Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake – Deliciously moist and fluffy mint chocolate cake layered with silky Swiss meringue buttercream and chocolate chips!
Mint and chocolate. One of my all-time favourite flavour combinations. If you love it as much as I do, you’re gonna love today’s recipe. How does a Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake sound to you?
It was my birthday last Saturday, so it only seemed right to make a cake full of my favourite flavours, and happens to be the best mint chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever had! 🙂
Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
Today’s recipe is infused with mint, in both the cake and the buttercream for extra minty goodness! And how can you not pair mint with chocolate chips? I’ve incorporated chocolate chips in 2 ways.
I’ve layered them in the cake along with the buttercream, and I’ve pressed them up against the cake, and on top. Because you can’t have too many. 😉
The buttercream I have used for this mint chocolate chip layer cake is a Swiss meringue buttercream. The same recipe as what’s on my Salted Caramel Cupcakes, only doubled, and minty green.
Swiss meringue buttercream is luxuriously silky, light, and smooth, and it’s super easy to use to frost a cake. It’s definitely my favourite buttercream. It takes a little longer to make than the classic American buttercream, but it’s totally worth it!
Try these minty recipes next!
- Mint Chocolate Chip Greek Yoghurt Popsicles
- Mint Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Mint Chocolate Oreo Fudge
- Strawberry Mint Brownies
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Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 ¾ cups (468g) cake flour*
- ¾ cup (75g) cocoa powder
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups (450g) caster/granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups (367g) Greek-style yogurt
For the Frosting
- 1 cup (240g) large egg whites, from about 6 – 7 large eggs
- 2 cups (400g) caster/granulated sugar
- 2 cups (453g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- Green gel food colouring, optional
- 1 ½ cups (265g) chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line the bases with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs and sugar until combined. Add the peppermint extract, butter, and yogurt, and whisk until combined. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans, and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pans on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, invert the cakes onto the wire rack and remove the parchment paper.
For the Frosting
- In the heat-proof bowl of your stand mixer over a pan of simmering water, add the egg whites and sugar. Whisk constantly until the mixture is warm to the touch and all the sugar has dissolved (should not feel gritty between your fingers) – about 5 – 10 minutes.
- Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed for 10 – 15 minutes until the meringue reaches stiff peaks, and is completely cool.
- With the mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add the butter, piece by piece, mixing well after each addition. If the mixture starts to look curdled, whip on high speed until it becomes smooth, then continue adding the butter.
- Once all the butter has been added, whisk in the peppermint extract and food colouring. Whisk until silky and smooth.
- To assemble, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread on a layer of frosting, sprinkle on a handful of chocolate chips, then top with the 2nd layer and repeat.
- Top with the final layer, and cover the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting to lock in the crumbs. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until the frosting is firm, then spread with the remaining frosting, reserving some for piping if desired. Decorate with chocolate chips!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am a beginning cake maker. Can you share what food coloring you used or how you got this cake to be this shade of green? Also how much on the food coloring? Thanks
Dee
Hi Dee! I used Sugarflair Sugartint Concentrated Droplet Colour in Holly Leaf, adding a bit at a time to reach desired shade of green.
I made this last night/this morning to bring in for my coworkers and it was a hit! I was really nervous about making the Swiss Buttercream compared to the American ones I’ve made because of the higher butter to sugar ratio, but they ate it up! Plus it looks pretty, which always helps!!
Thank you!!!
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it! 😀
I refrigerated the frosting and it was a total disaster! It went all bad! I will have to do it again! Do not refrigerate! Super bad advise!
I’m so sorry storing the buttercream didn’t work out for you! Swiss meringue buttercream can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week, or freeze for up to 2 months. Allow refrigerated or frozen buttercream to come to room temperature and then beat until it becomes light and fluffy again before spreading or piping on the cake.
I made this cake at the weekend for my mother in law’s 60th birthday and it is the best cake I’ve ever made! My husband usually scrapes off the icing but he loved this – so light! First time on your blog Marsha but I’ll definitely be following and making more of your delicious recipes!
Hi Kirstie, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you! 🙂
Happy birthday! My husband’s birthday will occur this weekend and I’ll make this cake follow your recipe but don’t know it will be delicious like you did. 😀
Thank you for your recipe
I hope you enjoy! 😀
Happy belated birthday Marsha! Hope you enjoyed a lot.
BTW this cake sound wonderful. 🙂
Thanks, Puja! 🙂
What a beautiful cake! I adore mint and chocolate together so this is definitely a cake I’d enjoy for my birthday too. Hope you had a lovely day – wishing you a wonderful year ahead! PS – I agree about the chocolate chips – you can never have too many!
Thanks, April!
Marsha, this cake is absolutely stunning! I’m thinking it might be my request for my birthday cake this year!
Thanks, Amy! 🙂
I absolutely love the way you decorated this cake, especially the little rim of chocolates pressed around the base. The slice looks to die for! I completely agree with you about Swiss meringue buttercream – worth the extra time!
Thanks, Monica!
What a beautiful cake! That color is gorgeous!
Thanks, Mary!
This cake looks perfect for your Birthday or even St. Patrick’s Day if you have any left. Happy belated Birthday to you 🙂
Thanks, Stephanie! 🙂
Belated Birthday wishes Marsha. The cake looks so moist and yummy. It’s on my “have-to-try-it-out!” list!! I love both the combo… Good Day
Thanks, Kausha!
Happy belated birthday, my friend! I hope you had an amazing birthday celebration and will continue to celebrate throughout your birthday month! It’s been awesome getting to know you! Your photography and recipe continually stun me. 🙂 Now, all we have to do is raise a slice (or three) of this amazing cake and cheers to your bday! Big hugs! xoxo
Thanks so much, Demeter! 🙂 xoxo
Woohooo!!! Happy Birthday Marsha!!! 🙂 Well, it’s totally legit to make the cake with your favorite flavours for your birthday. Choco and mint … it’s the yummiest combo ever! Chocolate layers look so moist. The whole cake is just delicious! Pinning!
Thank you, Natalie! 😀
Happy birthday! Mint and chocolate are one of my favorite flavor combinations, too! I haven’t tried my hand at making swiss meringue buttercream yet but a friend uses it all the time. I’ll have to give your recipe a go!
Thanks, Meaghan!