Description
This Mint Chocolate Cake is a moist and easy-to-make dessert that combines rich chocolate flavors with refreshing mint essence. Perfectly balanced, it features a tender cocoa-infused sponge layered with a creamy peppermint buttercream and finished with semi-sweet chocolate for an indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder (Dutch processed preferred)
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt (only use ½ tsp if using salted butter)
- 1 cup soft light brown sugar
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ¾ cup whole milk (room temperature)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- ½ cup unflavored vegetable oil (canola oil preferred)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2½ tsps vanilla extract/essence
- ¾ cup strong hot coffee (1 tbsp instant coffee powder in ¾ cup hot water or espresso)
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- 1½ cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (icing or confectioners’ sugar)
- 2 tsps vanilla extract/essence
- ½ cup heavy cream (room temperature, suitable for making whipped cream)
- 2 tsps peppermint extract/essence
- 2 drops green food colouring (optional)
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate (finely chopped, 50% dark chocolate preferred)
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside to ensure even mixing and remove any lumps.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, combine softened light brown sugar, white granulated sugar, whole milk, melted unsalted butter, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and hot coffee. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture becomes smooth and homogenous.
- Combine Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Bake the Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your cake pans. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool completely on wire racks.
- Prepare Mint Buttercream: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the room temperature unsalted butter until creamy and light. Gradually add powdered sugar, continuing to beat. Add vanilla extract, heavy cream, peppermint extract, and green food coloring (if using). Beat on high speed until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread an even layer of the peppermint buttercream on top. Add the second cake layer and use the remaining buttercream to frost the top and sides of the cake.
- Add Chocolate Garnish: Sprinkle or gently press the finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate onto the frosting around the edges or scatter on top for texture and extra chocolate flavor.
Notes
- Use Dutch processed cocoa powder for a richer, smoother chocolate flavor.
- If salted butter is used, reduce salt to ½ tsp to balance flavors.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more uniformly, yielding a better texture.
- Strong coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
- Green food coloring is optional and helps give the cake a festive minty appearance.
