When the Farmer Market is open during the summer in Minnesota, I buy lots of fresh herbs that I freeze or dry for the winter. My freezer is always full of parsley, dill, celery, rosemary, thyme and other wonderful herbs. I also buy mint. I can use it in a lot of things, salads, meats, this delicious peas side dish, or even jams. I love mint, so I decided to use it in this cake recipe I will share with you today.
I made the cake for my birthday this year, it was a big and very important number, so I had to mark the occasion. I love birthdays with cake. When Julia Child said: “A party without a cake is just a meeting!”, I think she was perfectly right.
I loved this cake. It is light, not very sweet and the flavor of the mint is subtle. Chocolate cake and mint infused white chocolate ganache filling, covered in dark chocolate ganache. What can be better than that?
As I was telling you at the beginning of this story, I used fresh mint in the recipe, but you can definitely use the mint extract. If you met me before, you will know that I personally love the flavors of the real mint, so I will always use it if available. After all, I like cooking and baking from scratch and use natural, whole ingredients that are fresh and high quality.
As for decorations, that was easy. I used the left over dark chocolate ganache that I infused with a little bit of mint liquor, and made few truffles that I tossed in raw cocoa. I made few leaves and a little fondant yellow rose (I used Fondarific fondant butter cream flavored) and that was it.
Isn’t that pretty?
The recipe is enough for an 9 inch cake. The measurements for the recipe are in ounces and also in grams. When we bake, we need to measure exactly, so please buy a scale. You can find cheap ones on Amazon, Target and other stores. I personally have one that measures both ounces and grams.
Be aware that this cake needs refrigeration. However, before you serve it, allow the cake to come back to room temperature for better and smooth taste.
What do you think? Are you going to make this recipe? If you enjoyed this one, maybe you would like to take a look at my collection of specialty cakes and entremets or my other collection of simple cakes that are a little bit easier and can be made for any occasion.
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Or maybe you want to join The Bossy Kitchen community group where you can share your creations made from this blog or from other sources. Everyone is welcome to join!
- For the cake:
- 5 large eggs
- 10oz/40g raw cacao
- 10oz/ 280g granulated sugar
- 10oz/280g all purpose flour
- 3.5fl.oz/100ml warm water
- 3.5 fl.oz/100ml vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon/10g/baking powder
- For the white chocolate ganache filling:
- 9.5fl.oz/270ml heavy cream
- 9.5oz white chocolate
- 9.5fl. oz./270 ml heavy cream for whipping
- 5 drops mint extract( or a small bunch of fresh mint leaves)
- For the dark chocolate ganache:
- 9.5fl.oz/270ml heavy cream
- 9.5oz/270g dark chocolate
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
- Separate the eggs.
- Mix the egg yolks with sugar, warm water, vegetable oil and cacao. Mix until the sugar is dissolved.
- Separate, mix flour, baking soda and baking powder together. Set aside.
- Beat the egg whites to a soft peak.
- Add the egg yolks over the egg whites and mix together with a spatula. Do not overmix.
- Add the flour to the eggs, using a spatula, mixing from underneath to the surface to incorporate all ingredients.
- Place the cake batter in three oiled and floured cake pans and bake for about 20 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test.
- Let them cool on a rack while you work on the ganache filling.
- Filling:
- In a small saucer, bring to a boil 9.5 fl.oz of heavy cream. Place the mint leaves in the heavy cream and let infuse for 10 minutes.
- Remove the mint leaves and bring the heavy cream to a boil again.
- Pour the heavy cream over the white chocolate and mix slowly with a spatula until the chocolate melts and becomes smooth. Set aside to cool.
- Whip the rest of the 9.5fl.oz. heavy cream to a soft consistency and add it over the white chocolate mixture.
- Mix well to incorporate all the elements.
- NOTE: If you did not use fresh mint leaves, add 5 drops of mint flavor to this filling.
- Refrigerate for an hour until it thickens and becomes spreadable.
- How to assemble the cake:
- Remove the cakes from the baking pans.
- Place a layer of cake on the platter.
- Split the white chocolate ganache filling in two parts.
- Spread one half of the ganache on the cake, then add another layer of cake. Repeat with the other half of white chocolate ganache.Place the third cake layer on top making sure the cake is straight with no bumps in the middle.
- Cover with dark chocolate ganache and decorate as you like.
- Dark Chocolate ganache:
- Place the heavy cream in a saucer and bring it to a boil.
- Pour the hot heavy cream over the dark chocolate and butter and mix until the chocolate and butter melt.
- Place it in the refrigerator to cool for about an hour.
- Bring it back to the kitchen and allow it to come to room temperature. Using an electric mixer, beat the ganache for 2-3 minute until becomes smooth and fluffy.
- Spread it on the cake with a spatula and decorate.
- NOTE: The cake needs to stay refrigerated, but when you serve, allow it to come back to room temperature.
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