Rich chocolate cake layers are filled with a pepppermint buttecream and peppermint dark chocolate ganache in this glorious wintermint cake.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by International Delight®. As always, my thoughts and opinions are my own. Visit International Delight’s website and share how ID helps you capture the spirit of the season for a chance to win a holiday brunch for friends and family sponsored by International Delight!
Wintermint Cake

Cake, plus NEWS.

That’s what I’ve got for you today, so I don’t want to hear any of this “but I’m so full!”, “I’m only eating salad!”, “I can’t even look at one more sweet thing!” nonsense.

There is always room for one more cake slice, even when half of your belly is being taken up by a 21 week baby. I don’t take no for an answer.

Wintermint Cake

So….how was your Christmas?!

Ours felt a lot like a whirlwind, between an ugly sweater party we hosted last Saturday, Christmas Eve that we hosted on Wednesday, Christmas Day at my mom’s, and belated Christmas yesterday (Sunday) at The.Boy’s parents’. Oh, and a Super Important Detailed Anatomy Ultrasound on Monday.

(More on that later.)

(!!!!!!!)

To say that I am super thankful to have this next week off from school to mentally prepare myself is an understatement. To say that I am EVEN MORE thankful to be headed to Charlottesville, Virginia on a Babymoon with The.Boy to just stay in a bed and breakfast and relax for the rest of the week….is an understated understatement.

Wintermint Cake

So, just a little bit of baby talk and then it’s ALL CAKE.

First of all, we are OVER HALFWAY THERE!! Whoa. This little munchkin is moving and shaking up a storm in there, and I love feeling every move. Even at 2AM when I get woken up to a large and resounding kick in my bladder that has me running for the bathroom. Even then.

Everything went well at our anatomy scan last week. Baby is healthy and growing according to schedule, and has all of her fingers and toes.

Yes…you heard right. HER fingers and toes. We are having a GIRL!!!

So consider this pink frosting to be a little bit of a reveal.

Wintermint Cake

I can’t say that I’ve been having many major cravings these days, but hot chocolate has been a mainstay since the early days of my pregnancy. I think it’s probably because I can’t have quite as much coffee as I’d like or was used to, so I crave something hot and lovely to fill up my belly. The only problem is I’m really not into anything that’s all that sweet and finding dark hot chocolate that’s just the perfect amount of rich with just the slightest hint of sweetness is really no easy feat. Recently, I’d taken a DIY approach until I discovered International Delight’s line of refrigerated hot chocolates, which comes in both milk and dark chocolate flavors. Uh, JACKPOT.

Color me obsessed, because this stuff is the best for sitting around a dessert table with family or waking up to on a wintry morning or drinking just because.

Wintermint Cake

It’s also pretty darn good at turning a rich chocolate cake into something even richer and chocolatey-er. Case in point.

When I was trying to decide what desserts were on my shortlist for this year’s holiday baking, this wintermint cake from the good old Baked boys caught my eye. Unfortunately, my family is not so much into the chocolate and peppermint combo, but it is pretty much The.Boy’s family’s favorite flavor combo EVER, so I brought it to our belated Christmas gathering yesterday.

This holiday season masterpiece is pretty much a classic chocolate cake that is made even better by substituting International Delight’s hot chocolate for the hot water that the recipe called for. No brainer. It is filled with thin layers of peppermint chocolate ganache and thick layers of perfect peppermint buttercream.

For those of you who still have holiday or New Year’s parties to attend this week, THIS CAKE IS FOR YOU.

And for the rest of you, I suspect that making it “just because” is just as good a reason as any.

Wintermint Cake

Wintermint Cake
 
Rich chocolate cake layers are filled with a pepppermint buttecream and peppermint dark chocolate ganache in this glorious wintermint cake.
Yield: 10-12 servings
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake
  • ¾ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • ½ cup hot water
  • ¾ cup hot International Delight Dark Hot Chocolate
  • ⅔ cup sour cream
  • 2⅔ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 6 oz unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
For the peppermint buttercream
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ⅓ cup all purpose flour
  • 1½ cups whole milk
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 12 oz unsalted butter, soft
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
For the peppermint chocolate ganache
  • 6 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ tsp peppermint extract
Instructions
  1. For the cake, heat oven to 325F. Grease and line 3 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, hot water, hot chocolate, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and vegetable shortening until totally combined, about 5 minutes on medium high speed. Add in the sugars and beat together until light and fluffy, about 5 more minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
  4. Mix in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the chocolate mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each one. Scrape down the sides of the bowl one last time and beat for a few more seconds.
  5. Divide the batter between the three pans, using a small offset spatula to spread evenly. Bake, rotating the pans halfway, for 35-40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto a parchment-lined wire rack and let cool completely.
  6. When the cakes are totally cool, make the frosting. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour, whole milk, and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 8-12 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed until cool, about 10 minutes.
  7. Reduce the speed to low and add in the butter, 1 tbsp at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy. If the mixture is too soupy, put in the fridge for 15 minutes and beat again. Add in the vanilla and peppermint extracts and beat until combined.
  8. To make the peppermint chocolate ganache, in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, until chocolate is melted completely, mixing after every 30 seconds. Mix until totally combined. Stir in the peppermint extract. Let cool for 15 minutes.
  9. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a serving platter or rotating turntable. Trim the top so that it is flat. Cover with ¼ cup of the ganache on the top of the layer. Place in the freezer for 3 minutes to let the ganache set. Remove from the freezer and spread with 1 cup of buttercream. Top with the next cake layer and repeat, trimming, adding the ganache, and the buttercream. Add the third layer and trim the top. Spread the entire cake with a thin layer of peppermint buttercream for the crumb coat. Place in the refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes to allow the frosting to firm up.
  10. Color the frosting as desired using food coloring or food gel. Frost the cake as desired. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 slice

