Description
This Dark Chocolate Cake Roll with Peppermint Filling is a festive and indulgent dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. It features a light, frothy chocolate sponge cake rolled with a creamy peppermint filling made from white chocolate, cream cheese, and candy cane bits, then topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache and crushed candy cane sprinkles. The cake is chilled overnight to set the filling and enhance the flavors, resulting in a show-stopping, flavorful treat that delights the senses.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Sponge Cake
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup special dark cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- dash of salt
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for sprinkling on the towel)
- ½ cup crushed candy cane bits (store-bought or crushed candy canes)
Peppermint Filling
- 4 ounces softened butter
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup Hershey’s candy cane kisses, finely crushed
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Dark Chocolate Ganache
- 1 ¼ cups dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare the Chocolate Sponge Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray the edges to ensure easy release. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, sifting multiple times to remove lumps.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and granulated sugar on high speed for 3-5 minutes until frothy and light in color. Gently fold in the vanilla extract, milk, and peppermint extract.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Carefully fold the sifted dry ingredients into the egg mixture, preserving as much air as possible to keep the batter light and airy.
- Bake the Sponge Cake: Spread the batter evenly across the prepared jelly roll pan. Bake in the oven’s middle rack for 12 minutes, or 10-11 minutes if your oven runs hot, until the cake springs back lightly when touched.
- Prepare for Rolling: While baking, generously sprinkle powdered sugar on a clean kitchen tea towel. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven, run a knife around the edges to loosen, and invert it onto the sugared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper.
- Roll the Cake: Starting from the short end, roll the cake along with the tea towel. This rolling while warm trains the cake to roll easily without cracking. Allow the rolled cake to cool at room temperature for about 2 hours.
- Prepare the Peppermint Filling: Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler, stirring every 30 seconds until about 80% melted, then stir until fully smooth. In a medium bowl, beat softened butter, cream cheese, and heavy cream on high speed for about 1 minute. Mix in the melted white chocolate, then fold in the finely crushed candy cane kisses. Gradually add powdered sugar (about 1 cup at a time), blending thoroughly after each addition until fully combined.
- Fill and Chill the Cake: Once the cake is completely cooled, carefully unroll it and spread the peppermint filling evenly over the surface with an offset spatula. Reroll tightly without breaking. Wrap the rolled cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to set the filling and firm the cake.
- Prepare Dark Chocolate Ganache: Heat heavy cream in the microwave for about 20 seconds, then pour over dark chocolate chips in a bowl. Let sit for 1 minute, then gently stir until smooth. If needed, warm for additional 10 seconds to maintain melted consistency.
- Finish the Cake: Remove the chilled cake from the fridge and unwrap it. Pour the ganache evenly over the cake surface and sprinkle with crushed candy cane bits for decoration. Slice and serve chilled for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- This recipe uses a sponge cake, which emphasizes a high egg-to-flour ratio to create a light texture.
- Fold dry ingredients carefully into the beaten eggs to maintain airiness and prevent the batter from deflating.
- Rolling the cake while it is still warm helps it ‘remember’ the shape to avoid cracks when filled.
- Chilling the cake overnight helps the filling set firmly and makes the cake easier to slice and handle.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10 of cake roll)
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
