This ridiculously MOIST and fudge chocolate peppermint cake is drenched in a quick peppermint mocha sauce layered with chocolate peppermint ganache and peppermint buttercream for every bit of holiday spirit! And you’ll never believe me when I tell you that it’s ALL vegan- no eggs, no dairy, and you’d never know!

sliced peppermint cake

MOIST One Bowl Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Give me peppermint mocha anything, and I’m so happy come December 1. Which is why this seriously fudgy, ridiculously easy chocolate peppermint cake is high on my list to make for the holidays.

Aside from my sugar cookie dough cheesecake and vegan Yule log cake of course.

Basically, we’re taking my award-winning vegan chocolate cake that wins over the biggest of vegan skeptics, and transforming it into a show-stopping Christmas cake.

Plus it’s drenched in a homemade mocha fudge sauce and layered with chocolate ganache. Can you say decadent?!

sliced vegan peppermint cake on a plate

We’re also frosting the vegan chocolate peppermint cake entirely in a dairy free vanilla peppermint frosting that could easily be enjoyed on its own.

Decorated in Christmas style, you’re just going to love this easy vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cake!

Simple Ingredients

You’re going to love how simple these ingredients are. Here’s what you need to make this amazing Christmas cake:

  • Flour
  • Cocoa powder: I recommend using Valhrona cocoa powder- it’s truly amazing! Any Dutch-process cocoa powder works great though. Please try not to use cacao powder though, as cocoa powder has more acidity and will help your cakes to rise better. Since this is a vegan chocolate peppermint cake, we need all of the rise we can get, as there are no eggs in it. Using cacao powder might hinder your cakes from rising properly.
  • Unsweetened dairy free yogurt: This acts as the “egg” and adds a bit of natural sweetness, helping reduce the sugar.
  • Organic sugar: I recommend using organic granulated sugar, such as Wholesome Sweets or Florida Crystals, as these two brands are vegan. Not all sugar is vegan unfortunately, but buying organic means they’ll use beet powder to whiten the sugar. You can also use coconut sugar, which would then make this cake refined sugar free as well!
  • Peppermint extract: Make sure you’re using a food grade peppermint extract, and not peppermint oil.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Dairy free milk: You can use soy milk, oat milk, cashew milk, almond, or coconut milk! We’ll mix this with a touch of apple cider vinegar to create a vegan buttermilk.
  • Vegan sweetened condensed milk: This is for the mocha fudge sauce- it’s the perfect amount of sweetness! I love Nature’s Charm or Edward & Sons.
  • Vegan ganache
sliced vegna choclate peppermint cake

Not outlandish ingredients, right? The only note I want to make is that if you’re nut free, definitely go with coconut or oat milk, or even soy milk.

Overview: Tips for making the best chocolate peppermint cake:

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

  • Weigh your ingredients: This is going to give you the best bake. Of course, I provide US measurements because I can’t force anyone to get a kitchen scale. But it really is the most accurate way to bake.
  • If you want more peppermint: You can definitely add more! I felt 1/4-1/2 tsp in each the components was enough- but these parts you can taste “unbaked” of course, so if you need more, add it!
  • Give your cake time to cool before assembling: Otherwise the cake will slide onto the floor!
  • Perfectly spreadable ganache takes patience: You don’t want it running, and you don’t want it solid. I do intervals of 30-45 minutes in the fridge, whisking between each until it just starts to set. Then I leave it out on the counter at room temperature until it’s the consistency of Biscoff cookie butter.
  • For decorating: See the video I just shared!
cakes before assembling
assembling the cake

How to Make Vegan Vanilla Peppermint Buttercream

Making a vegan vanilla frosting has become my go-to for all of my cake recipes ever since my vegan vanilla cake. It quite literally is the best vanilla cake ever, and the frosting is a huge part of that!

If you want to make your vegan chocolate peppermint cake with chocolate frosting, you absolutely can! My recipe for an easy vegan chocolate buttercream is one of my favorites as well. You can add in a teaspoon of peppermint extract to the frosting too. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and you’re good to go!

