Mint Chocolate Cake Roll is what dreams are made of! At least my dreams are anyways. I am a sucker for a rich, moist, chocolate cake. I hate to admit it, but I think about chocolate cake daily and this Mint Chocolate Cake Roll is just as amazing as it sounds

This moist chocolate cake is first filled with a smooth mint chocolate ganache and then a fluffy mint chocolate mousse. The cake is rolled up and then covered in more mint chocolate ganache. It case you were wondering, it is the most amazing cake ever!

If you know me, you know that mint and chocolate are my favorites, especially around the holidays. You can make this cake a day ahead. In my opinion, it tastes even better the next day.

With love from my kitchen to yours,

Carrie

Mint Chocolate Cake Roll

Cake

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

5 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

powder sugar, to aid in rolling the cake

 

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Line a 18 x 13 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.

2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.

3. In a large bowl, whip the eggs with an electric mixer on medium speed and gradually add the sugar and then the vanilla, about 1 minute. Continue to whip the mixture until very thick and voluminous, 4 to 8 minutes.

4. With the electric mixer still on, gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.

5. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking sheet and spread it out in an even layer. Bake the cake until it feels firm and springs back when touched, 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.

6. Remove the cake from the oven. Lay a clean dish towel (I found a tea towel works best) out on the counter and dust with powder sugar. Holding onto the parchment paper, carefully remove the cake from the hot pan.

7. Place the cake face side down on the dish towel. Gently peel the parchment paper off of the cake. Starting from the short end, roll the cake and dish towel snugly into a log. Let the cake cool completely. While the cake is cooling, make the mint chocolate ganache and mousse.

Mint Ganache and Mint Chocolate Mousse

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (12 oz.) bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 tsp. of peppermint extract

3 cups of heavy whipping cream

6. Place the chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl. In a small sauce pan, bring 1 cup of heavy cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth and creamy.

7. Stir in 2 tsp. of peppermint extract into the chocolate ganache. Pour 1 cup of the ganache into another bowl. Cover both bowls of ganache with plastic wrap. Set one bowl of ganache aside and place the other bowl in the fridge to chill for the chocolate mousse.

8. Pour 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and the remaining 1 tsp. of peppermint extract into the chilled bowl of ganache. Whip until the mousse forms stiff peaks.

Cake Assembly

1. Unroll the cooled cake and remove the towel.  Spread a layer of chocolate ganache over the cake. Spread a layer of chocolate mousse over the top of the ganache. Gently roll the cake up and place seam side down on a platter. Spread the remaining ganache over the cake. Add a little chocolate mousse on top of cake to top it off.

3. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top if so desired. Keep the cake chilled until ready to serve.

 

Here are a few other recipes you might enjoy.

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Flourless Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Double Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

 

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Easy Homemade Gingerbread Ornaments are a fun Christmas craft to make with your family. I love how easy and kid friendly these ornament are. One batch goes a long way. This recipe can also be used to make a gingerbread house.

For a darker color gingerbread use dark brown sugar and dark syrup. When rolling out and cutting the gingerbread, make sure to keep the extra dough wrapped in plastic wrap because it will dry out quickly. If it does dry out, just place the wrapped gingerbread in the microwave for 30 seconds or until it is warm. Then continue working with the dough the same as before.

The ornaments are made the same way you make sugar cookies by rolling them out and cutting them with cookie cutters. My kids loved helping cut out all the fun shapes for their ornaments. They can be left plain or can be decorated with candy and royal icing (see recipe below). I know you will love the delicious aroma that will fill your house while you bake these ornaments.

With love from my kitchen to yours,

Carrie

Easy Homemade Gingerbread Ornaments

6 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. of cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. of ginger

1/2 tsp. of ground cloves

1/2 tsp. of salt

1 1/2 cup of corn syrup

1 1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of butter

Supplies:

Bakers twine or jute

Christmas cookie cutters

Plastic drinking straw

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350° fahrenheit

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients except for the brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized sauce pan, combine the corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter together. Constantly stir over medium-high heat until the butter is melted.
3. Stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture and mix well (you may have to use your hands when dough becomes too stiff to mix).
4. Allow the dough to cool to room temperature. Roll the dough out to a 1/8″ thickness on parchment paper. Slide the parchment paper with the cookies on a baking sheet.
5. Cut the dough with cookie cutters of your choice. Press a plastic straw into the top of the ornament to make a hole.
6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Check for air bubbles during baking. If there are any air bubbles, poke them with a toothpick or press it down with your finger .
7. Slide the parchment paper with the hot ornaments onto a cooling rack. Make sure that all the ornaments lay flat. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

Royal Icing

2 cups of powder sugar

1/8 tsp. of cream of tartar

3 egg whites at room temperature (or 3 tbsp. of meringue powder and 3 tbsp. of water mixed together)

Instructions

1. Sift the powder sugar to remove any lumps. Add the powder sugar and cream of tartar to egg whites while stirring.
2. When all the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer on high and beat mixture until it reaches a stiff peak.
3. Cover icing tightly with a damp cloth or plastic wrap so the icing doesn’t dry out.
4. If you would like to tint the icing, mix in a little food coloring at a time. It is best to use paste food coloring since liquid food coloring will change the consistency of the icing.

This recipe is adapted from Gingerbread Things to Make and Bake by Teresa Layman and Barbara Morgenroth

Here are a few other recipes you should try.

Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Molasses Sugar Cookies

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are one of the best holiday cookies! They are soft and chewy with the perfect peppermint kick and the white chocolate is the perfect compliment. This recipe makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.  So there will be plenty of cookies to share with your family or plenty to share at your next Christmas cookie exchange party.

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