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Pink Marshmallow Fantasy Period….

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This Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake is a fun cake to bring out the kid in all of us at holiday time.

Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake

Picasso had his Blue and Rose Periods, and I, I had my Pink Marshmallow Fantasy Period.

A period in my life (I was 7) when I was quite sure that the North Pole was not blanketed in snowy white but in pink marshmallow snow.

Santa lived in a gingerbread house speckled with colorful gumdrops.

And the trees were actually candy canes.

I think it was a side effect of playing Candy Land one too many times.

That and watching Elf.

Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake

I’m not sure what got me thinking about that the other day, but I did.

And that inspired me to make a cake based on my Pink Marshmallow Fantasy Period. 

The inside cake design was based on my bullseye cheesecakes, where you pour batter into the center of batter, and then in the center of that batter.

I had found some Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Pieces that were on sale during Thanksgiving.

Snatched those up knowing I could use them in something.

This Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake was my something.

Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake

If you can’t find them, I would substitute 1 cup white chocolate(chopped) and 1/3 cup crushed candy cane pieces. 

I decided to blanket it in pink marshmallow snow using the frosting that I used for my Marshmallow Snowflake Cupcakes.

Note that I had to double the batch this time as it was not enough frosting…I like me some frosting. 😛

The mini candy canes on the side represent the candy cane tree forest that I imagined Santa walking the reindeer through and the crushed candy cane on top is just for effect. 🙂

When I saw it completed I knew that was what I was going to bring to my Housewarming Party.

Fun, Whimsical, Sugar-Filled and something special from my childhood.

P.S. It’s a great day to buy my cookbook Holy Sweet!

Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake

Want More Holiday Cake Ideas?

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Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake
Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake

Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake

Ingredients

  • For the White Cake Batter:
  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 large egg whites (3/4 cup)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
  • pink food coloring
  • For the Chocolate Cake:
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • For the Marshmallow Frosting:
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 ½  cups sugar
  • ½  cup light corn syrup
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
  • 6 drops pink food coloring
  • Mini Candy Canes(for decoration)
  • Crushed Candy Canes(for decoration)

Instructions

  1. For the White Cake:
  2. Set rack at the middle level in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
  3. Butter the bottom of two 9-inch round. Line bottom with parchment or waxed paper.
  4. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  5. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  6. Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract.
  7. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture then add half the milk mixture.
  8. Continue to alternate beginning and ending with flour mixture.
  9. Scrape the bowl and beater often.
  10. Fold in Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips.
  11. Take 2/3 of the batter out and place into a separate bowl and set aside. Add 3 drops of pink food coloring to the remaining 1/3.
  12. Blend until the batter is pink in color. Set aside.
  13. For the Chocolate Cake:
  14. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  15. Mix together with a wooden spoon then set aside. In small bowl combine eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.
  16. Beat well with hand mixer(or place in a stand mixer). Slowly add boiling water and mix. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and fold and stir until smooth.
  17. To make the the cake:
  18. Set out both prepared cake pans.
  19. In the first pan scoop 2 cups of chocolate batter into the pan, spread out with spatula.
  20. Next scoop 1 ½ cups white batter with peppermint chips into the center of the chocolate batter.
  21. Spread out to form a circle.
  22. Lastly scoop 1 cup of the remaining pink into the center of the pink batter.
  23. For the second pan.
  24. Scoop 2 cups white batter with peppermint chips into pan, spread out with a spatula.
  25. Scoop 1 ½ cups of the chocolate batter into the center of the white batter, spread out with spatula to form a circle.
  26. Scoop 1 cup of the remaining pink batter into the center of the chocolate batter.You will most likely have leftover batter...if so make cupcakes.
  27. Bake for 30-35 minutes, OR until the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes.
  28. Flip cake over onto a rack and remove parchment or waxed paper. Let cake cool completely before frosting.
  29. For the Marshmallow Frosting:
  30. Using a large bowl, preferably the top of a double boiler, mix egg whites, sugar, corn syrup and salt until combined.
  31. Place the bowl over simmering water and whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot, about 3 minutes(be careful to not make it too hot since you are using eggs and don't want them to scramble).
  32. Remove heat and beat 5-7 minutes until frosting is cool and stiff peaks form.
  33. Beat in vanilla and peppermint extract.
  34. Add food coloring and beat until all the color is incorporated.
  35. To Assemble the Cake:
  36. Place one cake layer on cake plate.
  37. Take one cup of frosting and spread it out evenly onto the layer.
  38. Place the second layer on top of the frosted layer.
  39. Use remainder of frosting to frost top and sides of cake.
  40. Decorate top of cake with crushed candy canes.
  41. Decorate side of cake with mini candy canes.
© Peabody
Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake

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Comments

  3. This looks so tasty and I am sure it was! I have been looking high and low for candy canes this year without any luck! I am hoping to get some soon so I can make incredibly tasty things such as this! Yum!

