of the cake for a clean look. Transfer to a serving plate, or a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath (for a cleaner finish), and pour ganache evenly over the top. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate peppermint bark. Slice and serve!
Nutrition
Other Notes
Has anyone tried making it ahead and freezing?
Did anyone add peppermint extract too? Just wondering if the candy itself gives it enough peppermint taste?
Made this for Christmas dinner. Gorgeous and absolutely heaven sent. The family made me promise I would make it again next year!
I made this for Christmas eve dessert and if I was hosting Christmas day dinner, I would make it again! I forwarded the recipe onto my aunt as a HINT. Lol. Fantastic cake!
made this for christmas eve dinner – what a show stopper! beautiful and delicious. everyone loved it. will be making it again next year, thank you!
I host 20 (!) for Christmas Eve dinner, so I decided to make TWO of these! I had to control myself to not eat the filling before actually filling the cakes. LOL. They came out beautifully. Can’t wait to slice into them. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
I made this today for my Christmas gathering tomorrow. I can’t wait to try it!
I have to say that rolling the cake without breaking it is harder than it seems. Also, I wasn’t sure if you wrap the towel IN the cake, or leave the towel out (similar to a sushi roll). I ended up wrapping the towel IN the cake. Even though I put a large amount of powdered sugar on both sides of the towel and I let it set for an hour on a wire rack, the cake was so moist that it almost became one with the towel. It kept falling apart when I unrolled it, put icing in, and rerolled it.
I did manage to get it on a dish and covered with ganache. It looks nice, but not nearly as nice as I had hoped.
Suggestions for the next time I make it regarding the sticky towel situation?
I guess I should add that I am at 5700′ above sea level in the Denver metro. Not sure if that played a roll or not.
Hi Jamie. Hm. I’ve made this a few times now (and will be making it again tomorrow!) and have never had any issues. Did you make sure to coat the baking pan and parchment with cooking spray? That is critical to help prevent the cake from sticking. You also need to unroll slowly and very carefully, gently pulling the parchment away from the cake. And yes, the the towel gets rolled IN the cake, so that was correct. Rolling while warm and inside the towel helps “re-train” the cake threads, so when you unroll and reroll, there is no breakage.
Jamie, the first time I ever made a traditional Bûche de Noël cake, it was a disaster. That was over 20 years ago. I’ve since made so many I’ve lost count. It gets much much easier the more you do them (as with anything, I suppose.) What carefully remove the cake from the pan, then lay the towel (with the powdered sugar) on top, and then carefully flip it over. That helps prevent it from breaking apart. While this one isn’t a traditional “log”, it sure is beautiful. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
I line the pan with parchment paper, pour cake batter on top, roll cake in parchment paper when it comes out of the oven and let cool in the paper on a baking rack.
I can smell the peppermint and can’t wait to taste.
This cake is just gorgeous Amy! Pinned, sharing on FB tomorrow and why oh why didn’t you bring me a slice???
Lovely recipe… looks so unique too!
Thanks, Jenn!
And now I know what I will be making for Christmas at the in-laws! They are peppermint chocolate FANATICS.
As a kid, Swiss Cake Rolls were probably one of my favorite things of all time. THIS will be the death of me. I can’t wait to make it. Currently drooling.
Isn’t that peppermint chocolate tricky? It makes zero sense to me how it’s only really available around Christmas cause I could eat it year round. I can’t wait to try it in this recipe!!
This is so pretty! I love peppermint and chocolate together!
It’s so annoying how I always end up with the BEST idea for a holiday recipe the night before. So much for posting it for the entire internet to see! So I absolutely love how you saved this one for an entire year. It was totally worth the wait! :) Pinned!
I love that you saved this to post for a whole year! It’s gorgeous and looks so, so delicious! :)
Prettiest (and BEST) cake roll EVER!
Absolutely gorgeous!
This looks perfect and I wouldn’t mind eating this pre- and post-Christmas!
Haha! I have a couple of those posts on hand, too. I need to get them up this year! I’m so glad you shared this even if we had to wait 340 days. It looks so good!
I’d eat this ANY time of year-even during the Super Bowl! It’s gorgeous!!!