Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
This Mint Chocolate Chip Cake is a delicious combination of rich chocolate cake, creamy mint frosting, and decadent chocolate chips. It’s the perfect dessert for any chocolate lover or anyone looking to satisfy their sweet tooth.
This cake starts with a moist and flavorful chocolate cake base. Made from scratch with high-quality cocoa powder, it has a deep chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with the refreshing mint frosting. You can’t go wrong!
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The mint and chocolate flavor combination is a classic and irresistible combination.
- This cake is perfect for special occasions, potlucks, or just when you’re craving something sweet.
- The homemade chocolate cake is moist and rich, making it the perfect base for this recipe.
🛒Ingredients
While this ingredient list may seem long have no fear because most of these ingredients are pantry staples so you don’t have to worry about spending a lot of money at the grocery store when you want to make this sweet treat.
- flour
- cocoa powder
- sugar
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- oil
- eggs
- vanilla
- buttermilk
- hot water
For the frosting:
- butter
- powdered sugar
- peppermint extract
- chocolate chips
- Green food coloring
- Small ice cream cones
See the recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
Making this delicious mint chocolate cake takes a little effort but it’s worth it. Follow these step-by-step instructions here or check out the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post and you will delicious cake in no time at all.
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients along with the buttermilk and whisk until the batter is smooth. Add in the hot water and mix. The batter will be very thin.
Step 3: Bake the cake
Divide evenly among two 9” round cake pans that have been greased well, or use non-stick cake pans. Place in a 350-degree preheated oven and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, before removing the cake to a cooling rack to come to room temperature.
Step 4: Make the mint frosting
Cream the sugar and butter together until smooth. Add in the peppermint extract, 2 tsp for a milder mint flavor, or 3 tsp if you’d like a little stronger mint flavor.
Step 5: Crush the chocolate chips
In a food processor, pulse the chocolate chips until they are smaller pieces. Stir the chocolate chip pieces into the frosting.
Step 6: Build the cake
On a cake stand or plate, place the first layer of cake with the flat side facing up. Scoop some frosting on the cake and smooth it into an even layer. Place the next layer of cake with the flat side down directly on top and centered on the first layer. Spread the frosting evenly along the top and sides of the cake until you have it completely covered.
Step 7: Decorate the top of the cake
To achieve the upside down ice cream cones, using a cookie scoop, scoop up frosting into the shape of an ice cream scoop and place it in the middle of the cone. Turn the cone upside down and press gently into the frosting to make it stay in place. Repeat as desired.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Andes mints: Add chopped Andes mints to the frosting for a crunchy texture.
- Mint Oreos: Use crushed Mint Oreo cookies instead of chocolate chips for the frosting.
- Espresso powder: Adding a teaspoon of espresso powder to the chocolate cake batter can enhance the chocolate flavor without overpowering the mint frosting.
Do you love mint and chocolate together? If so, you may also enjoy this Chocolate Mint Icebox Cake recipe.
🥄 Equipment
Apart from the basic kitchen tools like bowls and spatulas, there are a few specific pieces of equipment you’ll need to make this Mint Chocolate Chip Cake.
- 9” Round Cake Pans
- Electric Mixer
- Food Processor
- Wire Cooling Rack
- Offset Spatula
🥫 Storage
Storage – This cake is best when eaten fresh, but you can store it covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Serve With
We love to enjoy a slice of this cake with a cup of our favorite coffee or even a tall glass of milk. However, you can also serve it with your favorite meal such as these 15 Must Make Lasagna Recipes.
💭 Tips
Here are a few tips that you can use to ensure that this delicious mint chocolate cake turns out perfectly for you when you make it.
- Make sure that you use room-temperature ingredients so that everything mixes evenly.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, simply mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar with 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
- For a more intense mint flavor, you can add a layer of chopped Andes mint between the two layers of cake before frosting.
- Be careful to not overmix the cake batter, as it can result in a dense and tough cake.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting them to prevent the frosting from melting.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Absolutely! While the mint chocolate chip frosting is what gives this cake its distinctive flavor, you are welcome to experiment with other frosting flavors.
The most foolproof method to check if your cake is done is to insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, your cake is done.
Yes, you can prepare this cake in advance. Once cooled, the cake layers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for longer storage. If you’re assembling the cake ahead of time, keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.
🍽 More Cake Recipes
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
Equipment
- 9” Round Cake Pans
- Electric mixer
- Food processor
- Wire cooling rack
- Offset Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup hot water
For the frosting:
- 1 ¼ cups butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons peppermint extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- Green food coloring
- *Optional: Small ice cream cones
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the oil, eggs and vanilla.
- Pour into the dry ingredients along with the buttermilk and whisk until the batter is smooth. Add in the hot water and mix.
- The batter will be very thin.
- Divide evenly among two 9” round cake pans that have been greased well, or use non-stick cake pans.
- Place in the oven and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, before removing the cake to a cooling rack to come to room temperature.
- To make the frosting, cream the sugar and butter together until smooth.
- Add in the peppermint extract, 2 tsp for a more milder mint flavor, or 3 tsp if you’d like it a little stronger mint flavor.
- In a food processor, pulse the chocolate chips until they are smaller pieces. Stir the chocolate chip pieces into the frosting.
- On a cake stand, or plate, place the first layer of cake with the flat side facing up.
- Scoop some frosting on the cake and smooth it into an even layer.
- Place the next layer of cake with the flat side down directly on top and centered on the first layer.
- Spread the frosting evenly along the top and sides of the cake until you have it completely covered.
- To achieve the upside down ice cream cones, using a cookie scoop, scoop up frosting into the shape of an ice cream scoop and place it in the middle of the cone.
- Turn the cone upside down and press gently into the frosting to make it stay in place.
- Repeat as desired.