 

Wintermint Cake

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

blog_share_subscribe
Share →

53 Responses to Wintermint Cake

  1. A giiirrrrrl! So exciting!!! It wasn’t that long ago when I wished for you to have a baby…and here we are. Ok. I wish for this cake to be in front of me right now *blink*…. Um. Dammit.

  2. Congratulations! Lovely to know that everything is as it should be. Enjoy your time off – although I suspect life will never be the same. 🙂

  3. A girl!!! Yay! I’m so excited for you! (The cake looks pretty darn good, too.)

  4. Girl?! OMG JUMPING UP AND DOWN!!! So freaking exciting!!

    As if that wasn’t enough, this cake looks super delicious. But AH GIRL!!!

  5. debbie says:

    A girl! How exciting!!! And a perfect cake for this occasion! Enjoy your trip to Charlottesville. Hope the weather stays nice for you!

  6. Victoria says:

    Congrats on your baby girl! Very exciting! Also this cake looks phenomenal. Definitely one of my favorite flavor combos.

  7. Yay, congratulations! 🙂 And oh my gosh I need peppermint buttercream in my life.

  8. Zainab says:

    Ahhhhhh it’s a girrrrrlllll!! So exciting!!! I can’t wait to meet her already. Congratulations!!!

  9. Betty says:

    Awww…a girl! Congratulations! Have fun in C’ville- great place to relax. Cake looks scrumptious! 🙂

  10. So exciting! She is one lucky little gal to have you as her mama! 🙂
    And this cake looks amazing, as always!!

  11. Johanna GGG says:

    I have these peppermint candy canes leftover and I could just see them crushed and sprinkled on this cake – though we aren’t all keen on chocoalte peppermint in my house (outrageous I know) so am not sure if it will happen but I want it – and glad to hear scans are going well – good luck

  12. Daphne says:

    Exciting news! And a great cake to celebrate. Love the layers and Peppermint and chocolate? Yummo!

  13. Sues says:

    Woo hoo!! I’m so excited for you!! And wintermint just sounds like the best flavor in the world 🙂

  14. Trisha says:

    A GIRL!!! Congratulations! That is so so so exciting! Have an awesome time on your babymoon in Charlottesville! My sister and I visited last summer and loved it. I recommend Pippin Hill vineyard. They have delicious food and beautiful views of the countryside. Monticello is worth a visit too!

  15. Congratulations on learning it’s a girl. It sounds like the babymoon is perfectly timed to celebrate and relax before 2016 gets going – I hope you enjoy it. This cake is a good way to kick start the celebrations too!

  16. Nicole, RD says:

    Congratulations, Joanne! Girls are so much fun 🙂

  17. CONGRATS on y’alls baby girl!!! She is in for a treat when she is able to eat delicacies like this cake! Happy New Year Joanne!

  18. Whuuuuut! I somehow missed the news that you are WITH CHILD! Congrats my dear, such wonderful news… and a girl too, so delighted for you <3 <3

  19. Heather says:

    As soon as I saw the pink frosting, I wondered if that’s what this post would reveal! Congratulations on finding out you’re having a lovely lady!

  20. annie says:

    I’ve never heard of a babymoon, what a great idea for a mom-to-be. I hope you’re takin’ a slice or two of this with you. Congrats on a girl, a little mini Joanne!

  21. How exciting, Joanne!! Congratulations!!!
    The cake looks super and definitely a perfect one to celebrate!
    Happy New Year!
    Angie

  22. This cake looks unreal! And CONGRATS! So happy for you- your little girl is going to be so healthy and well fed at all times 😉

  23. Marcia says:

    Yay pink!

    I’ve got 2 boys.

    I have to get my “pink on” when buying gifts for my nieces and my friend’s daughters.

    But my next door neighbors just had their 3rd baby – finally a girl!

