Theres something minty going on here….

Today is national mint chocolate day and we have been busy making green mint frosting  (the boys are calling this hulk frosting) and melting a lot of chocolate to make this bake.

This is a moist chocolate sponge with chunks of after eights inside and smothered in mint frosting and another after eight on the top as an extra treat.

A simple to follow recipe to make a minty treat to enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

Enjoy!

Mint Topped Chocolate Cake

Prep time: 15 minutes                   Cook time: 40 minutes                        Makes: 9 cakes

Ingredients

For the sponge

200g of Plain flour - sieved

150g of Butter - room temperature and cubed

150g of Caster sugar

125g of Dark chocolate broken into pieces

100g of After dinner mints - broken into pieces

50ml of Milk

3 Eggs

2 tsp of Baking powder

For the icing

250g of Icing sugar- sieved

100g of Butter - room temperature

1tbsp of Lemon juice

1tsp of Green food colouring

1tsp of Mint essence

After eight mints to decorate

Equipment

20 x 20 cake tin

Electric whisk

2 Mixing bowls

Spatula

Greaseproof paper

Saucepan of hot water

Cooling rack

Palette knife

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180c.

2. Line the baking tin with greaseproof paper.

3. In the mixing bowl place the butter and sugar together and using the whisk cream until the texture is pale and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs and continue to whisk together on a medium setting.

5. Using the saucepan and hot water Bain Marie the chocolate to melt it. TIP! Ensure the chocolate is not touching the water.

6. Add the flour slowly to the eggs and butter mixture while continuously whisking. Add the baking powder.

7. Once the chocolate has melted add this and the broken up after eights to the mixture and using the spatula fold everything in together.

8. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and place in the oven for 40 minutes to bake. TIP! Check the cake is cooked by placing a knife of cocktail stick in the centre. If clean the cake is baked.

9. Once baked, leave in the tin for 10 minutes to cool before removing and leaving to cool completely on the cooking rack.

10. When the cake is completely cooled begin to make the icing. Place the butter into mixing bowl and whisk on a low setting, slowly add the icing sugar. While whisking add the lemon juice, mint essence and green food colouring. Continue to whisk until the ingredients are combined.

11. Use the palette knife and cover the top of the cake in icing and decorate with the after dinner mints.

12. Cut into squares and share.

13. Enjoy!