Chocolate Mint Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Line two greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper. Grease and flour the paper; set aside. , In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and water, beating well after each addition. , Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks., For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in food coloring if desired. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with filling. Top with second layer., For icing, in a microwave, melt chips and butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Beat in evaporated milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost and decorate cake. Chill 2 hours before slicing.

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round pans with shortening and dust with flour; set aside.
• In medium bowl, beat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with wire whisk; set aside.
• In another medium bowl, beat cocoa and hot coffee with wire whisk, making sure no lumps remain; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat 1 cup butter and the oil with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until fluffy (7 minutes if using handheld mixer). Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and beat 1 minute. Add brown sugar and beat 3 minutes longer, stopping halfway to scrape side of bowl. Add 2 of the eggs and beat 1 minute. Scrape side of bowl. Add remaining egg and the egg yolks and beat 2 minutes longer.
• Add about 1 cup of the dry ingredients and 1/2 cup of the coffee mixture to butter mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined. Continue alternately adding dry ingredients and coffee mixture, beating after each addition to combine. When all ingredients have been added, scrape side of bowl. Divide batter evenly between pans.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Run knife or metal spatula between cake and edge of pan to loosen. Invert cakes onto wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter and the cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until soft. Mix in chocolate, milk, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. On low speed, add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth. When all of the powdered sugar has been added, beat 1 minute longer or until smooth.
• Place 1 layer on serving plate or stemmed cake plate. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over layer to about 1/4 inch from edge. Top with second layer. Frost side and top with remaining frosting.

Steps:

• For the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and mix until just combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto cooling racks and cool completely.
• When the cakes are completely cool, level each cake and then cut each layer in half to make four cake rounds. Chill until ready to assemble.
• For the mint buttercream: In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the confectioners' sugar and butter until creamy.
• Beat in the peppermint extract, salt and 2 tablespoons of the milk until well combined. Gradually stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons milk until the desired spreading consistency is reached. Set aside until ready to assemble the cake.
• For the chocolate buttercream: Chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
• Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. With the mixer on low speed, add the melted chocolate and the coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Do not whip! Set aside until ready to assemble the cake.
• For the mint curls: Put the melting wafers and shortening in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 1-minute increments, then in 15-second increments, stirring after each heating. When the wafers are melted, add the peppermint oil and stir until incorporated.
• Flip over a large, clean baking sheet. Pour half of the melted candy onto the back of the baking sheet and spread evenly with an offset spatula. (This is important, as you want the layer to be as even and level as possible. Thin is good, but translucent is not.)
• Place the baking sheet in the fridge to set for 1 to 2 minutes or leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes. The mixture needs to be at the perfect temperature for curls to form. If it's too cold, they will just break. If it's too warm, they will just be blobs. Press your finger into the mixture; if it leaves a mark, the mixture is too soft.
• Press a very clean flathead screwdriver into the mixture at a 45-degree angle and then slide it forward slowly. Curls should form. Immediately transfer the curls to a plate and place in the refrigerator so that they hold their shape. Repeat the process with the remaining half of the melted candy. Chill all the mint curls until ready to assemble the cake.
• To assemble the cake: Place 1 layer of cake on a cake stand or cake plate. Spread one-third of the mint buttercream over the top of the cake. Top with a second layer of cake and spread another third of the mint buttercream over the top. Repeat with a third layer of cake and the remaining mint buttercream. Top with the remaining layer of cake.
• Coat the top and sides of the assembled cake with the chocolate buttercream. Smooth the surfaces of the cake as much as possible. Place the remaining chocolate buttercream into a piping bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a large round tip, such as a 2A tip.
• Pipe dollops of frosting around the top of the cake. Sprinkle the mint curls over the top. Chill the cake until ready to serve.

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Mix 2 cups cold water and sugar in large bowl until sugar dissolves. Gradually mix in corn oil and vanilla extract. Whisk in dry ingredients. Divide cake batter among prepared pans. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mint-flavored chocolate chips over cake batter in each pan.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Cut around pan sides. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.
• For frosting:
• Combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons milk, peppermint extract and vanilla extract in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat frosting until smooth. Thin with more milk by tablespoonfuls, if necessary.
• Place 1 cake layer, chocolate-chip side up, on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Top with second cake layer, chocolate-chip side up. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Top with remaining cake layer, chocolate-chip side down. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.)
• Place striped peppermint candies in heavy plastic bag. Crush with hammer. Sprinkle candies over cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch baking sheet with waxed paper. Mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk in milk and melted butter, then eggs and 3/4 teaspoon extract. Spread batter in pan.
• Bake until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 teaspoon extract in large bowl to blend.
• Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto work surface. Peel off paper. Cut cake crosswise in half. Using spatula, place 1 cake half on platter; spread with 2 cups frosting. Top with remaining cake half. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.
• Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each, beating until well blended. Divide batter equally among prepared pans (generous 2 cups for each); smooth top of batter.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs still attached, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off paper. Cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.)
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 1/4 cups Mint Whipped Cream over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 1 1/4 cups Mint Whipped Cream over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining Mint Whipped Cream over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours. Pile chocolate curls atop center of cake.
• Garnish with mint sprigs.