Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
Rich, dark chocolate cake layers with mini chocolate chips and mint buttercream.
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 3 eggs, room temperature (I use large or extra large)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup hot water, or hot coffee
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- 2 cups unsalted butter, slightly cold
- 6 cups powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
- 6-8 teaspoons pure mint extract, start with 6, you may want more depending on how much you love mint
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
- Green food coloring, optional
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, water and vanilla. Stir until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix for about 30 seconds and then scrape down the sides of the bowl Mix again for 10-20 seconds until the ingredient are combined.
- Evenly distribute the batter among the pans. For three 8-inch pans, I usually get about 15-16 ounces in each pan. For the four 6-inch pans, about 12 ounces in each pan.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes
- Let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely.
- Once cooled completely, the cakes can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for a few days. If you want to store the cakes for longer, wrap each in foil as well. With the foil, the cake layers will be good for about a month.
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the sifted powdered sugar.
- Once the powdered sugar has been mixed in, add the mint extract, cream, salt and food coloring (if using). Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon and mix by hand to stir out the air bubbles.
- Set aside 2 cups of buttercream and mix in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. You'll use this in between the layers.
ASSEMBLY
- Place the first cake layer on a cake board or cake plate top side up. Spread 1 cup of the buttercream mixed with the mini chocolate chips across the cake layer.
- Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remainder of the mini chocolate chip filled buttercream. For the final cake layer, place it bottom side up.
- Apply a thin layer of the buttercream around the entire cake as the crumb coat. Freeze the cake for about 10 minutes to set the crumb coat and lock in those pesky chocolate crumbs.
- Continue to frost the cake with the remainder of the frosting.