This one layer mint chocolate cake is reminiscent of a thin mint cookie! The recipe comes from Rebecca Firth’s cookbook The Cake Book and is truly a dessert masterpiece complete with rich chocolate cake, mint cream frosting, and glossy dark chocolate ganache to finish it all off.
You’re going to fall in love with this cake.
But first, let me share the source of this outstanding recipe. Do you follow Rebecca Firth from the blog Displaced Housewife? Rebecca is a best-selling author and flavor genius who imparts her creativity in every single recipe she publishes. She is so much fun to follow because she tells us to “bake like a boss!” Plus, her photography is stunning, her recipes are unique and craveable, and she is truly as sweet as her vanilla chocolate chip cookies.
Rebecca, you’re such a delight!!
The Cake Book!
Rebecca Firth’s latest book is The Cake Book and I am so excited to share one of her recipes. Rebecca says that every occasion is better with cake and I know everyone reading this probably agrees! The Cake Book is filled with 60 fun and unique cake recipes divided into 8 chapters. Every single recipe includes a photo, cup & gram measurements, and thorough instructions. Some recipes I’m eager to try next include Raspberry Jam Coffee Cake, Chocolate Stout Cake with Champagne Buttercream, Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Lemon Olive Oil Chiffon Cake. Read more about The Cake Book here!
Mint Chocolate Cookie Cake Details
Rebecca calls this indulgent dessert her Thicc Mint Cookie Cake. I include the word “chocolate” in the title just in case you come here searching for a chocolate cake. This cake is reminiscent of a thin mint cookie, which is why Cookie is in the title. But, you see, it’s not thin at all… it’s THICCCCCCK! The cake is a 1 layer 9-inch moist chocolate cake topped with peppermint cream frosting and mega glossy dark chocolate ganache. Eat your heart out!
- Flavor: Enjoy dark, rich chocolate cake with peppermint frosting, and dark chocolate ganache on top. If you love mint and chocolate, you’d be a fool to skip this stunner.
- Texture: This special single layer chocolate cake is as moist as my layered chocolate cake. What I love about Rebecca’s recipe, though, is that it’s made with both oil and butter. The combination of fats add plenty of moisture (oil) AND flavor (butter). I also find this cake isn’t as light and sponge-y as the layered chocolate cake, so you’ll enjoy a tighter crumb in each forkful.
- Ease: There’s 3 components to this recipe and you can work on each as others are baking/cooling/setting up. There aren’t any specialty tools required, but a double boiler is handy for the ganache. If you don’t have a double boiler, use a heat-safe bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Assembly and decorating is a breeze, which is something I always appreciate with one layer cakes!
Cake Batter Key Ingredients
Besides some basics like eggs, flour, sugar, baking powder & soda, and salt, here are some key ingredients you need for the cake batter.
- Butter: I love that Rebecca’s cake calls for both butter and oil. As mentioned above, you get rich flavor and moisture from both.
- Olive Oil: Use your extra virgin olive oil in this cake. If it’s something you like to cook with, it’s something you want to use in this recipe. If you don’t have olive oil, I’m sure you could use vegetable oil.
- Vanilla Extract: Rebecca is no stranger to vanilla extract and she loves using plenty in her delicious recipes. You need vanilla extract for the cake batter AND the chocolate ganache on top. Make sure you pick up some peppermint extract for the mint cream layer, too.
- Cocoa powder: Rebecca’s recipe calls for dutch process cocoa. I accidentally used natural cocoa the 1st time I made it, then I made it again with dutched. Both cakes were amazing! You could use either in this recipe.
- Hot Water: Hot water is the very last ingredient in the cake batter. Have you made my layered chocolate cake before? That recipe also calls for hot liquid (water or black coffee). Hot liquid enhances cocoa powder’s flavor and also encourages it to bloom and dissolve appropriately.
Below, right: Take a look at the photo below on the right. That’s creamed butter + sugar + olive oil. Make sure you cream the butter and sugar together first, and then mix in the olive oil.
Let me show you the cake batter before and after adding the hot water. On the left below, notice the thick batter. On the right below, the batter has thinned out after adding the hot liquid.
Bake the cake in a 9-inch round cake pan. My #1 tip is to always line your round pans with parchment paper rounds before adding the batter.
If you’re looking for smaller 6-inch cake, this 1 layer 6-inch chocolate cake is a favorite.
Finishing the Mint Chocolate Cookie Cake
This cake wouldn’t be THICK without our layered toppings:
- Peppermint Cream: The thick layer of peppermint frosting reminds me of the filling between oatmeal creme pies, only with a mint flavor. The peppermint cream uses a combination of butter and shortening for flavor and stability. You also need peppermint extract AND real mint for flavor. Save a few mint leaves for garnish, if desired.
