This Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake is such a fun flavor combination! Made with my favorite chocolate cake as the base then topped with homemade mint frosting. A chocolate-mint lovers dream dessert!
Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
This past weekend was the third weekend of the past four that I’ve been traveling on blog-related trips. I’ve been on an Ohio Diary Adventure, to San Francisco with some of my favorite bloggers and I just got back from a blogging conference yesterday afternoon. It’s been busy and hard to keep up with everything, but it’s also be been great to spend time with my fellow bloggers – both those I’ve known for a while and those that are new friends.
Now that all the traveling is over, it’s time to settle in and saddle up because my cookbook comes out in 15 DAYS!! It’s so crazy! I got my copies almost 2 weeks ago and I’ve put together a fun little preview of what’s in the book, if you want to check it out. If you haven’t pre-ordered yet, get on it! It’s just in time for Christmas too! 🙂
Sidenote – can you believe I’m even talking about Christmas yet? I can’t deal. But it’s going to come SO fast! Let’s not talk even go there… 🙂
Instead, let’s talk about this cake. It’s delicious on overdrive. SO good!
It’s made with layers of my favorite chocolate cake. It is literally the easiest chocolate cake you could ever make and it never disappoints. Every time I make it, it’s a huge hit. So moist and chocolatey. Plus, you basically just throw everything into a bowl and mix. #dreamrecipe
You’ll notice when you bake it that it bakes on a lower temperature than is typical. It’s totally ok – that’s not a typo. And although I used Hershey’s dark cocoa powder, you could definitely switch it out for regular cocoa powder too. Your call.
The cake is frosted with mint buttercream and layered with mint chocolate pieces. They are in between the cake layers and also used to decorate the cake. You could leave them out, but I love the extra mint flavor and mix of textures. I used Andes mint baking pieces, but mint chocolate chips or something similar would work as well.
This cake was definitely a hit! It’s super yummy and it’s hard to resist the combination of mint and chocolate. I was pretty in love with it. 🙂
You might also like:
Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Mint Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake
Mint Oreo Cheesecake
Mint Chocolate Icebox Cake
Mint Chocolate Cookie Cups
Double Mint Chocolate Cookies
Mint Chocolate Brownie Brittle Bark
Fudgy Mint Chocolate No Bake Cookies
Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Slices
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake is such a fun flavor combination! I mean, how can you go wrong with a super moist mint chocolate cake? You really can’t.
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 2 cups (260g) flour
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) milk
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
MINT FROSTING
- 1 1/2 cups (336g) butter
- 1 1/2 cups (284g) shortening
- 11 1/2 cups (1323g) powdered sugar
- 5 tbsp (75ml) water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp mint extract
- Green and yellow gel icing color
- 10 oz mint chocolate pieces
Instructions
1. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides.
2. Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together to combine.
3. Add the eggs, milk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Add the vanilla to the boiling water and add to the batter. Mix on low speed until well combined.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the three cakes pans and bake at 300 degrees for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
7. While the cakes cool, make the frosting. Beat the butter and shortening together until smooth.
8. Slowly add about 1/2 of the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth between each addition of powdered sugar.
9. Add 3-4 tablespoons of water and the vanilla and mint extract to the frosting and mix until smooth.
10. Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar, mixing until smooth between each addition of powdered sugar.
11. Add additional water to the frosting as needed to get a smooth consistency, then color frosting with gel icing color.
12. When the cakes are cooled, use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the tops of the cake layers so that they are flat.
13. Place the first layer of cake on your serving plate or on a cardboard cake circle.
14. Spread 1 cup (240g) of frosting into an even layer on top of the cake, then sprinkle 1/4 cup of mint chocolate pieces on top and press into the frosting.
15. Add the second layer of cake, then another cup (240g) of frosting and 1/4 cup of mint chocolate pieces.
16. Top the cake with the third layer of cake.
17. Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. For help getting a smooth finish, refer to my tutorial on how to frost a smooth cake with buttercream.
