Four layers of decadent chocolate cake filled with mint chocolate chip buttercream, frosted with a minty chocolate chip buttercream, covered with a fudgy chocolate ganache, and garnished with fresh mint leaves.

I made this cake for my cousin Randen’s birthday. I was happy that he chose mint chocolate chip as the flavor that he wanted for his cake because this gave me the chance to once again make the mint chip buttercream frosting that I love. It is so good! It tastes just like ice cream. I made a mint chip cake here, but unfortunately, it didn’t turn out as well as I would have liked. I had placed a layer of ganache under the buttercream and it didn’t hold up well. This time I simply frosted the cake with the buttercream and it turned out much better.

As for the ganache, this time I didn’t spoon it on the side to let it drip down. I’ve found that it doesn’t make the surface of the cake as smooth, as you can see here. Instead, I poured the ganache on top and let it drip (or not) how it wanted to.

 

This cake is a 6 inch little guy, so if you want to make this into a 8 inch cake just double the recipe.

When you chop up the chocolate, make sure it is very fine.  I used a food processor on some.  I found that if the chunks of chocolate are too big, they make it harder to frost the cake.  The larger pieces of chocolate would catch on my off set spatula and leave lines and marks all over the cake.  Because of this, I had to smooth the frosting several more times then I normally do.  I hope you get to try this cake and let me know how you like it.  Thanks for stopping by!! 

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened, Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup boiling water

• 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, slightly softened
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp mint extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Drop or two of green food coloring
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 eight or nine inch pans.
2. In the bowl of a mixer, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until fully combined. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then slowly stir in the boiling water. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 30 -40 minutes, until tops of cakes spring back when you lightly touch in the center.
3. Remove cakes from oven. Allow to cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then remove to finish cooling on wire racks.

1. Prepare frosting: In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter, cream, and both extracts on medium speed until smooth.
2. With mixer speed on low, slowly add powdered sugar and mix until just combined.
3. Add food coloring and increase speed to medium high and beat for about minute, until frosting is light, smooth, and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add another Tablespoon or two of cream and beat for 30 more seconds.
4. Add chopped chocolate and mix on low until incorporated. Frost cooled cake.

1. Place the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
2. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan and when it begins to bubble up, pour over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Gently stir, starting in the middle and working your way outward, until the cream and chocolate are completely mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Let the ganache sit at room temperature over night.

 

Photography by Wendy Cox Photography

Enjoy!