Irish Mint Cake

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 (18.5 ounce) box chocolate cake mix*
• 1 (4.67 ounce) box Andes creme de menthe mints
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Few drops green food coloring
• 1 (16 ounce) can cream cheese frosting
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup milk

Instructions

1. Coat bottom of 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; line with wax paper and coat paper with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Mix cake batter according to package directions. Spread into prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until center springs back when touched.
4. Cool in pan for 30 minutes; invert onto wax paper. Cool completely.
5. While cake is baking and cooling, nake the Mint Curls. Hold mints in palm of hand for several seconds until slightly warm but still firm. Draw vegetable peeler along edge of mint. Let curls fall onto wax paper. When mint breaks, set aside for filling. Repeat with remaining mints. Chill curls.
6. To make the filling, chop broken mints to yield about 1/2 cup. Stir chopped mints, extract and food coloring into can of frosting.
7. For the glaze, in a 4-cup glass, combine marshmallows, chocolate chips, and milk. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute; stir.
8. Chill in freezer until thickened before spreading, about 10 minutes.
9. To assemble cake, using a ruler, cut baked cake into three equal pieces, each about 5 x 10 inches. Place one piece on serving plate; spread with half of cream cheese filling. Top with cake piece; spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining cake piece.
10. Spread cooled glaze over top, allowing glaze to drip down sides of cake.
11. Gently shake mint curls from wax paper onto top of cake (curls may melt if handled). Cut into 1-inch slices.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.