Chocolate Mint Chip Cake

Chocolate and mint are a match that's just made to be, and this Chocolate Mint Chip Cake brings both of those flavors together in the best way. Layers of a rich, chocolate cake are paired with a creamy mint chip Swiss meringue buttercream that’s pretty much like mint chocolate chip ice cream in frosting form.

Pieces of chopped bittersweet chocolate are added to the buttercream for a little bit of a crunch, and crème de menthe is used to add a subtle, yet creamy mint flavor.

I found that crème de menthe was the perfect way to add just enough mint flavor without it overpowering the rest of the cake. You can use peppermint extract if you prefer to, but I think that the creaminess of the crème de menthe is far superior.

The cake can be baked as either a two layer 8-inch cake or a three layer 7 or 6-inch cake, depending on what you prefer. The cake is tender, yet sturdy enough to be stacked without needing a crumb coat. The other amazing thing about this recipe is that even if any crumbs do get swept up in the icing they’ll look like pieces of chocolate!

I chose to carefully sift the pieces of chocolate once I chopped them so I would only be incorporating the bigger pieces into the buttercream. This extra step is up to you, I just wanted the chocolate to have a cleaner, less speckled look. The frosting spreads like a dream, and there's just enough to have a little left over to snack on!

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED.

• Room Temperature Ingredients:
  • Butter: It’s important that the butter is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
  • Eggs: You also want to make sure that the eggs are at room temperature to ensure that they are properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave them out before you start baking, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until they become room temperature.
• Measuring Your Ingredients:I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
  • However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
• Oven Temperature:Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
  • I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.

Who's ready to bake? Get started by preheating your oven to 350º F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed.

With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Coat three 6-inch cake pans with cooking spray or butter and cocoa powder and line the bottom of each with parchment. Evenly divide the batter into the pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack before gently running a knife along the edge of each pan, topping the cake with another cooling rack and turning each cake out. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

Next you'll work on the Mint Chip Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Stir together egg whites and sugar in a double boiler. Continue to stir until mixture reaches 160º F on a candy thermometer.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and mix with the whisk attachment on high for 8-10 minutes, until somewhat stiff peaks have formed. Switch out the whisk for the paddle attachment and slowly add in pieces of butter on low. Mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add in crème de menthe or peppermint extract followed by the green food coloring. Carefully stir in the chopped chocolate.

Once your cake layers have cooled, carefully cut the tops off with a serrated knife so that each layer is level. Place one layer, top side down, on a cake board and spread with frosting. Repeat this step with the next two layers.

Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Chill until you are ready to serve!

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