Mint Chocolate Cake Cones Food

MINT CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ICE CREAM CONES

Steps:

• To make a cone holder, first find a small cardboard box that will fit in your freezer (a shoebox works perfectly). Turn it upside down, and cut 8 X's evenly spaced across the bottom with a sharp knife. Push down on each X to make a hole into which you can place an ice cream cone so it will stand upright.
• Melt the chocolate, shortening and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until smooth, about 4 minutes. Pour the mixture into a small bowl, and stir in the mint extract.
• Pour about 1 tablespoon of the melted chocolate mixture into a sugar cone, and swirl to completely coat the inside. Pour any excess chocolate back into the bowl. Place the cone in the cone holder. Repeat with the 7 remaining cones. Let the chocolate set up at room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Fill each cone to the top with ice cream, and top with an additional 1/3-cup scoop. Return the cones to the cone holder, and freeze to harden the ice cream, about 30 minutes.
• Put your desired topping in a small bowl. If the remaining melted chocolate mixture starts to solidify, heat it in the microwave in 10-second increments, stirring in between, until it is fluid again. Dip each top scoop of ice cream in the chocolate to mostly cover it, leaving a little bit exposed. Let any excess chocolate drip off, then immediately dip the top scoop in the topping. Work quickly, as the chocolate shell sets in seconds.
• Serve the cones immediately, or store them in the cone holder in the freezer until ready to serve. To freeze filled cones individually (for up to 2 weeks), roll each up in a large triangle of wax paper and tape closed.

MINT CHOCOLATE ICE BOX CAKE

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine heavy cream, sugar, and mint extract. Beat on medium-high speed until medium peaks form.
• Add green food coloring, drop by drop, until cream turns mint green.
• Continue beating until stiff peaks form; do not overbeat.
• Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of mint cream to a 7-inch round on a serving plate.
• Arrange 7 cookies side by side on top of the circle, keeping one cookie in the center.
• Spread with ½ cup cream.
• Repeat with remaining cookies and cream, making 9 layers and ending with a layer of cookies. (Note: you will have cookies leftover.).
• Reserve remaining cream for topping. Cover reserved cream and cake and transfer to the refrigerator, six hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, top with reserved cream, sprinkle with crushed cookies, and garnish with fresh mint.

MINT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×2 inch round cake pan, line with a parchment paper round (see #6 in Cake Baking Tips), and then lightly grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cake seamlessly release from the pan. I recommend using nonstick spray for greasing.
• In the bowl of an electric handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly stream in the oil. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is well blended. With the mixer on low, add in the eggs, one at a time, making sure that each is incorporated before adding in the next. Add the vanilla and run the mixer for 30 more seconds. Take the bowl out of the mixer.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture in three batches, mixing each until almost blended. Batter will be very thick. Finally, pour in the hot water and whisk to combine. Pour evenly into prepared cake pan. Lightly tap pan on the counter a few times to settle the cake batter and release any trapped air bubbles.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 30-36 minutes (and up to 40 minutes, if needed but begin checking at 30). The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or when the cake springs back if you lightly poke the center with your finger. Remove from the oven and cool cake in the pan set on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and place cake directly on the cooling rack to finish cooling. Once cool, you can place the cake on your cake stand or serving plate.
• Place the chocolate, cream, and salt in a large heat-safe bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water. (Or use a double boiler if you have one.) Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Stir frequently until chocolate has melted and ganache is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside at room temperature to cool until thickened. You want it cool enough to not melt the frosting, but still a little fluid. This takes about 60-90 minutes to cool. (NOTE: This yields a lot of ganache and I used about 3/4 of it on top of the cake and then drizzled more on each slice.)
• In the bowl of an electric handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and mint together on medium-low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. Add confectioners' sugar, peppermint extract, and milk and continue beating until whipped, smooth and creamy.
• Spread peppermint cream in a thick layer all over the top of the cooled cake. There's a lot of frosting, so pile it high. Try to make the edges sharp angles that follow the line of the cake. (You can see it pictured above.) I always use a small icing spatula. Place uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to help set the frosting. Pour ganache slowly on top of cake and use a small offset spatula or a knife to gently spread all over the frosting. Return cake to the refrigerator and chill uncovered for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Feel free to garnish with mint leaves.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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.

MINT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter according to package directions, using a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, combine the frosting ingredients until smooth. Spread over cooled cake. , For topping, in a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Stir in extract. Spread over frosting. Refrigerate until set.

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line the base of two 9-inch cake pans with waxed paper.
• Sift together the cocoa, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully combined.
• Combine the coffee and milk. Stir half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir in all of the coffee and milk. Add remaining flour mixture, mix until smooth.
• Pour batter in prepared pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Watch closely, chocolate cakes dry out quickly with overbaking. Cool in pans about 5 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans and place on wire racks to cool completely.
• Frosting: Beat butter until fluffy and smooth. Add sifted powdered sugar, beating until combined. Add peppermint extract to taste and green food coloring as desired. Stir in chocolate pieces. Frost cake layers.
• To decorate as suggested, I carefully broke pieces off sugar cones until they were about 3 1/2 inches and, using my cookie scoop, made small scoops of frosting for mini "ice cream" cones to top cake. Serve at room temperature.