Personally, I felt that the chocolate on chocolate might be overwhelming because this cake is sooooo fudgy and rich. But my husband, Jared, loves anything chocolate, and he prefers the double chocolate that way!

So back to the vegan vanilla frosting. You’ll need:

  • Vegan Butter
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Peppermint extract

Then you can decorate your chocolate peppermint cake any way that you’d like! I do recommend that you apply a crumb coat to this cake for the first layer of frosting, as the cake can be delicate.

decorated peppermint cake

Best vegan food colorings:

I recommend Ann Clark. It isn’t made from plants, but it is vegan, and really does well at holding its colors when baked.

But since the color here isn’t being baked, you can use plant-based vegan food colorings, such as by Go Supernatural or even the Whole Foods 365 brand.

bitten slice of vegan chocolate peppermint cake

You’re just going to absolutely love this amazing vegan chocolate peppermint cake. It’s so rich and fudgy, and perfectly balanced with the peppermint. This chocolate peppermint cake is perfect as a showstoping Christmas cake or holiday party cake!

As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there 🙂

Happy baking, frosting, and chocolate cake eating!

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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sliced vegan chocolate peppermint cake

MOIST One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cake With Mocha Fudge Frosting

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 35
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 16
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This ridiculously MOIST and fudge chocolate peppermint cake is drenched in a quick peppermint mocha sauce layered with chocolate peppermint ganache and peppermint buttercream for every bit of holiday spirit! And you’ll never believe me when I tell you that it’s ALL vegan- no eggs, no dairy, and you’d never know!

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Cake:

Mocha Fudge Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup (112 g) vegan sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) dairy free milk
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp espresso powder
  • 1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Frosting:

  • 1 batch vegan ganache
  • 1 batch vegan buttercream frosting
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract, divided
  • 1–2 drops vegan red food coloring

Instructions

  1. Prep: Please read through all instructions before beginning. 
  2. Make the chocolate cake: First make the chocolate cake according to instructions. You can use three 8″ cake pans or three 6″ cake pans.
  3. While the cakes are baking: Make the chocolate ganache. Add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract to the ganache, and whisk. Set aside to cool in the fridge for the middle frosting. The ganache should be moveable but not liquid. You can take it out in intervals of 30-45 minutes to stir until it just starts to thicken. Then let it set at room temperature until your cakes are fully cooled.
  4. While the cakes are cooling, make the mocha sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together all mocha fudge sauce ingredients.
  5. Brush the cakes: It doesn’t matter if the cakes still have time to cool or not- you can brush the mocha sauce onto the top of each cake. You’ll still have some leftover, which you’ll use again during the cake assembly process.
  6. Cool the cakes entirely: Make sure that all cakes are FULLY cool and there is NO warmth to the touch. 
  7. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer onto a cake plate or cake turntable with plate or board, and brush more mocha sauce on top. Scoop about 1/2 of the ganache and smear on top of the cake layer. Then place a second cake layer on top, and repeat. Place the third cake layer on top, and place the cake into the fridge while you make the buttercream.
  8. Make the buttercream frosting: While the cake is setting in the fridge, make the buttercream frosting according to instructions, but adding in 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract. Remove about 1/2 cup of frosting to be used for piping the candy canes on top of the cake. For the remaining frosting, you can tint it light pink with 1-2 drops of red food coloring.
  9. Frost the cake and decorate: Remove the cake from the fridge, and frost the cake. You can do a crumb coat and then a final coat of frosting. To make the candy canes, color 1/4 cup of the frosting with red food coloring, and smear both the red and white frostings in a piping bag. Snip the very tip of the bag, and pipe the candy canes on top.
  10. Slice and serve! Serve your peppermint mocha fudge cake immediately and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Notes

Cocoa Powder: I recommend using Valhrona cocoa powder for a super rich and smooth chocolate cake, or Dutch-process cocoa powder. Please do not use cacao powder, as it doesn’t have enough acidity in it to create a good rise in the cake.