This is not your average chocolate cake recipe! A layer of frosting reminiscent of mint chocolate chip ice cream covers a moist cocoa filled cake.
Love chocolate mint desserts? This Mint Chocolate chip rice krispie treat recipe is thick and chewy! Or try a batch of these delicious mint chocolate chip brownies for a fudgy, decadent dessert.
Why this Recipe Works
I know my way around a chocolate cake recipe by now. But I’d never made a chocolate cake quite like this before.
The frosting on this cake tastes like melted mint chocolate chip ice cream.
The moist and rich chocolate cake with the mint chip buttercream frosting already had me in the palm of its hand. Then, the decadent layer of chocolate ganache sent me straight to chocolate lover’s paradise.
You’re welcome to join me. We have chocolate.
I stuck with the ice cream theme and arranged this cake to resemble a mint chocolate chip sundae, cherry and all. If you love mint and chocolate together, you HAVE to try this chocolate cake recipe!
Ingredients Needed
To achieve mint chocolate nirvana, you start by making a layer of chocolate cake.
Here’s what you need to make the chocolate cake:
- All purpose flour
- Eggs
- Butter – softened first; unsalted is my preference but salted butter will work too.
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder – Dutch processed if possible and always unsweetened
- Brewed coffee – Cooled to room temperature
- Milk
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Kosher Salt
Step by Step Instructions
STEP 1. Line two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper then lightly grease and flour both (or use my homemade cake release). In a medium bowl, sift cocoa with flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
STEP 2. In measuring cup, mix coffee and milk together. Set aside.
STEP 3. In mixer, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Slowly add in dry ingredients alternating with the coffee/milk blend (I do about 3 additions of each).
STEP 4. Pour cake batter into the two prepared pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minute or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool about 10 minutes before removing from pans.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting and ganache.
How to Make Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting
For that cool and creamy mint frosting you need:
- Butter – Don’t forget to let it soften first so it’s easier to beat.
- Powdered sugar
- Peppermint extract
- Milk
- Dark chocolate chunks – I used the 62% cocoa chunks. It gives the frosting a depth of chocolate flavor that pairs beautifully with the mint!
- Green food coloring
- Maraschino cherry (or fresh cherry) – Optional but adds a satisfying finishing touch and pop of red color!
To make the frosting:
STEP 1. Pulse the dark chocolate chunks in a food processor until they turn into small bits (not powder)! Set aside.
STEP 2. In a mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar and milk for 3-5 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Remove one or two scoops of frosting, and set aside. You’ll use these to look like the whipped cream on the cake.
Add in extract and food coloring gel to remaining frosting. Mix until fully blended. Add more milk if necessary to desired consistency. Fold in chopped dark chocolate.
Assembling the cake
Frost the first layer of the chocolate cake using a rubber spatula or your favorite frosting utensil. Place the second layer on top of the first.
Completely frost sides and top of cake. With remaining green frosting, scoop several scoops on top of cake to look like ice cream! Cute, right?
With the reserved white frosting, place in a pastry bag or ziploc bag with a corner cut out. Set this aside until the final step.
There’s one last step: Chocolate ganache
Ganache Recipe
Ingredients for the chocolate ganache:
- Heavy cream
- Semi sweet chocolate chips
- Peppermint extract
To make the chocolate ganache, heat the cream in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat.
Now, pour chocolate chips into a food processor and slowly add in the hot cream and extract. Process chocolate and cream for about 2-3 minutes until completely combined.
Finally, pour all that chocolate over your frosted cake. Add your reserved white frosting to look like whipped cream. Place a cherry on top and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t stress about the assembly. I love the look of decorating this like a mint chocolate chip sundae but if you like, you can also just frost it like a regular cake and drizzle the ganache over it. It will still look and taste amazing!
- The gel food dye works best for this cake. The liquid dyes or natural substitutes won’t be quite the same.
- Be sure to use Peppermint Extract, not mint. Mint will taste like spearmint toothpaste.
- Craving Cupcakes? Try our Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake recipe instead!
