{"id":5493,"date":"2024-12-11T21:54:30","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T21:54:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snarklesauce.com\/blog\/?p=5493"},"modified":"2025-11-22T13:05:27","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T18:05:27","slug":"publix-peppermint-cocoa-cheesecake-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snarklesauce.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/11\/publix-peppermint-cocoa-cheesecake-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Publix Peppermint Cocoa Cheesecake Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Author’s note: Not a paid review. Not sponsored. I have no affiliation with Publix<\/a>. Or Cher! Sadly.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Either you like peppermint with chocolate, or you’re wrong.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Welp. This is one of the better<\/em> Publix desserts I’ve tried so far. In fact, it’s probably the second-best. So, I guess I liked it. I guess.<\/em> Bah humbug!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had already decided I wasn’t going to review anymore holiday food this year \u2014 especially desserts<\/em>. Gah. And then I saw an advertisement for this Publix Peppermint Cocoa Cheesecake. And all my lofty resolutions evaporated. Alas, cruel world. Ah, my poor bloated belly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, there are people in the world who do not like peppermint with chocolate. And I feel sorry for those people. Those people are wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since you are reading this review, I think it’s safe to assume you are NOT one of these tragic, gustatorily-misshapen souls. Your taste buds work properly. We can be friends.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What exactly is<\/em> this dessert?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I visited the Publix website to peep at this cheesecake before I bought it. It’s very peepable. The bakery website<\/a> describes it thus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Made with one whole 6\u201d chocolate New York style cheesecake, layer of peppermint soaked chocolate cake and fudge filling. Iced in chocolate whip topping and garnished with ganache, chocolate cake crumbs, large marshmallows, chocolate peppermint bark, and dusted with cocoa.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As usual, this Publix dessert is very attractive. Here is what mine looked like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Overhead<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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There are three whole Gharardelli Peppermint Chocolate Squares, some giant marshmallows, and rosettes of flavored whipped topping. The dusting of cocoa powder is “very merry.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sides have attractive drizzles of thick, buttery chocolate ganache and soft, dark chocolate cookie crumbs. (I have written about this chocolate ganache before, in my review of the Publix Chocolate Ganache Supreme Cake \u2014 you can read it here<\/a>. And weep. Or don’t weep. Whichever. You know.) <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I personally think the marshmallows are kind of goofy (and they were a nightmare to serve \u2014 just try<\/em> slicing those babies! Just trrrry!<\/em>). But, I “get” that marshmallows are in the holiday spirit. Sort of. If you squint.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"Chocolate<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Cheesecake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most of this dessert is cheesecake. But, it’s definitely NOT the “chocolate cheesecake” promised in the Publix description. Mine was plain cheesecake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is probably thee<\/em> softest cheesecake I’ve ever eaten (except for this Aldi Whipped Cheesecake<\/a> \u2014 which was more like “weird pudding”)<\/em>, but still rich and full of creamy tanginess. It’s wonderfully light and airy \u2014 you can eat a decent amount without feeling sick. It has no separate crust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the cheesecake has no “holiday flavors” of its own (it’s just<\/em> cheesecake!), it tastes like Christmas when you scoop a bite with all the other layers. (Keep reading for the actual ingredients in this dessert. Ugh!<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(For another festive minty-chocolate treat, check out my review of Costco’s seasonal Kirkland Peppermint Bark.<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Chocolate Cake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The cake layer on the bottom is the most festive part of this dessert. It’s chocolate with a strong<\/em> peppermint bite. There’s a thin layer of fudge separating the cake from the cheesecake. I almost missed this fudge layer entirely \u2014 it’s quite minimal! Just a meager smear. But, tasty. If you can find it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The peppermint flavor of the cake is almost shockingly strong by itself. However, eaten with the rest of the layers, it is pleasantly subtle.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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(Do you prefer coffee-flavored cheesecake? Check out my review of Costco’s Tiramisu Cheesecake<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The actual cake crumb is pretty typical for Publix cake \u2014 it’s soft, and moist, but tastes mass-produced. It’s not something I would rave about, but it’s definitely more enjoyable combined with the peppermint, fudge, cheesecake, and other layers here. The sum is more than the parts!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Cocoa Whipped Topping<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve been reading my reviews, you already know I am not ever<\/em> going to be excited about this fake-whipped-cream-stuff. Hmmph!<\/em> However, this<\/em> is one of the nicer Publix whipped-toppings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has a very slight cocoa taste, and a restrained sweetness. It’s super light and “creamy,” (without actually being<\/em> cream, alas). It still<\/em> tastes like “frothy plastic sadness,” but in a more festive way. Festive plastic sadness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn’t scrape it all off and throw it away this time \u2014 I ate at least 50%. That’s a big deal for me. Let’s have a round of applause.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Garnish<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What would make this cake even better?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If I were going to suggest any improvements for this Peppermint Cocoa Cheesecake, I would definitely do a thicker layer of fudge between the cake and cheesecake. Mine was so thin, it was barely discernable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would also chop up the Ghirardelli squares and sprinkle them between the layers, or inside the cheesecake, or around the top rim of the dessert. Otherwise, less than half the servings will have a taste of them, and they are wonderful. They should be tasted!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, if you advertise a “chocolate cheesecake,” it should actually<\/em> be chocolate. Just sayin.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, I would 100% omit the marshmallows. I can’t imagine serving those to adults. My marshmallows didn’t age well, either \u2014 they deflated a bit, and got sticky. Whereas the rest of this dessert aged like Cher in my refrigerator. *chef’s kiss*<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What went wrong?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Plastic<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I had a couple problems with my Publix Peppermint Cocoa Cheesecake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, the cheesecake layer in mine was frozen rock-solid. The other layers (and exterior) were totally normal. It was pretty weird. There’s no way to tell when you buy it. I tried to eat it anyway, because I was hungry and I’d been looking forward to this cake for a few days. That was a mistake. The frozen cheesecake was…gross. A deal-breaker. Do not attempt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(My “Heat and Serve” Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner from Publix was also sold to me completely frozen \u2014 even though it wasn’t supposed to be. You can read my salty review here<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I let the cheesecake defrost another 24 hours in my refrigerator, and it improved dramatically<\/em>. Like, night and day. If you get a frozen one, don’t be like me \u2014 it’s not even worth your time (or calories) to try to eat this frozen. Trust me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second problem I had is that \u2014 inexplicably \u2014 someone wrapped the sides of my cheesecake partially in saran wrap, and then iced over it \u2014 and finished decorating the cake right over the plastic. When I sliced into the cake, I hit plastic. You can see a crumbled piece sticking out in my photo above.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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And then I peeled about half of it off, and here it is in my hand. I’m not<\/em> serving this cake to guests, so it’s not<\/em> going to ruin my day, but it made me wonder what is going on in the Publix bakery, and why do I personally seem to get all the flukes? Or, statistically, is everyone else also getting this many odd aberrations? I need more data points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Ingredients<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients in Publix Peppermint Cocoa Cheesecake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here’s my best attempt at typing out the ingredients, from the label. Buckle up, my friends:<\/p>\n\n\n\n