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An assortment of colorful holiday desserts displayed artfully

Festive Holiday Bake

This festive holiday bake combines a spiced orange cake with peppermint mocha brownies for a delightful and decadent dessert perfect for any celebration.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Spiced Orange Cake:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup milk
  • orange zest (optional, but highly recommended)
  • 1 orange zest
For the Peppermint Mocha Brownies:
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled

Equipment

  • Oven
  • 9x13 inch baking pan
  • large bowl
  • medium bowl
  • wire rack

Method
 

For the Spiced Orange Cake (Let's call it "Spiced Orange Cake"):
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan or two 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and orange zest.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, mixing until just combined.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto the rack to cool completely.
For the Peppermint Mocha Brownies (Let's call it "Peppermint Mocha Brownies"):
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the peppermint extract.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined, then slowly stir in the cooled coffee until the batter is smooth.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
  6. Cool the brownies completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting them out and cutting into squares.

Notes

For the spiced orange cake, ensure not to overmix the batter to keep the cake tender. For the peppermint mocha brownies, be careful not to overbake to maintain their fudgy texture.