- Ganache: Start the chocolate ganache as the cake cools because by the time the cake has cooled, the ganache will be ready too. Rebecca’s ganache uses *slightly* more chocolate than cream, so it’s wonderfully thick. (Thinner chocolate ganache uses a 1:1 ratio.) Use 2 cups of chopped dark chocolate, which is about 3 4-ounce chopped baking chocolate bars (such as Ghirardelli or Bakers brand). A little salt and vanilla add flavor to her ganache. I actually reduced the salt in the ganache the 2nd time I made it because I used intense dark chocolate—see my recipe note below.
Both toppings yield a lot of volume and don’t be afraid to use it all!
I hope you enjoy this show-stopping cake and if you have a moment, check out Rebecca’s new cookbook. I know many of you love finding new cake recipes!
Print
Mint Chocolate Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 8-10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This mint chocolate cookie cake will remind you of a thin mint cookie, only it’s not thin… it’s mega thick! The show stopping cake, complete with peppermint cream and glossy chocolate ganache, comes from Rebecca Firth’s cookbook The Cake Book.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into 8 pieces
- 1/4 cup (56g) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 cup (135g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (43g) unsweetened dutch-process or natural cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt or fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water
Chocolate Ganache
- 2 cups (340g) dark chocolate, finely chopped* (see note)
- 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or fine sea salt*
- 2 teaspoons (8g) pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
Peppermint Cream
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113g) vegetable shortening, room temperature*
- 2 Tablespoons (4g) fresh mint, finely chopped (plus more for garnish if desired)
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons (8g) peppermint extract
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) whole milk, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×2-inch round cake pan, line with a parchment paper round, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cake seamlessly release from the pan. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- For the cake: In the bowl of an electric handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the sugar and butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly stream in the oil. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is well blended. With the mixer on low, add in the eggs, one at a time, making sure that each is incorporated before adding in the next. Add the vanilla and run the mixer for 30 more seconds. Take the bowl out of the mixer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. With a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture in three batches, mixing each until almost blended. Batter will be very thick. Finally, pour in the hot water and whisk to combine. Pour evenly into prepared cake pan. Lightly tap pan on the counter a few times to settle the cake batter and release any trapped air bubbles.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 30-36 minutes (and up to 40 minutes, if needed but begin checking at 30). The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or when the cake springs back if you lightly poke the center with your finger. Remove from the oven and cool cake in the pan set on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and place cake directly on the cooling rack to finish cooling. Once cool, you can place the cake on your cake stand or serving plate.
- Make the ganache as the cake cools: Place the chocolate, cream, and salt in a large heat-safe bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water. (Or use a double boiler if you have one.) Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Stir frequently until chocolate has melted and ganache is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside at room temperature to cool until thickened. You want it cool enough to not melt the frosting, but still a little fluid. This takes about 60-90 minutes to cool. (NOTE: This yields a lot of ganache and I used about 3/4 of it on top of the cake and then drizzled more on each slice.)
- For the peppermint cream frosting: In the bowl of an electric handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and mint together on medium-low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. Add confectioners’ sugar, peppermint extract, and milk and continue beating until whipped, smooth and creamy.
- Assemble: Spread peppermint cream in a thick layer all over the top of the cooled cake. There’s a lot of frosting, so pile it high. Try to make the edges sharp angles that follow the line of the cake. (You can see it pictured above.) I always use a small icing spatula. Place uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to help set the frosting. Pour ganache slowly on top of cake and use a small offset spatula or a knife to gently spread all over the frosting. Return cake to the refrigerator and chill uncovered for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Feel free to garnish with mint leaves.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 4. Wrap the baked and cooled cake tightly and keep at room temperature for 1 day or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature (if frozen) then continue with step 5. Peppermint frosting can also be made 1 day ahead of time. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Bring frosting to room temperature, and then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. Adding a splash of milk will help thin the frosting out, if needed. You can also make the ganache 1 day in advance and cover and refrigerate, but you may need to slightly warm it again over a stove so it’s slightly fluid again. Assembled/frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then bring to room temperature or serve cold. See How to Freeze Cakes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Double Boiler (optional) | Small Icing Spatula | Small Offset Spatula | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Chocolate in Ganache: You can use 2 cups of high quality dark chocolate chips or 3 4-ounce chocolate baking bars that you can find in the baking aisle such as Ghirardelli or Bakers brand. Semi-sweet or dark chocolate is fine.
