Mint Chocolate Layer Cake

chocolate cake on a plate with one slice missing

Chocolate cake layered with mint and chocolate buttercream. Top the mint chocolate layer cake with grasshopper cookies for quick and easy decorations.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword birthday cake, chocolate cake, grasshopper, peppermint cake

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 25

Servings

Calories 705kcal

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup freshly brewed strong hot coffee

Chocolate Buttercream:

1 cup butter (softened)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tablespoons heavy cream

Mint Buttercream:

3/4 cup butter (partially softened)
1 teaspoon mint extract be sure to use mint (not peppermint)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Green food coloring (I used 10 drops)

For Decorating:

1 package thin mint grasshopper cookies
1/4 cup regular size chocolate chips

Instructions

Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 round 9-inch cake pans.
For the cake, put flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix well.
In a stand mixer, mix the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla together. Slowly add in the mix of dry ingredients while the mixer is on low. Add the coffee and make sure everything is combined. Batter will be very thin.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. While the cakes are cooling, make your frostings.

Chocolate Buttercream:

In a stand mixer with the beater blade, beat the butter for 1-2 minutes until it is smooth, creamy and nearly white in appearance.
Add in the salt and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
Add the heavy cream, a tablespoon at a time, mixing slowly until it is the consistency that you'd like.
Beat for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth and creamy.

Mint Buttercream:

In a stand mixer bowl, use the paddle attachment to cream butter on medium speed until the butter is fluffy and almost white. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides and mix in the mint and vanilla extracts.
Add in powdered sugar and heavy cream. Mix on low speed until combined.
Add in the green food coloring and beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Assemble the Cake:

Put down one layer of chocolate cake. Spread the mint buttercream on top of the cake. Place the second chocolate cake on top of the frosting. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate buttercream.
Place grasshopper cookies around the outer edge of the cake, pressing down slightly so they stay in place.
Place Wilton tip 2D in a decorating bag. Fill it with mint buttercream and pipe stars around the bottom edge of the cake. Then pipe a star on the top of each grasshopper cookie.
Lastly, make a swirl of buttercream in the center of the cake.
Place a chocolate chip on each star, if desired, then sprinkle additional chocolate chips on the swirl that is in the center of the cake.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake and using all of the frosting on the cake. If you'd like to lower the calories, use less frosting and make a "naked" style cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.

Nutrition