Minty Fresh

I have been wanting to bake a Chocolate Cake with Fresh Mint filling and Chocolate Ganache for a long time now, finally got around to it. I made my first filling on Monday but I added waaaay too much fresh mint to my filling and it tasted like grass. Blah.

First off let me say I'm not too hot on artificial flavoring so when I saw on Cupcake Wars how to make FRESH mint filling I was sold.

I went and bought a fresh mint plants for $2.99. I plan on planting it and I heard they grow easily and huge.

Here's how you start the fresh mint. Pour a few tablespoons of whipping cream in a bowl and add a couple leaves to the bowl. Put it in the microwave at 50% power for 15 seconds. Whip 1/4 cup of butter and add a cup of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of the mint cream then add additional whipping cream to achieve your desired consistency. This amount will fill a 6 in cake.

Up close shot of the filling. I added a handful of chocolate chips for the crunch and one drop of green food coloring for the look.

I got some cute mugs from Micheal's so I thought I'd share the cuteness with you.

Below is the chocolate cake recipe by Ina Garten I used. It's not the perfect chocolate cake, I'm still on the search for that, but for now it will do.

This recipe will make three 6 inch cakes.

1. 
   1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2. 2 cups sugar
3. 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4. 2 teaspoons baking soda
5. 1 teaspoon baking powder
6. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
7. 1 cup buttermilk
8. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
9. 2 large eggs
10. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11. 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
1. MAKE THE CAKE Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper; butter the paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly beat the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until fully incorporated.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.

That shiny Chocolate Ganache is sooooo easy. Ganache is just a fancy word for chocolate and cream. And that's all it is, seriously. Hit some chocolate chips and once they've all melted just add some whipping cream a little at a time till you get the consistency you want and then mix while still warm. Perfect pairing for the mint!