This mint chocolate cake tastes just like Thin Mints, boos! Three layers of chocolate cake with green mint buttercream in between. I used my classic chocolate cake recipe (y’all know the one) and kept the mint in the frosting so the chocolate could still come through. Topped it all off with a white chocolate ganache, and baby, this mint chocolate cake recipe is giving cookie, cake, and candy all in one bite. Get into it.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
How to Make Mint Chocolate Cake
Step 1: Combine the sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-low to combine.
Step 2: Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step 3: With the mixer on medium-low, alternate adding the hot coffee and dry mixture, scraping the sides as needed. Once smooth, divide the batter into the prepared pans and bake. Let the cakes rest briefly, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Step 4: Mix the butter and salt in a stand mixer, slowly add the confectioner’s sugar, then increase the speed to combine. Add the cream, vanilla, and mint extract, and mix until thick and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low, add green food coloring until you reach your desired shade, and fold in chocolate shavings if using. Refrigerate until ready to use, and re-mix if it firms up.
Step 5: Chop the white chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until it just begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate and let it sit briefly. Whisk until smooth with no chunks remaining, then mix in green food coloring until you reach the perfect “Grinch-ey” shade. Let the ganache cool at room temperature until fully cooled.
Step 6: Level the cakes if needed, add frosting between the layers, and cover the entire cake. Once cooled, pour the ganache on top, letting it drip down the sides. Let it set, then slice and serve. Enjoy your mint chocolate layer cake!
Mint Chocolate Cake Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Light brown sugar packed
- 3 large Eggs room temperature
- 2/3 cup Whole milk room temperature
- 3/4 cup Vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Natural cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup Very hot coffee or water
For the Mint Buttercream Frosting:
- 2 cups Unsalted butter 4 sticks, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 6 cups Confectioner's sugar
- 4 tablespoons Heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Mint extract
- Green food coloring
- Chocolate shavings
For the White Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 cup White chocolate chips, chunks, or white chocolate bar chopped into bits
- 1/3 cup Heavy cream
- Green food coloring
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray. If desired, line with parchment paper as well.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium-low to combine.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Turning the mixer back on to medium-low, alternate adding the hot coffee (or water) and dry mixture in small increments. Be sure to scrape the sides down a few times throughout the mixing.
- Once smooth and well-mixed, divide the batter into the 3 prepared pans. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until cooked through.
- After about 5-10 minutes of being out of the oven, turn the layers out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the Mint Buttercream Frosting:
- In your stand mixer, mix the butter and salt at medium low speed.
- Next, turn the mixer down to low and slowly add confectioner’s sugar in small portions until all is added. Turn up the speed to medium high to combine.
- Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and mint extract and mix until thick and fluffy.
- Finally, turn the speed to the lowest setting and add in the green food coloring. Start with a teaspoon of coloring, then add more to deepen the color to your liking. Add chocolate shavings to the frosting if you would like.
- Keep the buttercream refrigerated until ready to use. If the frosting hardens at all, just re-mix a bit to smoothen it out.
For the White Chocolate Ganache:
- Place white chocolate chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal). If you’re starting with a white chocolate bar, chop it into small pieces until they’re about the size of chocolate chips.
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm heavy whipping cream until it just starts to boil. Look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft boil starting in the middle. When you see that it’s just starting to boil, pour it over the white chocolate and let sit for about 30 seconds.
- Whisk it together until it’s uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk.
- Color the ganache by adding in green food coloring until you’ve achieved your desired “grinch-ey” green. Alternatively, the colors blue and yellow can be used to achieve the same result.
- Cool the ganache at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes, or until the ganache itself is room temperature.
To Assemble:
- Level the cakes, if necessary, and add frosting between layers. Then frost the entire cake with remaining frosting.
- Once cool, carefully pour the ganache over the top of the cake. Allow the ganache to drip over the side. Let the ganache set for 30 minutes, then slice and serve!
Notes
- Wrap and chill the cake layers before frosting. Once they cool to room temp, wrap each one in plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight. Cold layers mean fewer crumbs and smoother frosting.
- Trim those domes if you need to. Flat layers stack better and make your Grinch cake look clean and sharp. Just grab a serrated knife and carefully slice off the tops.
- Start with a crumb coat. After chilling the layers, add a thin layer of frosting around the whole cake. Chill it again for about 15 minutes before going in with the final layer of buttercream.
- Let the ganache firm up before piping any frosting details. If you don’t do it, it will mix with the buttercream and get messy.
- Room Temp: Keep the cake covered with plastic wrap or foil and store it in a cool, dry spot. It will stay fresh for 2-3 days.
- Fridge: Pop it in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will last up to a week and still taste bomb.
- Freezer: Wrap the whole cake or slices tight in plastic wrap, then toss it in a freezer bag. It will keep for 4-6 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight or sit out on the counter for about an hour.
- Tip: If you’re freezing slices, add a little parchment between each one so they don’t stick together!
Nutrition
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Recipe Help
Measure everything right, don’t skip the oil, and use room temp eggs and milk so the batter blends better. Also, don’t overmix once the flour’s in! And keep an eye on the bake time. Pull the cakes as soon as a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
If it’s too thick, add a little more heavy cream (a tablespoon at a time) until it loosens up. If it’s too thin, mix in more powdered sugar, a little at a time, until it thickens.
Yep! Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan and bake at the same temp. It may take a bit longer though, so start checking around 30 minutes in.
pinterest 
facebook 
twitter 
email
The cake looks to tempting. Want to make it for our son birthday.
Oh my, what have I discovered here! This is definitely a recipe I’m printing out to make over the holidays!
Made this cake on Sunday. Loved by everyone! I was skeptical about using white chocolate as really don’t like it. Didn’t even notice it with the chocolate mint flavors.
Here’s a lazy way of making the frosting. Put the powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk. Stir all wet ingredients together in a cup. Add slices of very soft butter (slice when cold) to the powdered sugar then the wet ingredients. Turn on mixer to low until somewhat mixed. Then slowly turn on high. Whip on high for 5-10 minutes stop once to scrape sides and bottom of the bowl. Continue whipping until light and fluffy. Always works for me.
Absolutely adore this cake! I must admit that I am a biased mint lover but it is just delicious. The white chocolate ganache was perfection!
Mint and chocolate is one of my favorite combos! I can’t wait to make this gorgeous looking cake!
What a gorgeous-looking chocolate cake. Perfect for holidays. Thanks for sharing
This is a beautiful cake. Love the light mint flavor with the chocolate. It sounds heavenly.