    Reply

  4. I am so making that (possibly in cupcake form) for our big gathering on the 26. hoping the frosting works out. im yet to have luck with frosting that has to be cooked. im jixed in that department for some reason.

    Its gorgeous!!!

    Reply

  7. What is there to say about this cake other than WOW! It looks absolutely incredible, and despite how difficult it would be to veganize the recipe, I think it just might be worth it…!

    Reply

  10. Hahaha, you and Picasso, like to Pea(body)s in a pod! This looks deeelish! (p.s. I’m so sorry I missed the deadline for your housewarming party — if you want to take my lastest post as a late submission, cool, if not, I understand!)

    Reply

  13. Oooohh my wooooooord!!!! I want that cake and I want it NOW!!!! But wait……….I’ll have to make it myself and then I can stash it somewhere outta sight where no one will see it – cos then I can have it all to myself……..muwahahahaha!!! 🙂 Actually it would make a superb baby shower cake for my daughter. She is expecting end Feb early March and I am organising a baby shower in the New Year. So thanks for the inspiration Pea. Stunning cake and pix!!

    Reply

  14. Oh my – that has to be the most stunning cake I’ve ever seen in my life? I don’t suppose I can invite myself belatedly to your housewarming (I’ll shuffle in the back with a bottle of wine) just to try a bit, can I?

    Reply

  21. Glad I checked back in today — that caught my eye during the potluck. Let’s see now…. do I need an excuse to bake it? Nope. Don’t think so. Better get my shopping list in order. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  23. i’ve been a silent fan of your blog for a while now, but decided to finally step into the light hehe.

    that cake is really a beautiful thing to behold! still quite the novice, my baking usually looks a bit rustic. your presentation, on the other hand, is so lovely that it’s broken my longstanding indifference toward marshmallows (s’mores notwithstanding).

    Reply

  25. I’ve been waiting for this recipe ever since I saw the picture!! I told my husband I had to make that cake!!!!! It’s perfect 🙂 I can’t wait……and I love those Andes peppermint chips. I buy bags of them each year….

    Reply

  29. That’s so pretty! I loved playing Candyland when I was little…that and Chutes and Ladders. I’ve never made marshmallow icing, and now I’m looking for a reason; it’s so glossy.
    Julie

    Reply

  35. Since a few months, I come here very often. Your blog is so wonderfull. Everythings are perfect for me: the presentation, the recepts and the pictures, the style…everything
    Today, with this marvellous pink cake, I finally decide to give you a comment. You told about Picasso, but I would say that YOU are an ARTIST too !!
    I don’t “speak” well english, because I’m a swiss french speaking “bloggeuse”. 😉
    So, continue like that, just for my eyes.
    I wish you a good day
    verO

    Reply

  36. Oh that is one super pretty cake. I may make it sometime this month! After I go buy more candy canes because mine are all currently glued to the gingerbread house as supports.
    I love pink and chocolate AND Candy Canes. This cake is perfect!

    Reply

  38. you never cease to amaze me with your source of inspirations for your latest decadent treat. Your “Pink Marshmallow Fantasy Period” (haha, love it!) certainly inspired you to bake a gorgeous cake, THAT’S for sure!! stunning!!

    Reply

  42. Wooohoo! I will most definitely give this a try once I get the use of my left arm back. That looks so friggin’ amazing and as I said before, I’m a total peppermint whore. That cake will go perfectly with some… peppermint ice cream 🙂 Thanks for the recipe. Sweeeeet.

    Reply

  44. Wonderful !!!
    Conpliments for the DMBLG … so, will you be happy to pass on the other side as a judge for January?? 🙂

    If so, send me an email at
    contact (at) thefoodtraveller (dot) com

    Ciaoo

    Reply

  45. What a cake!! I was obsessed with candy things when I was younger – whenever we would have to make up stories in school, mine were always about towns made of candy. I never really connected it with playing Candy Land, but I think you are onto something….

