This festive holiday inspired Texas sheet cake is a cross between a brownie and a cake. Made in a large sheet pan, it can serve a large crowd and is easy to make. Remember to start making the frosting while the cake is still baking. You want to be able to pour the frosting onto the still warm cake, so it melts, making it extra fudgy. To crust the peppermint candy canes, place them in a freezer ziplock bag and tap them with a rolling pin until they are the size of small pebbles.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 13 minutesminutes
Cook Time 17 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 24
Calories 360kcal
Author Irvin
Ingredients
Cake Batter
2cupsall-purpose flour280 g
1 1/2cupswhite granulated sugar300 g
1/4cuppacked dark brown sugar55 g
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
2large eggs
2large egg yolks
1/4cupsour cream
1 1/2teaspoonpeppermint extract
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
8ozdark chocolate chopped into 1/4 inch chunks, 225 g
3/4cupvegetable oil
3/4cupfreshly brewed hot coffee
1/2cupDutch processed cocoa65 g
4tablespoonsbutter, unsalted57 g
Icing
1/2cupbutter, unsalted115 g or 1 stick
1/2cupheavy cream
1/2cupDutch process cocoa
1/4teaspoonkosher salt
1tablespoonlight corn syrup
3cupsconfectioners’ (powdered) sugar, sifted340 g
1teaspoonpeppermint extract
Topping
1/2 to 3/4cupcrushed peppermint candy canessee headnote above
Instructions
Make the cake by preheating the oven to 350˚F. Coat a 17 x 12 inch or 18 x 13 inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the flour, sugars, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Using a balloon whisk, vigorously stir the dry ingredients together until they are blended together. Place eggs, egg yolks, sour cream, peppermint and vanilla extract in a small bowl and beat together with a fork until smooth and well blended.
Place the chopped chocolate, oil, coffee, cocoa powder, butter, spices and salt together in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Pour the chocolate into the dry ingredients bowl and mix with a large heatproof spatula to incorporate. Add the sour cream & egg mixture and mix to incorporate.
Pour the batter into the prepared rimmed baking sheet and spread the batter to the edges of the pan, smoothing it out. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle of the pan comes out clean. Don’t overbake.
About 10 minutes into the baking, make the icing. Place the butter, cream, cocoa, sea salt and corn syrup in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Turn the heat off, and stir in the sifted confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract. Once the cake has come out of the oven, while it is still hot, pour the icing over the cake and spread it evenly with a small offset spatula (or butter knife) to the edges of the cake, evenly icing the cake.
Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy canes over the still warm icing, and gently press down on them to set them in the icing. Let the cake cool to room temperature (about an hour) on a wire rack then move the cake, uncovered, to the refrigerator to cool further for an hour more to let the icing set. Once the icing has set, you can cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for up to three or four days, but it’s best served in the first couple of days.