4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 1/3 c. cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. plus 5 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
1 1/3 c. milk
10 red-and-white peppermint candies (1-inch round)
2 1/2 c. heavy cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 (8-inch) round cake pans.

Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of steaming hot water. Stir until smooth and remove from heat. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Beat the 8 tablespoons of butter until soft. Beat in 1 1/2 cups sugar, the vanilla, eggs, and egg whites until smooth.

Beat in chocolate until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in milk. On low speed, beat in flour mixture. Divide batter among pans and bake until cake pulls away from the sides of the pans, 25-30 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes in pans; then remove from pans and cool completely. Put candies in a food processor and whir until crushed. Beat cream with remaining 5 tablespoons sugar until it holds stiff peaks. Fold in crushed candy. (The candy will melt and turn the cream pink.)

Put 1 cake layer on a serving plate and spread top with about 1 cup of cream. Cover with second layer and spread another cup of cream. Top with remaining layer and frost the entire cake with remaining cream. Yield 12 servings.