peppermint

Let the countdown begin! We are ONE WEEK away from Christmas people! To celebrate I have a beautiful bundt for #BundtBakers today. #BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. This month’s theme is mint and our happy host is Laura of The Spiced Life.

Because it is only festive, I chose peppermint. The flavor of the popular holiday treat – the candy cane! And to dress it up, I used my fabulous star bundt pan. Who says stars are only fitting for Independence Day?!

This bundt is coming with me tonight to an ornament exchange party. Which means I didn’t bake this beauty until yesterday. That is the latest I’ve ever baked my bundt! As you know, the month I hosted (October’s caramel theme) I was cutting it close thanks to a tactical error in reading calendars. At least this time my “procrastination” had a purpose.

And of course, I can’t bring something to a party without first tasting it myself. So I can tell you that this cake tastes exactly like a candy cane. And because I just had to photograph the inside of this cake, I can confidently take it to the party knowing that it even looks like a candy cane!

Candy Cane Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C vegetable oil
1 3/4 C sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C buttermilk
red food coloring
3/4 C white chocolate chips
3 tbsp heavy cream
3/4 C powdered sugar
2 candy canes, crushed (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a bundt pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the oil and sugar. Mix in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Mix in both extracts.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Mix in 1/2 of the buttermilk. Repeat with another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the last of the buttermilk, and ending with the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
Put 2 C of the batter into a separate bowl and color with food coloring.
Pour 1/2 of the white batter into the bundt pan, top with the red batter, and finish with the rest of the white batter.
Bake 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out cleanly. Allow cake to cool in bundt pan before removing to a cooling rack.
Make the glaze: In a double boiler, melt white chocolate with heavy cream. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar. Glaze cake. Top cake with crushed candy canes, if desired.

*This recipe is adapted from Anna at http://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/2013/12/21/peppermint-candy-cane-bundt-cake-recipe/*

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. All recipes and photographs can be found on our individual blogs, on our Pinterest board, and the #bundtbakers homepage.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

Mint Chocolate Truffle Bundt from Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Creme de menthe butter bundt from Jane at Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Double Mint Mountain Bundt Cake from Laura at Baking in Pyjamas

Bundt cake with chocolate glaze and mint frosting from Aisha at La cocina de Aisha

Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake from Rebekah at Making Miracles

Peppermint Cappuccino Cake from Renee at Magnolia Days

Mini Minty Bundt Cakes from Linda at Brunch with Joy

Fudgy Peppermint Bundt from Wendy at A Day in the LIfe on the Farm

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake from Andrea at Adventures In All Things Food

Chocolate bundt cake with peppermint dark chocolate ganache from Tux at Brooklyn Homemaker

Candy Cane Chocolate Bundt Cake from Cassie at Cassie’s Kitchen