This makes a great special-occasion cake with the ever-popular combination of chocolate and peppermint.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1¾ cups flour
- 1½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup slightly warmed milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup piping hot coffee
- Mint chocolate — chopped, to garnish
For the peppermint frosting
- 225g butter — softened
- 3½ cups icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon peppermint essence
- 3–4 drops green food colouring
- A pinch of salt
- 1–2 tablespoons cream
Method
For the decadent mint chocolate cake
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (160°C fan bake). Line two 20cm-diameter round cake tins with baking paper.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in an electric mixer.
- Place the milk, oil, eggs and vanilla in a bowl or jug and whisk with a fork.
- Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Whisk in the coffee a little at a time until blended.
- Divide the cake batter (it will be very liquid) evenly between the prepared cake tins.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool.
- To make the Peppermint Frosting, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the icing sugar 1 cup at a time until well blended.
- Add the peppermint essence, food colouring and salt.
- Add the cream, starting with 1 tablespoon and adding more if needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Spread the frosting over the cake after it has cooled completely. Decorate with chopped mint chocolate.