Chocolate Mint Present Cake Food

CHOCOLATE MINT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper, spray the paper with cooking spray and lightly dust with flour. Set pans aside.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl and set aside. (These are your dry ingredients.)
• Combine the sugar, butter, and oil in a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Mix in the eggs, peppermint, and vanilla.
• Use a rubber spatula to mix half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in half of the coffee.
• Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, then the remaining coffee, stirring just until smooth.
• Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 26 to 32 minutes, until the cakes spring back when touched gently with your finger.
• Let cake layers cool in pans for 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the pans to cool completely on a wire rack before filling and frosting your cake.
• Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Warm the cream until it begins to steam; it shouldn't boil.
• Put the chopped chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Let the mixture sit for 3 minutes.
• Stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the peppermint extract and stir to combine.
• Refrigerate the ganache until thick but still spreadable, 2 to 3 hours. (The cake layers should be cool by the time the ganache is ready to use.)
• Once your cake layers are cool and your ganache is ready to use, make the frosting.
• Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of the milk or cream, the peppermint, vanilla, and salt. Beat to combine.
• Gradually beat in 4 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. Turn mixer to medium and mix until frosting is smooth, then mix in food coloring to achieve desired color.
• Add additional powdered sugar if frosting is too thin and additional milk or cream if it is too thick.
• Use a long serrated knife to trim your cake layers if they've domed.
• Transfer about 1 cup of frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe a circle of frosting around 1 of the cake layers. Spread half of the ganache inside the circle.
• Top with a second cake layer and repeat the piping and filling process. Top with the third cake layer.
• Frost your cake with the remaining frosting, then decorate as desired. Slice and serve.

CHOCOLATE MINT LAYER CAKE

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.

CHOCOLATE-MINT PRESENT CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water until smooth; cool completely. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture. Beat until smooth. Fold in peppermint candies. , Pour into four greased and floured 9-in. square baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a large bowl, cream butter. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup milk and extract; beat on low until combined. Beat on medium for 1 minute or until frosting achieves spreading consistency, adding remaining milk if necessary. , Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with frosting. Repeat three times. Frost sides of cake. , For fondant, in a large mixing bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer, cream shortening until light and fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar until crumbly. Gradually beat in corn syrup on low speed (mixture will be stiff)., Divide in half; tint one portion red and one portion pink. For ribbon, on a work surface dusted with confectioners' sugar, roll out red portion into a 19x4-in. rectangle; cut in half lengthwise. Carefully arrange over cake, draping ends down the sides. On a work surface dusted with confectioners' sugar, roll out pink portion into a 19x2-in. rectangle; cut in half lengthwise. Carefully position over red ribbon, draping ends down the sides. , Just before serving, break ribbon candies in half; place over ribbon on top of cake, creating a bow. Decorate with round candies if desired.

MINT-CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract; mix using an electric mixer until smooth. Whisk in boiling water. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cake cool 10 to 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• While cake is cooling, combine milk and peppermint extract in a small bowl and set aside. Cream butter in a separate bowl using an electric mixer until smooth. Pour in confectioners' sugar and peppermint-milk mixture alternately while continuing to beat. Add green food coloring until frosting reaches desired color. Whip frosting on high until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide between two bowls. Stir chocolate chips into 1/2 the frosting using a spoon. Set mint-chocolate chip frosting aside.
• Frost cooled cake with pure mint frosting without chocolate chips. Place cake in the refrigerator to set.
• Meanwhile, combine chocolate squares and butter in a double boiler; stir until thoroughly melted. Remove from heat. Stir ganache vigorously to a smooth consistency.
• Remove cake from the refrigerator. Cover entire cake with ganache; return to the refrigerator and allow to completely set, about 30 minutes.
• Remove set cake from the refrigerator. Frost sides of cake with mint chocolate chip frosting.

MINT CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

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.

CHOCOLATE MINT LAYER 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.

CHOCOLATE MINT CAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 13x 9-inch baking pan.
• Cream 1/2 cup butter with 1 cup white sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until fully incorporated. Stir in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Mix in the flour and salt; stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cake cool completely before frosting.
• To Make Mint Layer: Combine the confectioners' sugar and 1/2 cup butter; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour in the creme de menthe syrup; blend until incorporated. Spread over the top of the cooled cake.
• To Make The Chocolate Glaze: Melt the chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons butter together over low heat or in a microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Let cool slightly, then spread over top of the mint layer. Chill cake for at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into small blocks to serve. Keep cake refrigerated.

CHOCOLATE MINT BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Mix together all ingredients except chips for 4 minutes with mixer.
• Add chips and mix by hand.
• Place in greased bundt pan and bake at 350° for 60 minutes or until tests done.
• Cool completely before removing from pan.
• Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar before serving.