  24. So happy for you – that is lovely news! And what a delicious way to celebrate! Your Wintermint Cake looks irresistible – I’d always have room for a slice of it 🙂

  25. Ala says:

    ermigawsh, giiiiiirl–I’m so excited for you and your little one, on her way!! I’ve missed checking your updates and now I’m so glad I finally got around to it again. SO lovely hearing about all of your wonderful news: sending you amazing wishes for the brand new year ahead!

  26. CONGRATS! Girls are the best (though I might be biased ;)). This cake sounds so delish, too, with the addition of hot chocolate!

  27. Oh wow Joanne. A girl!!. Have a great break.

  28. Julia says:

    Gaaaaah I can’t wait to see pictures of your baby girl! Congrats on being halfway there – I bet you’re on the edge of your seat! DIS CAKE! BAAAH I want to down all the thick, tri-layer slices in one sitting! That pink frosting has me in stitches and I’m all about this wintermint thing you’ve got going on. Definitely on my to-bake agenda just because! 😀

  29. Beth says:

    Gorgeous cake! Enjoy your babymoon. And I never had cravings either, except one day when I couldn’t do anything but sit at my desk and think about carrot cake. (Can you blame me?)

  30. Congrats on a girl! I hope you’re able to relax and have a great babymoon! This cake sounds incredible. Forget the salad, I need a slice of this cake!

  31. SO exciting! I can’t believe you’re half way there. I don’t mean that in the “Oh, it’s so easy and time is flying by” kinda way… just that I feel like you just announced it, like, yesterday. Anyway, I’ll keep my mouth shut. SO EXCITING!!!

    Hope you’re enjoying you’re little getaway!

    Love love love this cake. Love mint anything, so it’s right up my alley. And I love the color of that icing! A great way to celebrate 🙂

  32. you look sooo adorable with that belly..have a great babymoon 🙂

  33. Congrats!!! Such exciting news 🙂 This cake is a perfect “gender reveal” too, looks and sounds delicious!

  34. Kate says:

    As soon as I saw the pink frosting I knew this was going to be a sex reveal! Congratulations!

  35. grace says:

    aw, congrats! i foresee lots of kitchen time for baby girl as she grows up. 🙂

  36. Lynn says:

    Ah – this makes me smile. The baby news and the vision that is this cake! I’m betting she’ll like cake with pink frosting. Hugs!

  37. Congrats Joanne! This cake looks super scrumptious!

  38. That is a yummy sounding cake and love the bright color. Happy new year.

  39. Sarah says:

    I bet you guys are super excited 🙂 Congrats! Happy New Year!

  40. P says:

    A GIRL?! This cake is so fitting! Couldn’t be more happier for you!!

    Have any name ideas yet 🙂 ?

  41. Happy New Year!! And what wonderful news – a girl!! So exciting for you both! And bet this cake is as delicious as you described it! Have a great weekend!!

  42. I am so so so happy for you – A GIRL!!! Keep those updates coming! And, gorgeous pink perfection of a cake. 🙂

  43. I seriously need to make a layered cake, because this looks amazing!!
    Also, I am so excited reading about your pregnancy!! I am excited to finally “see” your baby girl 😉

  44. Foodiewife says:

    How exciting. Pink everywhere! Congrats. Oh, and chocolate and peppermint is one of my favorite pairings.

  45. Congrats on your baby girl!!!!! This cake is amazing. She is going to be one lucky girl growing up with your yummy food. I am in AWE of your continued frequent posting amongst third year rotations. I am barely afloat over here on the busier rotations, but going to try to post more as part of my new years resolution 🙂

  46. James says:

    Congrats on the baby! Just had one question…..can I substitute the 3/4 cup of International Delight Dark Hot Chocolate with whole chocolate milk? Trying to keep as chemical free as I can for my daughter. She has many food allergies and sensitivities. Thanks in advance!

  47. Happy New year, Joanne!! So glad the baby is healthy and CONGRATS on having a girl!! I’m super excited for you and glad your pregnancy has been going well! LOVE this wintermint cake! From the peppermint and chocolate flavor to the pretty in pink frosting – all of it is perfection! Cheers, my dear!

  48. Pam says:

    First of all, the cake looks utterly delicious & pretty.

    Secondly, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! My first baby was a girl too. The whole experience is amazing and I am just so happy for you and The.Boy. Enjoy every single second. It flies by! My daughter just turned 13 and my son is now 10. It seriously goes by in a blink.

    Enjoy your Babymoon!!

  49. Happy new year, Joanne, and I’m excited to hear that you’re having a girl!! Glad to hear that your baby is healthy and that you got to spend some babymoon time!

    This cake is beautiful!

  50. this cake is GORGEOUS and sooo perfect for winter!

  51. Can’t believe you’re having a girl! That’s the best news! 🙂

  52. Aww you’re having a girl! Congrats!! xo

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *