Friday, February 12, 2010

Birthday Cake Part 2 - Mint Chocolate

So, I don't enjoy making layered cakes all the same flavor, it's boring and not everyone likes the same thing. So, I asked my son (since it was his birthday) and my husband what they would like. My son wanted chocolate and my husband suggested mint chocolate.

I must say I've never had a mint chocolate cake before. So, I looked online for some recipes, and there weren't a whole lot. I wound up at
Cooks.com and used that recipe. Honestly, it was a bit dry and didn't make a whole lot of batter, so I made two batches, and it was overall pretty good. It went really well with the frosting. Here is a (oh so slightly) modified version that makes the cake a little more moist.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp
baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 cup milk
First you'll want to go ahead and pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.


In your mixer beat together sugar and shortening until it's fluffy. Beat in the egg and peppermint extract.
In a separate bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and the baking soda.
You'll want to alternate pouring the milk and the dry ingredients into the mixer, start with dry and end with dry. Mix really well between each item. You'll keep mixing until it's nice and smooth
I used an 8 inch pan  with Baker's Joy Sprayed very generously. Pour in to your pan and cook for 25 minutes or until cake tests done. (Stick a toothpick in the center of the cake, if it comes out clean it's done.)
Now for the Frosting!
This is really easy and it comes out perfectly and it's quite tasty.
Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp butter (softened)
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
2 - 3 Tbsp milk
1-2 drops green food coloring'
So, the easiest way to soften the butter, with out it melting, is to leave it out. Let the butter sit on the counter while you're making the cake. If you forget you can always pop it in the microwave for about 15 seconds, though sometimes it melts, and melting it makes it a little runnier.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together sugar, butter, extract and enough milk to have the consistency you're looking for. I only used 2 Tablespoons, though depending on what you're using it for you may want to use more.
After it's all nice and smooth, add in a few drops of food coloring, enough to make it pastel green. I only used it for the center of the two layers. Set aside and use it when the cake is cooled.
(Final picture on last of this series)

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