Mint Chocolate Cookie Cake with Mint Buttercream
If you love chocolate and mint then this recipe is for you. One of my all-time favorite desserts are Mint Brownies that are very popular on the BYU (Brigham Young University) campus. I have such great memories of going to campus to get these brownies. They are heavenly.
I made several attempts to turn this cake into an even better version of these brownies and holy smokes I was successful.
I hope you enjoy this cake as much as my family and friends have.
Mint Chocolate Cookie Cake
with Mint Buttercream
Yield: 1-3 layer, 8-inch cake
Mint Buttercream Frosting
2 cups or 4 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp
6 cups SIFTED powder sugar
4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon mint emulsion or extract
(I prefer emulsions over extracts when available. They add better flavor without the bitter after taste that extracts can have)
Chocolate Ganache*
1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
*When making chocolate ganache you need equal parts chocolate/whipping cream
For the cake:
1 ¾ cup + 2 Tablespoon sugar
2 sticks butter, room temp
3 large eggs, room temp
2 ½ cups + 2 Tablespoons flour
¼ C + 2 Tablespoons cocoa (dark)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups buttermilk, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mint cookies crushed into pieces (I use Keebler Grasshopper cookies)
1 small can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
Instructions
For the cake:
Tip: The ONLY way to divide evenly is with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one and you ever make another cake I would suggest you get one. They aren’t very expensive and it does wonders when baking cakes
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray 3 8” round pans with cooking spray, then place parchment rounds* on the bottom of the pan and spray again and set aside.
*Parchment rounds can be purchased pre-cut and are a dream. These are one of those luxuries you won’t ever go without if you bake a lot of cakes
3. Combine butter and sugar and mix well. Add eggs one at a time making sure they are incorporated well.
4. In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt.
5. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla.
6. Starting and ending with the dry mixture alternate with buttermilk mixture.
Divide evenly
(The ONLY way to do this right is with a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one and you ever make another cake I would suggest you get one.
They aren’t very expensive and it does wonders when baking cakes)
7. Bake for around 25-30 minutes and then check with a cake tester. A few crumbs should come out with the tester.
8. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and let allow to cool completely. While cooling take a fork and poke holes all over each layer. Pour a good layer (4-5 tablespoons) of sweetened condensed milk over each layer to allow it to soak in while the cake cools completely.
9. Wrap your cake layers in plastic and chill in the freezer until you are ready to use them. Working with chilled cake layers is key to layering a cake. Once you are ready to use them you will want to level the cakes. This is easiest when they are still chilled but not frozen.
Tip: I prefer emulsions over extracts when available. They add better flavor without the bitter after taste that extracts can have.
For the Mint Buttercream Frosting:
1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment combine the butter and beat on medium speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
2. With the mixer on low slowly add the SIFTED powder sugar until incorporated.
3. Then add the cream, vanilla, mint flavoring, salt and green food coloring and turn the mixer up to medium and beat for several minutes.
4. Once it is mixed remove it from the stand mixer and with a wooden spoon mix the frosting by hand for a couple of minutes. This helps remove air bubbles that the stand mixer incorporates into the frosting. If you are going for a smooth look to the frosting don’t skip this step.
For the Chocolate Ganache:
In a small microwave bowl combine the chocolate and heavy cream. Place in microwave for the 30 seconds and stir until all the chocolate chips have completely melted. You may have to stick it back in the microwave for 5-10 seconds until it is completely melted. Then let cool.
Assembly
1. Once the cake layers are chilled and leveled, place a tablespoon of frosting on the cake board to help keep the cake from slipping. Then place the first cake layer in the center of the cake board.
2. Once the first layer is placed put a thin layer of the cooled ganache over the cake.
3. Add a layer of the mint buttercream over the ganache. Then add cookie pieces on top of the buttercream.
(The more cookies, the better. This just adds a wonderful crunch to the cake that is so good)
4. Place the second cake layer on top of the cookies and repeat with ganache, frosting and then cookie pieces. Place the last cake layer bottom (flat) side up.
5. Crumb coat the entire cake with the ganache and put in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
6. Continue to frost with remaining frosting.
7. Add any remaining ganache for a drip finish or to garnish the top. Add any cookie pieces to the top or sides as you want.
