Chocolate Mint Devil's Food Cake w/ a Chocolate Mint Ganache

This Chocolate Mint Devil's Food Cake w/ a Chocolate Mint Ganache all came about thanks to a friend that knows how to do hair. 

I had a friend help me out the other day.  She came over and taught some of the church girls I work with how to do a couple cute hair styles.  Seriously, I knew I wasn't great with hair, but I didn't know how little I knew.  It wasn't until the night before my wedding did I learn that bobby pins come in different colors.  I thought there was only the brown kind.  I had no idea 

Up until my friend taught that little class on hair did I realize what those little hair bun/donut things did and how to use them.  I had no clue.  No clue at all.  

Hairstyles in my book consist of down, ponytail, or a braid.  My daughter will request Princess styles according to those three things.  Belle is a ponytail.  Ariel is down straight.  Tangled is a braid.  Cinderella is a bun (not a fancy one).  Sometimes she'll request something fancy like Belle and Tangled which translates into a ponytail that I then braid.  If I have to use two elastics it is a big hair day in my book. 

So, my friend taught this class on hair for me.  To thank her I decided to bake her a cake b/c it's what I do, and I love it! 

My friend is a big fan of mint; she always loves and requests my Andes Mint Cookies.  I knew I could make mint cookies, but I had cake on my mind.  

What goes better with mint cake than chocolate?  Therefore, this Chocolate Mint Cake with a Chocolate Mint Ganache was made.  

It's delicious, moist (as much as everyone hates that word it's a good adjective that I haven't quite found a suitable replacement for), and has such amazing chocolate mint flavor.  Yummy goodness!  

Before bringing the cake over to my friend as a thank you for being so knowledgeable with hair and helping me out I had my oh so willing kiddos do a little taste testing.  They are my official "Taste Testers."  My kids, and myself, were BIG fans of the cake.  They gobbled it up in minutes and asked for more which I said no to b/c it was before dinner and I am such a quality mom that way. ;)

However, they had a little more after dinner.  Don't worry, I'm not cruel. 

Without further ado, the amazing Chocolate Mint Cake and Ganache recipe that you should make pronto and enjoy for breakfast (Cosby said Cake for bfast is acceptable), lunch, snack, dinner, and/or dessert. 

Chocolate Mint Devil's Food Cake w/ a Chocolate Mint Ganache

Recipe: Alohamora adapted from josiskilpack.com

Active Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Time: 2 hours

Servings: 1 bundt cake at least 8-10 large slices

Ingredients: 
For the Cake: 

2 c. flour, unbleached all-purpose
2 c. sugar
2/3 c. cocoa, unsweetened

1/2 tsp salt

1 c. buttermilk 
2 eggs, large
1 c. oil, vegetable or canola
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp mint extract
1 c. boiling water
1 tsp baking soda

For the Ganache:

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. mint chocolate chips (can use semi or milk chocolate chips and add 1/4 tsp mint extract)
2 Tbsp powder sugar

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
2. Grease and flour or use a baking spray to thoroughly coat the inside of your bundt pan. You can use a 9x13 pan if you would like; I just think bundt pan cakes are so darn cute with ganache and easy to do. 
3. In a large bowl mix your dry ingredients. 
4. Add the buttermilk (you can do the milk/lemon juice substitute if you'd like but you need to do that first and set it aside for 5 minutes), eggs, oil, vanilla, and mint one at a time to that large bowl mixing/stirring after each addition.  
5. In a small bowl add the baking soda to the boiling water and then stir. 
6. Finally, add the water/soda mixture to your batter and stir well until the cake batter is smooth.  It will be relatively thin.  
7. Pour your batter into your prepared pan. 
8. Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the middle is set.  If you are cooking it in a 9x13 pan you will probably bake it just a few minutes less.
9. Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool on a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes before flipping the cake onto a plate. This will be the plate your are serving it on.
10. Let the cake cool for at least an hour or until it is completely cool. 
11. When the cake is completely cool you can add the ganache.  
12. To make the ganache, scald a half a cup of heavy whipping cream in the microwave for 30 seconds.  
13. In a small pourable bowl, I use my glass measuring cup, place your mint chocolate chips.  If you do not have mint chocolate chips (Tollhouse, Andes, or Hershey makes them) you can use regular chocolate chips, but add the mint extract after the whipping cream. 
14. Pour your scalded heavy whipping cream over the mint chocolate chips and stir it until the chips are melted and the ganache is smooth.  Add your mint extract at this point if you used regular chocolate chips and stir it all together. 
15. Finally, stir in the powder sugar until the ganache is smooth. 
16. Evenly pour your ganache over your cake. 
17. If you desire to be a little more fancy top or decorate your cake with mint chips, or even crushed peppermint during the holidays. 
18. Enjoy!   

Happy Chocolate Mint Devil's Food Cake w/ a Chocolate Mint Ganache eating.  It's pretty heavenly, and perfect to share with friends. 

Bring your favorite chocolate dessert to Roxana’s home baking #chocolateparty and win amazing prizes from Imperial Sugar®, Gold Medal Flour®, Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Eggs and KitchenAid®