Chocolate Cake with Mint Choc-chip Icing (Dairy Free + Normal Recipe)

When I saw this cake, I knew I had to make it. Mint and chocolate are perfect companions, and this cake looked devine.


I actually made it twice in two days. Once as a trial run - a one layered dairy version for a family dinner. And then for a friends kitchen tea party, as a double layered dairy free version.


Both were delish, in my opinion.


The recipe for the dairy cake was a yoghurt chocolate cake. I recommend using yoghurt in your baking when possible as it makes the baking so moist and delicious.
For this cake, I used the icing as stated in the original link, but I made only 1/3 of it, as I was icing a small cake. 


For a trial run, it was a hit, and was devoured by my in laws.


For the kitchen tea party though, I knew I had to step it up a notch.


Dairy Free Chocolate cake with mint chocolate chip icing

Sorry for the photo quality... my camera died.

Heat the oven to 180C

Grease 2 20cm baking tins (or if you only have one, bake one at a time.)

To do a double layer cake you will need to double the below recipe.

In a medium bowl, sift together: 

250g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour 
4 tbsp cocoa powder 
250g (1 cup) caster sugar 
1 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp baking soda 
1/2 tsp salt 

In a separate bowl, mix together: 

5 tbsp (1/3 cup) of vegetable oil or apple puree 

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tsp vanilla essence 
250ml (1 cup) warm water. 

Slowly mix the liquid into the dry ingredients until just mixed, do not over mix. It is important you do not just dump the liquid into the dry ingredients (like I did) because you will end up with lumps of flour. Pour it in slowly and mix as you go.

Pour into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Take from the oven and let them cool.

For a double layer cake you will need to make the bottom layer flat, so you will need to cut off the domed top. I would recommend getting a long piece of dental floss and pulling it slowly through to pull off the top, to make a flat surface.

Icing

For the icing, I used the same recipe as for the dairy version, but with dairy-free margarine as a butter substitute (I could not tell the difference taste wise.)

280g dairy free margarine
500g icing sugar (about 4 cups), sifted
2-3 tsp peppermint essence, adjust to taste
150g dark chocolate, very finely chopped or pulsed through a food processor
green food colouring (about 6 drops)

(This makes a lot of mixture. You might want to start with less and work your way up, lest you end up with left over mixture like me.)

Prepare the mint icing; Place margarine in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high until fluffy and smooth. Add sifted icing sugar one cup at a time, beating until combined. Add peppermint essence to taste and green food colouring. Gradually add chocolate chip pieces until you have a good distribution of chocolate bits.

First ice the top of the bottom layer cake - this will be your 'filling.' Then place the top cake on. Ice the whole cake (do not heat your icing spatula or the chocolate will melt, making the icing brown in colour.)

If you have left over icing, wait for it to harden (put it in the fridge), then make 'ice cream scoops' to put on top. Put small waffle cones on to make it look like cones.

Yes, a lot of people thought this was an icecream cake.

Enjoy! xo