Andes Layer Cake consists of 3 layers of rich, moist chocolate cake, a peppermint buttercream, and chocolate ganache. The cake is topped with lots of chopped Andes mints for even more mint flavor.
This minty layer cake is such a great cake for the holidays. Since the frosting is only between the layers, it is super quick and easy to frost. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of frosting!
The chocolate ganache not only gives it some pizzazz, it adds an incredible richness to the cake, plus extra chocolate flavor. You can never have to much chocolate. 🙂
Chocolate and mint are such a classic combination. And there’s just the right amount of each in this cake.
The chocolate cake batter for this recipe is one of my favorites. I also use it to make this Samoa Bundt Cake. It has a rich, chocolate flavor and bakes up so very moist.
Andes mints were my kids favorite candy to get in their Christmas stockings and I still buy them every year. They have such a refreshing minty taste and I love the shiny green wrappers they come in. I like to add green food coloring to the peppermint buttercream to make it look festive, but you could leave the food coloring out.
No need to just bake this Andes Layer Cake during the Christmas season. Mint and chocolate should be eaten all year long.
More Mint Desserts
- Triple Layer Peppermint Brownies
- No Bake Grasshopper Cheesecake
- Brownies with Creme de Menthe Frosting
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Andes Layer Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 (16-ounce) package light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peppermint Buttercream
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 6 drops green food coloring
Ganache
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 (4-ounce) box Andes mints, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 3 pieces of parchment paper to fit the bottoms of 3 9-inch cake pans. Spray bottoms of cake pans with baking spray. Lay a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each and respray with baking spray. Set aside.
- Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl (heat at 20 second intervals) until smooth when stirred. Set aside.
- Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until blended well, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in eggs one at a time.
- Beat in melted chocolate just until blended.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add flour mixture to batter, alternating with sour cream, beating at LOW speed just until blended after each addition. - Slowly, with mixer on LOW speed, add hot water. Batter will be liquidy.
Stir in vanilla. - Evenly distribute batter between the 3 cake pans. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool before frosting.
- Make Buttercream Frosting. Beat butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in both sugar and milk. Beat in peppermint extract and food coloring.
- Spread frosting on bottom layer of cake. Top with second layer and spread with frosting on the top. Top with third layer and spread remaining frosting on top.
- Make ganache. Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. Place heavy cream in a small saucepan and heat just until it starts to simmer. Pour over chocolate chips. Let sit 5 minutes and then stir until smooth.
- Let cool slightly and then pour over cake. Top with Andes mints
Nutrition
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I would give a five but I felt unorganized the way the ingredients and instructions were presented. I would have listed the ingredients needed then for each separate item list them within the instructions. Like the cake ingredients and direction. Then the butter cream ingredients and directions. Then the ganache ingredients and directions.
The cake was wonderful. I added 1/4 cup of Andes to the ganache was fabulous. Thank you!
I would leave a picture but don’t see how to.
This looks so delicious . I have to try it when I get home!!!