I Turned One – Dark Chocolate Grasshopper Cake

Ingredients (1 cake)

For the Cake

• 1 c white sugar
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 3/4 c AP flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1 1/2 t baking soda
• 3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 t instant coffee granules
• 1 t sea salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 c milk
• 1 c boiling water
• 1/2 c canola oil
• 2 t vanilla extract

For the mint marshmallow buttercream

• 3/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 c powdered sugar
• 1/8 c milk
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 c marshmallow fluff
• 1/8 t peppermint extract
• green food coloring

For the ganache

• 10 oz dark chocolate, chopped (or chips)
• 1 c heavy cream

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare cake pans.

I used 2 8 inch rounds, sprayed, parchment, and sprayed again.

Mix together dry ingredients (everything through sea salt) in large bowl

Add the wet ingredients (everything else) and stir until everything is well incorporated. This batter will be very runny. It’s okay.

Pour batter into prepared rounds and bake 30 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean)

Remove from oven and let cool in pans 10 minutes before carefully removing and placing on cooling racks. The cake is not extremely sturdy, so you want to be careful when you flip your pan over so the cake doesn’t crack.

If you make the cake in advance, wrap it in saran wrap and put it in the fridge or freezer for up to 1 week.

For the mint marshmallow buttercream

Whip softened butter in the bowl of a mixer until light and fluffy

Add powdered sugar and milk, whip 3-4 minutes

Add marshmallow fluff, vanilla and peppermint extracts, whip 2-3 more minutes until all ingredients are incorporated

Add 3-4 drops of food coloring, mixing until you have a uniform light green color

For the ganache

Put chocolate into a mixing bowl

Heat cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it comes to a boil (be careful not to scald this)

Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate, stirring with a spatula until all chocolate is melted

To assemble

Bake cakes

Cool cakes completely, freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour (this makes it easier to frost)

While the cakes are in the freezer make the buttercream

Put a small amount of buttercream on a cake board or plate

Put the first layer of cake on the plate

Spread a generous amount of mint buttercream on top of this layer

Gently place the other layer of cake on top

Frost the rest of the cake with the buttercream

Make the ganache

Immediately pour ganache over the cake, smoothing gently

Drizzle with additional ganache and top with Andes mints if desired

Slice and enjoy with a large glass of [almond] milk