Mint Chocolate Crunch Cake Food

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 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 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.

MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIE CRUNCH

Steps:

• Line baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside. In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips. Stir in extract. Combine cookies and cereal in a large bowl. Add chocolate mixture and stir to coat. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets; cool. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with two layers of plastic wrap, leaving a few inches of overhang on all sides. Open all of the ice cream containers. Place one 1 1/2 quart (or 3 pints) on the counter and let soften until it resembles thick cake batter, 5 to 10 minutes; you'll use this ice cream first. Place the other containers in the refrigerator to soften while you build the first half of the cake. (Ice cream will reach the desired consistency in the refrigerator in 20 to 30 minutes.)
• Scatter the crushed cookies in a thin, even layer across the bottom of the pan. Spoon the first softened container of ice cream over the cookies and spread into an even layer. Press down as you go to adhere the ice cream to the cookies. If at any point the ice cream is melting to liquid, pop the cake and ice cream in the freezer to firm to a spoonable consistency.
• Place the pan in the freezer while you unwrap the sandwiches. Top the ice cream with a layer of ice cream sandwiches, cutting some as needed to fill the layer to the edges.
• Spoon the remaining ice cream over the top and spread into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
• To serve, use the plastic overhang to remove the cake from the pan. Cut into squares or rectangles and serve with a drizzle of hot fudge or Magic Shell. If you're finding the cake too solid to cut, don't wait for it to soften: Warm your knife by running it under hot water and wiping it dry between cuts.

CHOCOLATE CRUNCH

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 20cm square tin and line with baking parchment. Stir the melted butter and vanilla together in a bowl. Mix the caster sugar, flour and cocoa together in another bowl.
• Pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the dry and beat together, then add the egg and beat again until combined. Press into the prepared tin. Brush the top with water and sprinkle over the granulated sugar.
• Bake for 30-35 mins. Leave to cool slightly in the tin for 5 mins before slicing into squares and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

MINT-CHOCOLATE CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 330F degrees. (or if you prefer, according to box directions).
• Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.
• Mix dry cake mix with eggs, water, oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract until smooth.
• Divide mixture evenly between 2 cake pans and bake 25-28 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Allow cakes to cool slightly (about 10 minutes) before removing from pans onto wire racks to cool completely (about 1 hour).
• For frosting:.
• In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer and a bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter and shortening until smooth.
• Add extracts and beat until combined.
• Sift together in a separate bowl, the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
• Slowly, add sugar mixture to cream cheese mixture until all of it is incorporated.
• Add milk if mixture is too dry, and beat until smooth.
• Once cakes are completely cooled, frost the bottom layer and sprinkle half (3/4 cup) of chopped pistachios on top.
• Place second cake layer and frost the top and sides of the whole cake.
• Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup pistachios on top and serve.