This Chocolate Mint Cake stands tall with 6 sky high layers of minty fresh, chocolatey goodness and will send your heart and your belly aflutter.
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My Grandma eats like a bird but always cooks for a flock. There are a lot of us grandkids. She's got all kinds of tricks up her sleeve, and I swear she could make soup out of stones. There's one cake in particular that the whole family goes cuckoo for. Her layered Chocolate Mint Cake sends the fam flocking across town, and some of us across state lines to swoop in and sneak a slice.
When I asked if she could send me the recipe to recreate this family favorite, she sent over an iPhone image of her recipe card. I know, go G-Ma! It's mostly just the ingredients for the cake. Not a lot of instructions on technique or assembly. But you have to understand, my Grandma Shirley has been making this cake longer than I've been alive. Those details hide in the muscle memory of her crafty hands.
Grandma Shirley's Chocolate Mint Cake recipe cards 💚
Ideally, the best way to learn to bake this cake properly would be for all of us to bake it alongside my Grandma Shirley. But since I we can't all fly up to Idaho and squeeze into her kitchen together, I'm sharing what I have learned from her. Between her recipe cards, many phone calls and my memories of watching her bake this cake over the years, I was able to recreate her recipe!
More favorite cake recipes from Baking The Goods
This chocolate cake has a hint of mint without tasting of toothpaste
I remember she stacks it tall, with a tower of multiple whipped cream filled layers. I remember the mint being just right. Not so much that the cake takes on the taste of toothpaste, but just enough to sparkle with freshness. Finally, I remember it being one of the best cakes I've ever tasted. An impressive feat because I don't normally care much for chocolate cakes.
If the mint chocolate combo is your jam, check out my Mint Chocolate Matcha Madeleines. They hit on all of the flavors but might be a bit more manageable to make when you don't have time to take on a full layer cake.
3 separate components stacked in 6 stunning layers
Chocolate Mint Cake
It may look like a dense chocolate cake, but it's actually light and fluffy. The deep cocoa notes are mellowed with are enhanced with hint of mint and the warming power of espresso powder.
I took a few liberties, where maybe I shouldn't have, and switched a some things up. I am not the biggest chocolate fan in general, but when espresso is in the mix, I find myself dive bombing into chocolatey goodness. So, I added in that instant espresso powder to kick up the coffee notes in the chocolate. You can omit this element if it's not for you. My Grandma's version does not have the espresso.
Minty Whipped Cream Filling
Instead of a thick or heavy cake filling, my Grandma fills her Chocolate Mint Cake with airy whipped cream. This might just be one of my favorite moves from her. In my opinion, cakes can oftentimes have too much going on. This cake is a balanced mix of simple, stunning and significant.
The Minty Whipped Cream Filling is an easy blend of heavy cream and powdered sugar, with a touch of mint and vanilla extracts. My Grandma also adds a drop or two of green food coloring to give her filling a soft minty hue. I failed to match the classic minty fresh color she so effortlessly achieves. So, I simplified things and kept it a clean white. But the color is all up to you! I will say, her soft mint colored cake filling really pulls her cake together beautifully.
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
In her original recipe, Grandma Shirley makes a more classic chocolate ganache frosting involving chopped chocolate, butter, powdered sugar and evaporated milk. The entire cake is frosted in her fluffy frosting. My cake got a little too big for its britches, so I opted for a simple spreadable Chocolate Ganache Glaze that just coats the top.
The Chocolate Ganache Glaze is made with chopped dark chocolate. Warm cream is poured over the chocolate and sits for a few minutes, until the chocolate melts and can we whisked into a smooth glaze. Mint leaves are steeped in the warm mixture to give it a natural minty freshness. Alternatively, you can use ½ teaspoon mint extract instead of fresh mint here. And more espresso powder is whisked in. Again, the espresso is optional.
This cake can be made as a 6" six layer cake or an 8" four layer cake
My biggest oops of all was not using the 8" cake pans that her recipe calls for. Somehow, I don't have that size. Instead, I used 6" pans and ended up with the world's tallest Mint Chocolate Cake! If you are up for the challenge and you're looking for a sky-high drama factor, try the 6" six layer cake. But, if you want to go the more reliable route, use two 8" cake pans for a more traditional 4 layer cake.
How to assemble the Mint Chocolate Cake
First, you will need to split the cake layers in half. The cakes need to be fully cooled before slicing. I like using a bread knife to gently saw my way through the cakes.