- Salt in Ganache: I used 70% dark chocolate baking bars (found in the baking aisle), so I reduced the salt in Rebecca’s recipe. If using very dark chocolate, you may want to keep the amount at 1/4 teaspoon. If using a sweeter chocolate, feel free to use 1/2 teaspoon as her recipe calls for.
- Shortening: If you do not have shortening, you can replace with the same amount of room temperature unsalted butter for a total of 1 cup (226g) butter in the peppermint frosting.
- Recipe with permission from The Cake Book by Rebecca Firth
I’d like to make this cake for my daughter, but she requested a two layer cake. Can I simply double the cake recipe, and then for the frosting – do I 1.5x?? I would not mind going a little light on the mint frosting. Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, for a two layer cake, you could try using our two layer triple chocolate cake recipe, with this peppermint cream in the middle of the layers. You could top with ganache, or buttercream, or both! Let us know what you try!
Typically I love anything mint chocolate, but this cake was not for me. It could be for you if you like a lot of frosting, and it is very sweet.
If I were to make again, I would leave out the fresh mint and cut the frosting in half. I chopped the mint very finely and still did not like the texture of it in the frosting.
The cake itself was very good, and I loved the ganache on top.
Thanks for giving this recipe a try, Gabby!
I’ve made this cake yesterday and while it came out as shown in the picture, it was very sweet. Truly, it’s so incredibly sweet that the sensation overwhelms all the other flavours – it’s not balanced at all. I would strongly suggest to half the amount of frosting unless you’re aiming for a mint frosting with some cake. I appreciate this is an American recipe and preferences are often cultural, so for those used to European cakes you might find the amount of frosing overwhelming.
This looks great! Could I substitute the mint cream for a different flavor buttercream (strawberry, for example) and still pour the ganache on top?
Hi Raina, absolutely!
My daughter can’t tolerate dairy (except for butter) so I’m always looking for cake recipes without buttermilk/sour cream/etc.
This cake was delicious; however I did cut the salt in half and used hot coffee instead of water. Everyone who ate this cake ranted and raved, even the ones who don’t like mint and the one who didn’t get the same toppings (my daughter had coconut-based alternatives that were still tasty).
I’ll make this again!
Best cake ever! My children loved it, must have for all hungry kids!
I’ve looked over the whole recipe and can’t find the answer! How hot should the hot water be? My tap water is 140 degrees F, which I know is on the hot side for tap water. Plus, I read that consuming water out of the hot tap is unhealthy, so we usually use the electric kettle and heat up water from the cold tap. So I can use any temperature water up to 220, lol. I’m overthinking this, right?
Hi Joan! Your electric kettle is perfect – aim for hot water around 200 degrees, if you would like to be exact about it. Happy baking!
Can this icing be used for a layer cake – say with your dark chocolate cake recipe?
Hi Kelly, yes, the mint frosting layer should work great between cake layers. Hope you enjoy it!
My 1/2 c shortening weighed 95g, not 113g. Which measurement should I use?
Hi Annie, we almost always recommend using the weight for accuracy.
I loved this recipe so so so so so much!Also im new new here so hi!
I love this frosting so much!!! you are a master mind when it comes to baking, thank you so much!
OIL CAKE. I’m sure every French Boulangerie will differ with this putrid approach to baking. If you can’t bake a moist cake without oiling it- don’t brag about your baking skills!
Wow! What a rude response. Olive oil is frequently used in cakes depending on your culture. No matter your opinion, no need to be so hostile.
This recipe is delicious. However both times I made it the centre of the cake fell significantly. I followed the recipe carefully.
Any suggestions.
Hi Danae! Usually when cakes fall, it’s a simple case of under-baking. Make sure to use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Don’t check at 30 mins as it is not cooked.
The cake sinks in the middle if checked too early. Very disappointed with that tip as it ruined my cake after so much effort.
I made this from Rebecca’s cake book! It is a great cake and easy recipe. However, the chopped mint isn’t in the instructions.
Hi Angela, it’s in step 6; making the peppermint cream frosting. So glad you enjoyed this!
A keeper! I’ve made this twice now. I adjusted the peppermint cream however for a bolder flavor. I used a full bunch of mint (spearmint) doubled the peppermint extract and added about 3tbs white vinegar. It was so fluffy and fragrant and balanced. Thank you for the recipe.
Can we try this with almond flour? How to substitute? Thanks
Hi Vijaya, we don’t recommend almond flour as it has very different baking properties and is not usually a 1:1 swap. We haven’t tested it, but you might have success experimenting with a gluten-free all-purpose flour like Bob’s Red Mill or Cup4Cup. If you give anything a try, we’d love to know how it goes for you!
