It's holiday time, and that means time to bake! This time 'round, we're focusing on a quintessential Christmas candy that there is no shortage of this time of year - the candy cane! Somehow I end up with at least a couple of boxes of candy canes sitting around my house and while my husband and I don't typically eat them straight up, they can be pretty useful in your holiday baking projects!
As part of the Peanut Butter & Co Yum Squad, we were challenged to use a flavored peanut butter along with those ubiquitous candy canes to create a delicious holiday treat.
I chose Dark Chocolate Dreams, one of my favorite Peanut Butter & Co flavors. I don't even need to bake with this stuff - eating it straight out of the jar by the spoonful is just fine by me - but let's see what we can throw together by pairing this friggin' delicious stuff with some candy canes!
And thus, this Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Bread was born!
Isn't it festive? I love how the colors of the candy canes pop off of the deep chocolate color of the bread.
I even garnished with a few extra broken candy canes for some extra pizazz, because come on, they always manage to break inside the box before you even get a chance to take them out!
The bread is speckled with dark chocolate chips, adding tiny little chocolate bombs of flavor throughout - mmmm. Any objections? No?
But if I may make one suggestion - this bread is tastiest when served heated up, and...
... topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with warm, boozy peppermint ganache. Just trust me on this one!
Peanut butter cakes and breads typically have a more crumbly texture, making them perfect for soaking up melted ice cream and sauces. Just try it, and you won't be disappointed!
Want to try Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butters for yourself? During the month of December, use the coupon code YUMSQUADLOVE at www.ilovepeanutbutter.com and receive 25% off of your entire order! Also, scroll to the bottom of this post to enter our GIVEAWAY for free Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter!
What are your favorite ways to use candy canes? Share your recipes on social media using the hashtag #CandyCaneHacks!
Print
Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Bread w/ Warm Ganache
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Ingredients
- FOR THE BREAD
- 3.5 TBS Dutch-process cocoa
- 3 TBS hot water
- ½ TBS vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp peppermint extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups sifted cake flour
- ¾ cup plus 2 TBS granulated sugar
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup plus 1 TBS unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- Crushed candy canes or peppermints - optional
- FOR THE GANACHE
- 4 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small chunks
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 TBS butter
- 2 TBS Godiva chocolate liqueur
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
Instructions
- FOR THE BREAD
- Preheat oven to 350F
- In a small bowl, combine cocoa with hot water to form a paste. Allow to cool, then mix in vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and eggs.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix for 20 seconds.
- Add the butter and half of the chocolate paste, and mix until combined.
- Add the rest of the chocolate paste and mix until combined.
- Gently fold in chocolate chips.
- Transfer batter into a lightly greased and floured loaf pan.
- Spread peanut butter on top of the batter and use a butter knife to "cut" the peanut butter into the batter so that ribbons of peanut butter are distributed throughout.
- Sprinkle the top of the batter with crushed candy canes or peppermints.
- Bake for 25 minutes loosely tented with foil, then uncover for an additional 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist, loose crumbs. Be careful not to overbake.
- Allow to cool in pan for several minutes, and then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on rack.
- FOR THE GANACHE
- Heat heavy cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium-low heat until steaming, but not boiling.
- Remove from heat and add chocolate and butter and stir until combined and smooth and chocolate has melted.
- Stir in peppermint extract and Godiva chocolate liqueur.
- Top warmed bread slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with warm ganache.
- Store additional ganache in the refrigerator. When ready to use again, heat in the microwave at 50% power for 30 second increments.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
Disclosure: I was provided peanut butter and candy canes to create my #CandyCaneHacks recipe. No additional compensation was received and all opinions are my own.
GIVEAWAY!! GIVEAWAY!!
PEANUT BUTTER & CO. DARK CHOCOLATE DREAMS
Want to try this delicious peanut butter for yourself? Peanut Butter & Co. has offered to send 2 jars of Dark Chocolate Dreams to one of our lucky readers! This contest is open for our U.S. readers and will be open until 11:59 P.M. EST on December 15th, 2014.
Here’s how to enter:
Required: Comment on this blog post with an idea for #CandyCaneHacks using peanut butter!
Optional entries to increase your chances of winning: You MUST leave the additional comments to receive credit for each optional entry!
– Like Brownie Bites on Facebook. Come back and leave an additional comment telling me you have done so or that you’re already a follower.
– Like Peanut Butter & Co. on Facebook. Come back and leave an additional comment telling me you have done so or that you’re already a follower.
– Follow @ebrowniebites on Instagram. Come back and leave an additional comment telling me you have done so or that you’re already a follower.
– Follow @peanutbutterco on Instagram. Come back and leave an additional comment telling me you have done so or that you’re already a follower.
Winner will be contacted via email!
Brittney House
I would make peanut brittle with crushed candy cane pieces.
kyl neusch
in Peppermint Bark
Erica B.
I can't think of a good one!
robyn paris
i follow @peanutbutterco on instagram
@robynp9
robyn paris
i follow @ebrowniebites on instagram
@robynp9
robyn paris
i like peanut butter company on Facebook.
robyn paris
i like brownie bites on Facebook
robyn paris
I would like to #CandyCaneHacks for all my holiday needs. I love peanut butter and company.
Tracy Davis
I liked Brownie Bites (tracy davis hayes)
Tracy Davis
I would make Peanut butter fudge brownies with #CandyCaneHacks
Joan Kubes
I ollow @peanutbutterco on Instagram.
Joan Kubes
I Follow @ebrowniebites on Instagram.
Joan Kubes
I Like Peanut Butter & Co. on Facebook
Joan Kubes
I Like Brownie Bites on Facebook.
Joan Kubes
Peanut butter fudge brownies with #CandyCaneHacks
Tricia G
Sprinkle them on top of cake.
Dandi D
I followed PB & Co on Instagram as @fiddlindandi.
Dandi D
I followed you on Instagram as @fiddlindandi.
Dandi D
I liked PB & co on Facebook as Dandi Daffyhill.
Dandi D
oops, I didn't mean to say that twice!
Dandi D
Liked PB & co on Facebook as Dandi Daffyhill.
Dandi D
Liked your page on Facebook as Dandi Daffyhill.
Dandi D
I'm not a big fan of candy canes, but I might crush them and make cookies with peanut butter and candy canes.
Risa Golding
I follow Brownie Bites on Instagram
Risa Golding
I follow Peanut Butter & Co on Instagram
Risa Golding
I follow Brownie Bites on FB
Risa Golding
I follow Peanut Butter & Co on FB
Risa Golding
I would use them in Peppermint Bark.
#CandyCaneHacks
Stephanie Galbraith
I would Make Chocolate peanut butter balls, with this instead of normal peanut butter. 😀
Cynthia C
Like Peanut Butter & Co. on Facebook
Cynthia Conley
Cynthia C
I think it would be delicious as a topping for peppermint ice cream.
Kara B
I follow on instagram.
Kara B
I follow Peanut Butter & Co on Facebook.
Kara B
I follow Brownie Bites on Facebook.
Kara B
I know I told you this, but this bread would be amazing as the base for a bread pudding!! I would turn the peanut butter and candy canes into a delicious holiday ice cream!
Diane W
Interesting recipe. It would be nice for entertaining #CandyCaneHacks. I think I would use this produce mostly straight up on pretzels, fruit or in smoothies.