Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake

So I tried to think of a witty name for this masterpiece… but nothing came to me. It was until I tasted it that I decided it was so similar to a cup of hot cocoa stirred with a candy cane. It was so moist and airy with a deep chocolate taste topped with marshmellow crème frosting and crushed candy cakes… oh perfection! Don’t be scared of the four layers – if I can do it, you can do it! Here’s a suggestion though, if you are going to have a cake with several layers, use a separate cake pan for each layer. For example, this cake is four layers, so use four cake pans and divide batter into four sections. I only had two cake pans so I just make two layers and cut each layer in half. It was difficult to keep the layers from falling apart after cutting, but I managed (just would have been better if I’d had more pans). This cake also freezes well. Just bake the layers, freeze, thaw before serving and frost as normal. It’s perfect for those holiday parties when you want a fancy looking dessert without a lot of work.

1 box of GF chocolate cake mix (I like Namaste brand but any kind should work)

3 eggs
1 ½ cup water
½ cup applesauce
¼ cup crushed peppermints or candy canes
1 recipe of frosting (I prefer marshmellow crème but vanilla sugar frosting would work also)
1 cup crushed peppermints or candy canes

• In a large mixing bowl, blend together cake mix, eggs, water and applesauce until well blended, about 2 minutes.
• Pour batter into greased 9” round baking pans. Bake at 375°F for about 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.
• Let cool for about 30 minutes on a wire rack and cut cakes in half if necessary to make 4 layers.
• Make frosting according to instructions.
• On a serving dish, place the bottom layer of cake. Add ¼ of the frosting mixture and sprinkle crushed mint over frosting. Repeat with remaining layers.
• Refrigerate any leftovers. This serves about 12.