18. Press additional mint chocolate pieces into the sides of the cake and pipe a swirl border of frosting around the top edge of the cake. Sprinkle additional mint chips over the top of the cake, if desired.
Notes
The cake is the photos uses Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder, but you can use regular cocoa powder as well. I also used Andes mint baking chips, but you can use another mint chocolate candy if you prefer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 1163
- Sugar: 138.2 g
- Sodium: 581.1 mg
- Fat: 59.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 157.7 g
- Protein: 8.5 g
- Cholesterol: 36.4 mg
Keywords: mint dessert, mint cake, chocolate cake, chocolate mint, mint layer cake, mint frosting
Enjoy!
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Hi Lindsay!
I was just wondering if the cakes are supposed to have a dent in them after they are done baking.
No, not really. If anything I would say that they should have a slight dome on top.
Hello Lindsay! I am new to cake baking and was wondering what function the boiling water has? Thank you for this fun recipe, excited to try!
You could use cold water if you wanted, but the heat helps the cocoa bloom to bring out more a intense chocolate flavor.
Hi! I cant wait to try this!! How do u get the mint pieces so evenly around the outside of the cake? It looks so pretty!
I wish I had a secret, but I really just cup them in my hand/fingers and press them against the cake.
could i possibly use the same recipe for a 10 inch cake pan? or would i have to change it?
How many layers would you be making? Still three? If you’re making a 3 layer 10 inch cake, you might want to increase the recipe a bit – maybe even double it.
Hi Lindsay! This cake is awesome! I modified it to make a two-layer cake instead of three and featured it on my blog (giving you recipe credit, of course)! https://alovelettertofood.com/recipe/chocolate-mint-layer-cake/ Thanks for the perfect chocolate mint combo.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It looks great! Thanks for linking back!
My daughter is also making this recipe for a 4-H project. She’s already made it once and it’s delicious. Is this your original cake and frosting recipe or are they from another source. Thanks!
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it! The cake is one I’ve had for years and don’t know the original source. The frosting is mine.
Hi Lindsay,
I don’t find much time to go on-line with being a working mom. But I wanted to bake a cake with my kids. I found your website and blog and I can’t stop reading your recipes and admiring the beauty of your wonderful creations! I really want to make this Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake. I am short on time and do not have time to order all the things from Amazon that you cited in the beginning. Can I find all those it me at Target or the grocery store? Also, can I use an electric hand mixer? I do NOT have a Kitchen Aid Mixer. If I wanted to make 2 layers instead of 3, can you please please tell me how to adjust everything for the cake and frosting? Can I find the 8 inch pans at the store? Can I use food coloring instead of the gel? Thank you SO much! I need to make this amazing cake fast and do not have time to order things online. I want to be able to find everything in my pantry and the store,
Thank you so much!
I’m not sure which things you say I mention in the beginning that you’d need to order? I mention my cookbook in the post, but you don’t need that for this recipe. You should be able to find all the ingredients readily at the grocery store. Sometimes the mint chips are hard to find, but usually Walmart has them, along with the other baking supplies you’d need including the cake pans and green gel icing color. Food coloring doesn’t give as strong as a color without adding a lot, which thins out your frosting. You could do it, but you’d have to be aware of the consistency. A hand mixer is just fine. I hope that helps!
I loved how it’s easy and straightforward. Just one bowl. Also, I made this gluten free replacing the flour for the same amount of a homemade pre-mix* and 3/4 tsp of xantan gum. I’ll be using this recipe from now on! Thank you so much.
Pre-mix: 300 gr of rice flour, 300 gr of manioc starch and 400 gr of cornstarch. Just mix everything and store in a container.
Can I make this in a 13×9 pan?
Sure, you just won’t need as much frosting.
My daughter made this recipe for her local youth fair. It took OVERALL GRAND CHAMPION! Thank you for sharing it.
So fun! Glad it was a hit!
i only have 2 (6 inch) round pan, what changes do i need to change?