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Now, that's a party cake! - Grandma Shirley
Practically speaking, this Mint Chocolate Cake was a little tough to deal with structurally, especially when slicing. But, what it lacked in practicality it made up for in the drama department! Once I realized how high this stack was going to be, there was no going back. I had to let it fly. I was nervous to send my Grandma a picture as I feared I may have butchered her recipe, but she said Now, that's a party cake! She always knows just what to say. 🥺
Decorate the Mint Chocolate Cake with mint sprigs
Adding a few springs of fresh mint to the top and sides of this Minty Chocolate Layer Cake gives it a flourish of festive fanciness. It's an understated touch that hints to what you'll find inside each bite. You can even sneak in a little bunch of small, organic, non-toxic flowers on the cake stand as well.
In the end, I swooned over this sky high beauty. I was able to maintain the spirit of my Grandma's original recipe for Mint Chocolate Cake, for the most part. Sometimes you just have to let breeze take you where you need to go. Thanks for being the wind beneath my wings, Grandma Shirley.
If you are looking for a gluten free Chocolate Cake recipe, my friend Alison of A Girl Defloured has a beautiful Gluten-Free Chocolate Fudge Cake that is to die for. Her site is one of my top go-to's for gluten free baking recipes!
PrintRecipe
Chocolate Mint Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 tall servings
Description
This Chocolate Mint Cake stands tall with 6 sky high layers of minty fresh, chocolatey goodness and will send your heart and your belly aflutter.
Ingredients
MINT CHOCOLATE CAKE INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup dark chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 2 sprigs fresh mint
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup cake flour, sifted
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teas salt
- ¾ cup whole milk or cream
MINTY WHIPPED CREAM FILLING INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 ½ teas vanilla extract
- ½ teas mint extract
CHOCOLATE GANACHE INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup dark chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 2 sprigs fresh mint
Instructions
MINT CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter two 8" round cake pans. Or if you want a mile high cake, like mine, use three 6" round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Then lightly grease and flour the pans.
- Combine chopped chocolate, granulated sugar, water, cocoa powder and instant espresso powder in a saucepan. Melt over medium heat, stirring constantly until everything is melted, thick and glossy. Set aside and add 2 sprigs of mint to steep while the mixture cools. Once cooled, remove the mint sprigs.
- Sift together the cake flour, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing until just incorporated. Followed by the vanilla extract.
- Add the milk or cream and flour mixture alternatively, in 2 parts, starting with the flour. After each addition, mix until just barely blended and stop and scrape the bowl. Stop the mixer before the last of the flour has been incorporated.
- Stir in the chocolate mixture until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and bake in the middle of the oven until the centers spring back when lightly touched, 25-30 minutes. Test by inserting a toothpick in the center, when it comes out clean it's ready!
- Allow to cool in cake pans for 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Once cake layers have fully cooled, use a serrated knife to evenly split the layers in half.
MINTY WHIPPED CREAM FILLING
- Chill mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.
- Pour heavy whipping cream, sifted powder sugar and vanilla into the cold bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks start to form, about 1 minute. Add the mint extract right at the end of the whisking, being cautious to not over beat.
- Place the bottom cake layer on a pretty cake stand. Top with ⅕th of the whipped cream, top with the next layer and repeat until you have a mile high stack!
- Make room in your fridge and place the entire cake on it's stand inside to chill while you prepare the chocolate ganache for the topping.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- Finely chop the chocolate and add to a mixing bowl, set aside.
- Add the cream to a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Until steadily simmering. whisk in the espresso powder.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for a few minutes while the chocolate melts. Stir together until creamy and smooth.
- Stir in the fresh mint sprigs and allow to steep for a few minutes while the chocolate cools down a bit. Remove the mint sprigs.
- While the ganache is still slightly warm, carefully spoon it on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to evenly spread it over the top of the cake, almost to the edges.
- Top with fresh mint sprigs.
- Chill the entire cake before slicing to prevent the cake layers from slipping when slicing.
- Call your Grandma to tell her how much you love and miss her!
Notes
I used 6" round cake pans for this cake, which made for mile-high drama for sure, but I highly suggest using 8" round cake pans for structural integrity.
Slicing this cake can be a task! Chill it in the refrigerator before slicing to keep the layers from slipping.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
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