    If this is what the North Pole looks like, I will surely be visiting!!

    Reply

  49. Oh. My. God. I was having coffee yesterday with a friend and we were talking about how your pictures drive us into a frenzy of food lust. But, this cake is just…..mindboggling. How do you do it?

    Reply

  51. Okay – these are one of those cakes that would never get to the table because I would keep taking my finger to the icing! Then…I would take a fork to the plate…I can’t…can’t … speechless!

    Reply

  55. Yum! Just wanted to let you know that we made this for dessert for Christmas dinner and it was amazing! So pretty and so yummy! The pictures are up on my blog if you want to see (though they are not as good as yours!) Thanks for the recipe. 🙂

    Reply

  56. I can’t wait to make this cake for my daughter! She is going to adore it. I’m new to checking out food blogs and i must say, i love yours! Keep up the great work – you are appreciated!

    Reply

  57. Hi there!

    I have made this recipe several times already and I must say it’s THE BEST chocolate cake recipe EVER… The vanilla cake is fab, too… esp, when mixed with the colour… The marshmallow frosting came out a little grainy for me, maybe I didn’t heat it long enough or maybe the sugar I used was too granulated… Next time, I will try fine sugar and cooking a little longer.. TWO THUMBS up to you and THANKS SOOOO MUCH for this post.. Your pics are BEAUTIFUL!!! –Leesa

    Reply

  58. Hi there…I’m planning on making this in a few weeks and I have a question. Does the frosted cake need to be refrigerated? I noticed some of the other bloggers who made this said their frosting melted so I was curious. I’ll be traveling with it and want to make sure it’ll hold up!

    Reply

  59. That is my fantasy period. I could just eat it up. like I usually do. But this time with more lip smacking.

    Reply

  60. Mmm, looks like this years Christmas cake to me! It’s like you’ve taken everything i love and put it together in this absolutely stunning cake!

    Reply

  61. This is fabulous a perfect cake for my four year who loves candyland and pink and has a chrsitmas eve birthday. We always end up going to someone’s party and i always bring her cake cake for the party and have everyone celebrate with her. I Started making this and made the cake white and pink instead of chocolate though and of course used the haert pans my mom always sused for my birthday cakes. So well see how my finishing goes. Thanks so much for the idea hope i can make it as great looking as yours.

    Reply

  62. Dearest Peabody,
    I waited a whole year to make this cake for Christmas today. It was terrible. The batter in batter did not stay centered, the first pan beginning with choclate took forever to bake through,was too watery, and leaked out all over the oven. I followed your recipe exactly. The peppermint was overwhelming and the cake was too sweet, and the taste of choclate just didn’t come through. Maybe, I wasn’t used to peppermint and this is how the cake was supposed to taste, but I don’t know. Did I screw up this cake? I’ve made many complex cakes from scratch including “the perfect party cake” which turned out perfectly. I was so dissappointed. Is there any advice you can offer? Thank you. I’d like to try it again, but not if this is how it is supposed to taste.

    Reply

  66. I am currently making the cake for an xmas party i have in a couple hours. Everything is turning out fine, until the frosting. I had it at stiff peaks but once I added the vanilla and peppermint extract it is too runny and I cannot get it to stiffen again. I followed it exactly. Is there something I missed?

    Reply

  70. I had the same issue as Rita – my chocolate cake mix was very runny while the white was thick, making the bulls eye pattern to not work at all. Any suggestions as to what may have gone wrong? I really want to try this cake again but can’t justify it if it is going to flop like last time 🙁

    Reply

    • @SKR- the egg whites go in with the milk and vanilla “Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture then add half the milk mixture. Continue to alternate beginning and ending with flour mixture”

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. […] Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallow Fantasy Cake December 30, 2007 Filed under: Breakfast — stacielk @ 11:44 pm This cake looked sooo good when I saw that  Peabody posted it in early December.  I thought it would be a great dessert to bring to a Christmas Party we had the Saturday before Christmas, so my friend Jori and I got together to try it out.   I was a bit disappointed on the appearance of the cake when it was all put together (the frosting wasn’t fluffy and spreadable like it should have been, not sure what went wrong there…) but it was probably one of the best cakes I’ve had!  If you like cake, chocolate and peppermint, this is the cake for you!  (and if you want to see how it was supposed to look check out Peabody’s page) […]

    Reply

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