Excellent, it was a big hit at our family gathering! The cake part was spot on and moist. Everyone thought it tasted just like a thin mint. For other readers, the store ran out of peppermint extract so I used 1/8 tsp of food-grade peppermint essential oil I had on hand, and skipped the fresh mint. I also had about a cup of peppermint cream and ganache left over at the end. I would recommend scaling back on these components. I did not notice a shortening taste at all, and would expect that you needed to use it to keep the buttercream stable when you poured the lukewarm ganache over top.
My family and I did not care for this cake at all. The shortening in the icing, while it achieved the desired texture, you could still taste the shortening flavor in the icing and it was off-putting. It even made me a bit queasy. The cake was very dense and dry for the amount of butter and oil in it – it needed something to make it a bit less dense and it was not sweet at all despite a cup of sugar. The only good part of the cake was the ganache. Overall extremely disappointing and another lesson of I should listen to my gut because it’s usually right. I will not be making any more of Rebecca Firth’s recipes.
Rebecca, sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy this recipe. Was your shortening at room temperature? If you’d prefer to not use shortening, you can replace with the same amount of room temperature unsalted butter for a total of 1 cup (226g) butter in the peppermint frosting. This cake isn’t as light and sponge-y as the layered chocolate cake, but if you think it was too dense, this How to Prevent a Dry or Dense Cake post might be helpful. Thanks for giving it a try!
I don’t really like mint desserts, but my son asked for a mint chocolate cake and this cake was amazing! I only made tiny adjustments, I used coconut oil instead of the shortening because I never seem to have it or need it. I thought for sure my change would make a mess of things, but it was wonderful! Oh, and I used chopped Andes mints instead of the fresh mint since it was for a teenager. He loved it! I’m super excited to try raspberry. Thank you so much!
I’m excited to try this recipe out! I wanted to see if you think I can substitute your cake recipe from dark chocolate mousse cake on your website? It seems more moist but the toppings on this one is calling for me.
Hi Melissa, you can use a single layer of the dark chocolate mousse cake with the toppings from this cake. Hope you enjoy it!
Will dried mint leaves work as a substitute for fresh mint leaves?
Hi Rina, You can leave out the fresh mint. There is still plenty of mint flavor in the cream frosting.
Can I use milk chocolate chips? I can’t get any dark chocolate
Hi Yvonne, high quality dark chocolate chips should work. The ganache will be a bit sweeter.
This cake was absolutely DELICIOUS! The mint frosting was so creamy and had the perfect mint flavor. I think I may have over baked the cake just a bit, as the edge was a little dry. And I have to try different chocolates for the ganache – I used dark, but think semi sweet may be more to my liking. Also, make sure you time your ganache cooling so you catch it at the right pourable moment. Re-melting it changes the consistency a bit. I made this for my sister’s birthday cake and we all love it. It fills your mouth with that chocolate/mint flavor! Sally’s recipes can always be counted on!!
Can you please tell me if the fresh mint is necessary? Does it supplement the mint flavor, or is it for the aesthetics of seeing the mint in the frosting? If it’s for flavor, can a little bit more peppermint extract be used instead? Some people didn’t like the mint pieces – they got in their teeth.
Hi Robin, You can leave out the fresh mint. There is still plenty of mint flavor in the cream frosting.
Made this for the first time, and it is now one of my favorite recipes! It’s been on my list for a while, and was worth waiting for. A moist, dark chocolate cake, mint frosting, topped with chocolate ganache! After reading your notes and comments, I decided to cut the amount of mint frosting and chocolate ganache in half. I’m not a big frosting person, and when you said the recipe makes a lot of ganache, I saw myself eating the extra with a spoon, and decided against that. My finished cake was not as tall, but there was enough of both to satisfy. Looking forward to enjoying this one again!
I have now made this twice. It is really a star! I bake a lot and use so many of your recipes, Sally. I am making this again today with orange instead of mint
I used this chocolate cake recipe as the base layer for an ice cream cake and it was fabulous. Based on the reviews, I reduced the salt in the cake down to half a teaspoon, and also reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup (150 g) based on my personal preference. The cake was perfectly sweetened in my opinion, and also moist and dense but not frozen hard as a rock after sitting at room temp for about 10 minutes. Perfection!
Fairly easy, and very tasty…but I let the ganache cool a bit too much, gently reheated over boiling water…and it separated. Really ugly, yet still tasted good.