Wintermint Cake

My friend Kasia makes some version of a Wintermint cake all through the holiday season so I went looking for a recipe. This one was created by the guys who opened Baked in Brooklyn, although please use my recipe below as the one on the Sweet Paul Magazine website has a major error in the buttercream ingredients. I decorated mine with peppermint bark instead of crushed peppermint candies.

Wintermint Cake from BAKED in Brooklyn

Recipe from Renato Polifiato & Matt Lewis of Brooklyn's BAKED Bakery
As posted on Sweet Paul Magazine with buttercream error

Serves 12

Classic Chocolate Cake:

3⁄4 cup dark cocoa powder

1 1⁄4 cups hot water

2⁄3 cup sour cream

2 2⁄3 cups flour, plus more for dusting

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1⁄2 cup unflavored shortening

1 1⁄2 cups sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla

Peppermint Buttercream:

1 1⁄2 cups sugar

1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1⁄3 cup heavy cream

1 1⁄2 cups unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Mint Chocolate Ganache:

6 oz dark chocolate (60–72%), chopped coarsely

1⁄2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon creme de menthe (optional)

1⁄2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1. For the Classic Chocolate Cake, preheat oven to 325° degrees.
2. Butter and flour 3 cake pans, line with parchment, and butter the parchment.
3. Mix cocoa powder, hot water, and sour cream together and set aside to cool.
4. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
5. Beat butter and shortening together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
6. Add sugars beat until light and fluffy, about 5 more minutes.
7. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Then, slowly add the dry mixture and cocoa mixture to the batter, alternating the 2 kinds and ending with dry.
8. Divide batter between 3 pans and spread evenly. Bake for 35–40 minutes (rotate the pans halfway through) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Then cool for 20 minutes then invert onto a rack to cool completely.
9. For the Peppermint Buttercream, In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk sugar and flour together. Then add milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. This will take about 10–15 minutes.
10. Transfer mixture to bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high until cool, which will take about 7–9 minutes of mixing. Tip: Speed up the process by pressing bags of frozen berries or frozen corn against the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.
11. Reduce speed to low and add butter. Mix until incorporated.
12. Increase to medium-high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
13. Add vanilla and peppermint extract and continue mixing until combined. If frosting is too soft, put bowl in refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is proper consistency. If frosting is too firm, set bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.
14. For the Mint Chocolate Ganache, place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.
15. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream just to a boil.
16. Remove cream from heat and pour over bowl of chocolate.
17. Let sit for 2 minutes, then slowly stir the chocolate and cream mixture until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Then, let ganache come to room temperature.
18. To assemble the Wintermint Cake, place 1 cake layer on a serving platter.
19. Trim cake layer to create a flat surface and use offset spatula to spread about 1⁄4 cup of ganache on top only.
20. Let set for 1 minute in refrigerator.
21. Spread approximately 11⁄4 cups of buttercream on top of ganache.
22. Repeat with following 2 layers.
23. Crumb coat cake and refrigerate briefly, for around 15 minutes.
24. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining buttercream.
25. Garnish cake with optional 1⁄4 cup of crushed peppermint candies and refrigerate for about 15 minutes to firm up the entire cake.