More Easy Cake recipes
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- Swedish Cake
- Chocolate Candy Cane Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
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- Banana Cake Recipe
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Chocolate Cake with Mint Chip Frosting
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup brewed coffee cooled
- ½ cup milk
FOR THE FROSTING:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ cup milk plus 2 Tablespoons
- 11 ounce dark chocolate chunks 62%cacao
- ⅛ teaspoon green food coloring gel
- 1 maraschino cherry or fresh cherry, optional
FOR THE GANACHE:
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate morsels
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- In medium bowl, sift cocoa with flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
- In measuring cup, mix coffee and milk together. Set aside.
- In mixer, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Slowly add in dry ingredients alternating with the coffee/milk blend (I do about 3 additions of each).
- Pour cake batter into two prepared pans (two 9inch cake pans lined with parchment paper and then greased and floured). Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Remove and allow to cool about 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting.
- For frosting, in food processor, pulse dark chocolate until small bits (not powder)! Set aside.
- In mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar and milk for 3-5 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Remove one or scoops of frosting, to look like the whipped cream on the cake. Add in extract and food coloring gel to remaining frosting. Mix until fully blended. Add more milk if necessary to desired consistency. Fold in chopped dark chocolate.
- Frost first layer of cake, then top it with second layer. Completely frost sides and top of cake. With remaining green frosting, scoop several scoops on top of cake to look like ice cream.
- With the reserved white frosting, place in ziploc bag and cut of corner. Pipe onto top of cake to resemble whipped cream.
- For the ganache, heat 3/4 cup heavy cream in saucepan. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. In food processor, pour chocolate chips and slowly add in hot cream and extract. Process chocolate and cream for about 2-3 minutes until completely combined. Pour over chocolate cake and top with a cherry. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t stress about the assembly. I love the look of decorating this like a mint chocolate chip sundae but if you like, you can also just frost it like a regular cake and drizzle the ganache over it. It will still look and taste amazing!
- The gel food dye works best for this cake. The liquid dyes or natural substitutes won’t be quite the same.
- Be sure to use Peppermint Extract, not mint. Mint will taste like spearmint toothpaste.
Nutrition
It’s impossible to look at this Chocolate Cake with Mint Chip Frosting and not “ooh” and “ahh” over it. The taste is even better!
Do you make a hot cocoa cake as well. I think it has ganache and some kind of marshmallow frosting or something like that. Thank you.
I don’t but that sounds incredible!!
This has been one of our favorite desserts for a long time! That mint chocolate chip frosting is the bomb!
Chocolate and Mint is my favorite summertime flavor combo. So fresh and rich. This cake is SO SO good! Thanks for the easy to follow and delicious recipe!
This cake is out of this world! The flavor combination is my family’s favorite of all the cakes I make. It’s so cute too!
This was simply delicious!!! I changed the recipe to cupcakes since that is easier for my family when I made it for Father’s Day and everyone devoured it! I did add a little extra peppermint extra and green food coloring since neither were strong enough for our tastes. I also made it gluten free by replacing the flour with Better Batter and no one could tell the difference. All in all though, this recipe is 100%!! Make it NOW!
Thanks for the sweet comment and letting my readers know your tweaks and tips!!
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I myself would use a deep chocolate cake mix because I dont want coffee in my cake and why not use andes mints instead of the dark chocolate chunks? Thank you. Also I will make your cake release.
The coffee just enhances the chocolate flavor, doesn’t make it taste like chocolate. And you can certainly use Andes if you prefer 🙂
So i don’t like mint in a large quantity,but wow! that green color is so beautiful!
Thank you!
This looks delicious! I will be making your cake this week for a baby shower at work! The mother-to-be loves mint chocolate desserts! Hopefully I can pull it off! 🙂
I was just searching for this information for a while. After six hours of continuous Googleing, at last I got it in your website. I wonder what’s the lack of Google strategy that don’t rank this type of informative websites in top of the list. Usually the top web sites are full of garbage.
I made this today for my husband’s birthday. It was amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe! It turned out perfectly.
My kids would flip for this — major mint chocolate chip fanatics!
This week’s “A Little Birdie Told Me…” feature theme is Peppermint, so look for your post to be included in the yummy lineup!
Jenn
I love the way this cake looks! In fact I love all your recipes. I however do not like coffee flavor any suggestions on replacing the coffee or just leave it out?
Candice
Typing as I drool…just shared your cake pic w/my hubs. We’re lovin’ it. haha! Your son is adorable too. I’m off to become your newest follower! 🙂