Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

My children are at the age where birthdays are a big deal. As they are my children, the cake is the biggest deal of all. Past cakes and cakes at other parties are discussed and compared until eventually a decision has been reached.

I will point out that it does not have to be their own birthdays for this to occur. This past weekend was my husband's birthday and they went completely overboard in their plans. Eventually I had to put my foot down. 

No, we are not putting Legos on Daddy's cake or buying him Ninjago balloons. 

The three of them could discuss cake flavors and I would bake whatever they decided on…I knew my husband loved mint chocolate, but the boys insisted it be mint chocolate chip. So I improvised! 

I took old favorite recipes and tweaked them just a little so the mint flavor came through in both the cake and the frosting. Then to up the ante on texture and flavor I added mint chocolate chips in between cake layers. I was afraid it might be a little much but my husband (who does not have a sweet tooth in the slightest) ate TWO slices. All the grownups and kids present ate every bite…so much so that this is all we were left with after dinner. That's a hit in my book! 

Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

For the mint chocolate cake: 

I adapted our favorite chocolate birthday cake 

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk 
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp mint extract
3/4 cup hot coffee (I used decaf coffee but use whatever you prefer)

PLUS 3/4 cup mint chocolate chips during cake assembly
Preheat oven to 350 degres and prep two 8 inch round cake pans. Either butter the pans and then flour, or use a non-stick cooking spray (I like Baker's Joy)
Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment mix slowly until they are all combined. In a separate bowl, stir together all the liquid ingredients except for the coffee.

Slowly pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the dry in the mixer and mix on low speed to combine. Pour the coffee in and use a spatula to stir together.

Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. 

Cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes and then finish cooling on a rack. Wait until completely cool before frosting.

Mint Buttercream Frosting: 

adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook

1 cup unsalted butter, softened 

4 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tsp mint extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for approximately 2 minutes until it is fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar. Begin beating again but on low to start. As the butter and sugar start to incorporate raise the speed to medium and add in the cream and the extracts. 

Beat on medium-high for 4-5 minutes, adding cream or powdered sugar to adjust the consistency. You want it to almost look like it's whipped cream towards the end. This will give you that nice light and fluffy frosting. 

To assemble cake: 

Place one cake round on your plate or platter. Spread a layer of frosting across the top of cake and then sprinkle the 3/4 cup of mint chocolate chips over it. Place the second layer on top of that and frost the top with the rest of the frosting. If you want, roughly chop a few ounces of dark chocolate and sprinkle on the top of the cake as a garnish. Mint leaves or more chocolate chips would be great too!