Blogging friends are wonderful.  They encourage you to buy ridiculous, you-can-only-use-me-once-a-year loaf pans/cake pans/food styling props.....and they also share their own with you so that you don't have to buy them yourself.  Ha!  So a big thanks to Amy for letting me use this fun, tree bundt pan!

It's so fun for the holidays (which YES...I do realize they're over already!), but it's also perfect to use throughout Winter.  And with all of the snow sticking around our place these past few weeks...it seems very appropriate!

I used my favourite mocha cake, with a peppermint twist, and dusted the top with icing sugar and ground up candy canes.

peppermint mocha bundt cake

yields: 1 bundt cake (and a few cupcakes depending on the size of your bundt pan)

ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 cup cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

2/3 cup of espresso (or very strong brewed coffee)

1 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup hot water

Topping:

powdered sugar

crushed candy canes

directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a bundt pan and set aside. I had great luck with simply using cooking spray. But if you’re nervous, you can brush it with melted butter, and then sprinkle evenly with flour to ensure the cake releases well. (Alternatively, use the batter to make cupcakes! And fill a cupcake tin with liners, and set aside.)

2) In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add in eggs, vanilla, peppermint extract, coffee and oil, and mix until batter is smooth.

3) Slowly add in hot water, until well mixed. The batter will be very runny, that’s just right!

4) Fill a greased bundt pan 3/4 full, and if there is any leftover batter, divide into a cupcake tin.

5)  Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Bake cupcakes for 20-25 minutes.

6)  Remove your bundt cake from the oven when done, and cool for 10 minutes.  Then very gently invert the pan over a cooling rack, shaking sides to remove from pan.  Allow to cool completely.

7)  Dust with icing sugar right before serving (don't do this too much beforehand or the cake will soak it up).  I ground up a few candy canes to sprinkle on top as a garnish. Alternatively, you could serve with a glaze or ice cream.  Enjoy!