Peppermint Bark Chocolate Sheet Cake

I love chocolate cake, and I love the peppermint shake from Chick-fil-a. I feel like this recipe is kind of a mix both of those things. :-) It is one of my very favorite cakes ever, and the fact that I only make it in December makes it even more special. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 2 1-oz. squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 c. water
• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 6 tablespoons cream
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2 1-oz. squares white baking chocolate
• 1 lb. powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 4-5 candycanes, crushed
• 3 tablespoons chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 
  
• Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 11 x 17 jelly roll pan with nonstick spray.
2. Combine butter, 2 oz. chocolate, and water in a small saucepan. Heat until chocolate is melted.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine flour and baking soda. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. With mixer on low, pour in chocolate mixture slowly. With mixer still on, add flour mixture a little bit at a time until totally incorporated. Pour into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes or until a pick comes out clean.
5. After cake comes out of oven, prepare frosting.
6. Combine cream, white chocolate, and butter in a medium saucepan. Heat until everything is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla, and peppermint and beat until smooth. Frosting should easily drizzle from whisk when whisk is lifted up. If needed, add additional cream.
7. While still warm, pour icing over cake and gently spread with spoon to smooth.
8. For ganache, heat cream, chocolate chips and peppermint extract and whisk until smooth. Ganache will be extra runny when hot. Let it cool a bit to come to a thicker consistency and then drizzle over cake. Top with crushed candy canes.

So the recipe calls for a ton of crushed candy canes on the top, but I literally add maybe not even a full one. I mostly just add it for looks - I actually don't think a ton of candy cane on top tastes all that good. But yeah, this cake is moist and awesome. I highly recommend it for a Christmas party or a Christmas dinner dessert or even just to have around around Christmastime. So good!