Peppermint Ho-Ho Cake

I used to make this cake years ago (as in I haven't made it for about 8 years) minus the peppermint and called it a "hoho cake" in reference to the white filling, chocolate cake, and chocolate glaze resembling a giant Hostess hoho cake. For some reason I came up with the idea to try it with the addition of peppermint flavoring and crushed candy canes in the fluff. It's very refreshing this way. It wasn't until I started typing the ingredients that I realized the whole "hoho" thing means something different for Christmas. Ya know... Ho-HO... as in what the big guy says... anyway... Put however much peppermint you like in it. Here's hoping everyone likes it at the toy drive at church tonight!!


1 chocolate cake mix (and ing. to bake cake)
1 container chocolate frosting
12 candy canes (pulvarized to bits in the blender)
1 8 oz. block of cream cheese (softened)
1 stick of butter (softened)
3 C powdered sugar
1 8 oz. tub of cool-whip (thawed)
peppermint flavoring to taste

Mix cake mix and bake. Set aside to cool. While baking and cooling, mix together the cream cheese, stick of butter, powdered sugar, and peppermint really well with a mixer. Add peppermint a little at a time, (they have different strengths depending on which one you use) and take a little taste after mixing in. You can always add more, but you obviously can't take any out. I add about 3/4 teaspoon of the one I use. Then slowly FOLD in the cool-whip until all is fluffy! Put in fridge to get cool and thicken a bit.

When cakes are cooled and filling is thickened a little, slice the cakes in half horizontally, so you now have four layers of cake. Place first layer on cake stand or plate, spread 1/3 of peppermint fluff close to edges (not completely, as it will ooze when you add more layers on top) and then sprinkle crushed candy canes all over. Repeat this two more times. After last layer is placed on top, place in fridge to chill for an hour or so. After cake has cooled, place frosting in microwave for 15 seconds at a time until pourable. Pour frosting over top of cake and let it "ooze" over the top and down the sides. Sprinkle more candy canes over the top and put back into fridge to stay cool!! Enjoy!!

Oh yah! Be sure your top layer of cake isn't wider than the rest of the layers, because if it is, then all the chocolate glaze drips off the sides and pools at the bottom instead of running beautifully down the sides as it's supposed to! Yes, that's what mine did up there, but oh well, we'll it eat anyway!!