Mint Chocolate Chip... Cake?

My birthday came around on New Years Day, so I figured, what birthday cake am I going to make myself?  Well it obviously had to be better than anything else that I had made to date, right?  So this is what I decided on: A delicious Mint Chocolate Chip Cake.

 

"Isn't that just an ice-cream flavor?" This is the response I got from almost everyone upon my making it.  But the answer is, of course not!  This cake is almost too goo to believe (mainly because mint chocolate chip is my favorite).  The hard chocolate shell and chips in the icing make it a perfect combination of smooth and crunchy.

 

Did you just die?

First things first, you make this deliciously moist chocolate cake.  Now, here's a little trick that I picked up that may revolutionize your life.  Wilton Bake Even Strips. You wet them, wrap them around the pan, and poof!  The moisture helps the cake to bake even throughout, and more importantly, flat.  This makes stacking cakes so much easier.

 

Now that the cakes are done, it's time for the best part! Mint Chocolate Chip Icing!  It is really a more solid form of the ice cream and is what makes the cake so delicious.

Layer one and this fantastically chunky icing goes on great.  I thought it would be difficult to spread, but have no fear, it's a piece of cake ;-)

 

Then you add layer two and dump the rest of the icing all over this cake!  Try not to eat it all in the proccess.

 

Now melt that delicious mint chocolate and pour it right on top.

 and...... VOILA!  One beautiful and irresistable cake.  Happy Birthday to me!

 

Chocolate Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
9 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup brewed coffee, cooled
1/2 cup milk

Mint Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
8 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 cup milk plus 2 Tbsp
11 oz mini chocolate chips
1/8 tsp green food coloring gel

For the topping:
1 bag mint chocolate chips

1. In medium bowl, sift cocoa with flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside. In measuring cup, mix coffee and milk together. Set aside.
2. In mixer, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Slowly add in dry ingredients alternating with the coffee/milk blend (about 3 additions of each).
3. Pour cake batter into two prepared pans (two 9inch cake pans lined with parchment paper and then greased and floured). Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Remove and allow to cool about 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting.
4. For frosting, in food processor, pulse dark chocolate until small bits (not powder)! Set aside.
5. In mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar and milk (slowly add the milk, you may not need it all) for 3-5 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add in extract and food coloring gel. Mix until fully blended. Add more milk if necessary to desired consistency. Fold in chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips.
6. Frost first layer of cake, then top it with second layer. Completely frost sides and top of cake.
7. Melt the bag of mint chocolate chips in the microwave on 30 second intervals on HALF power.  Stir in between each interval and do this until mostly smooth.  (There may be a bump or two but you don't want to burn it.)