CHOCOLATE MINT LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base and sides of a 22cm square tin. Melt 85g butter and 50g chocolate together in a small pan. Mix 120g flour, 140g sugar, 3 tbsp of the cocoa and ½ tsp bicarbonate in a bowl.
• Whisk together 1 egg with half the buttermilk (about 140ml). Scrape the melted chocolate mixture and egg mixture into the dry ingredients, along with 100ml boiling water. Whizz briefly with an electric whisk until lump-free. Scrape into the tin and bake for 18-20 mins until a skewer comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in the tin for 15 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling while you repeat steps 1 and 2 to make a second cake. Cool both completely.
• To make the icing, melt the After Eights and cream together in a saucepan. Cool, then chill until spreadable.
• Trim the cake edges, then halve to make 4 rectangles. Use half of the icing to sandwich the layers together, then spread the rest over the top and sides. Chill.
• Knead some colouring into the ready-to-roll icing with the peppermint extract. Roll out on an icing sugar dusted surface, then lift over to cover the cake, smoothing with your hands. Trim excess icing, then scatter with decorations.
• Chill again for 1 hr to firm up, then serve or keep in the fridge, removing 30 mins before serving.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH MINT FROSTING

Steps:

• Stir cocoa and hot water over heat until blended. Remove from heat and beat until smooth. Let cool.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, 2/3 cup sugar, and instant coffee. Make a well in the centre and add oil, cooled cocoa mixture, and egg yolks. Beat until batter is smooth.
• Add cream of tartar to egg whites and beat until foamy. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and beat until whites are very stiff. Fold into batter evenly.
• Bake in 8 x 8 square pan at 325 for 30 minutes.
• For the frosting, combine butter, icing sugar, cream, peppermint extract, and a couple of drops of green food colouring until smooth. Frost cooled cake and decorate with chocolate sprinkles.

CHOCOLATE-MINT ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Make the mint cream: With an electric mixer, beat heavy cream, sugar, and mint extract until stiff peaks form.
• Line a serving platter with two sheets of wax paper side by side. Assemble the cake: Spread each wafer with about 1/2 tablespoon mint cream, forming stacks. Lay stacks horizontally along seam of paper, pressing gently to form a log. With small spatula or knife, cover log with remaining mint cream. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
• To serve, gently remove wax paper from underneath cake (holding cake in place with a metal spatula, if necessary), and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Slice cake diagonally with a serrated knife.

CHOCOLATE MINT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a large tube or bundt pan and dust the pan with the cocoa. Tap out excess cocoa and set the pan aside.
• Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the creme fraiche. Beat in the cooled chocolate.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. Using a spoon, stir in the flour a little at a time, alternating with additions of milk and creme de menthe. Stir until smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake until the cake is springy to the touch and just begins to pull away from the edges of the pan, 65 to 70 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and invert the cake onto a rack to cool completely.
• When cooled, place the rack over a sheet pan. Pour chocolate mint glaze over the cake and smooth with a spatula. Transfer the cake to a platter and garnish with mint sprigs. Serve or refrigerate.

EASY CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.
• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches water to a boil. Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl; set over (not in) water. Turn off heat; let stand until melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir to combine. Remove bowl; cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then eggs and buttermilk until combined. Fold in flour mixture until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until cake pulls away from sides and a toothpick inserted in center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; invert onto a wire rack (and leave inverted) to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Set cake on a serving platter. Tuck parchment or waxed paper under sides of cake. Pour chocolate icing onto center of cake and spread evenly over top and sides. Let set, about 40 minutes. Serve cake with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or peppermint candies, if desired.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PEPPERMINT FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8-by-8-inch square or 9-inch round light-colored metal baking pan with oil.
• In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar and eggs. Use a whisk or an electric mixer to beat the mixture until foamy and slightly lighter in texture and color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, vanilla and salt, and whisk until combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
• Whisk in the cocoa powder until combined. Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and whisk until combined and no streaks of flour remain. Stir the espresso powder into the hot water, then add the mixture to the bowl. Whisk until incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles. Bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan set on a rack for about 45 minutes.
• While the cake bakes, clean the mixing bowl and make the frosting: Add the butter to the bowl and mix on medium-high with an electric mixer until smooth, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to low, and slowly add the confectioners' sugar. Mix until the sugar is moistened, then add 2 teaspoons of the cream, the vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and salt. Turn the speed up to medium-high, and whip until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes, adding a bit more cream a teaspoon at a time, if necessary, to make a smooth and light frosting. Taste the frosting, and add a few more drops of peppermint extract if desired. The frosting can be kept at room temperature while the cake finishes baking and cooling.
• Top the cooled cake with an even layer of frosting, then use the tip of a toothpick to dot the frosting with a few small dots of gel food coloring, if using. Use a spoon or offset spatula to swirl the food coloring into the frosting to create candy cane-like stripes - just a few swipes will do the trick. If you mix it in too much, the frosting will turn pink. Top the cake with sprinkles and shaved chocolate, if desired. Store leftover cake loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.