Chocolate Mint Cake

                 My God....its been ages since I posted something on my blog. I thought it will be a breeze coming to India, visiting friends and family, attending ceremonies, celebrating festivals, voting for our state elections, managing my naughty two and a half year old and browsing my blogging friends yummy recipes.... I was so wrong . I don't know when the day begins and when it ends..... it is hectic to the core.

         Thank God for yesterday's heavy downpour preceeded by quite a gush of swift wind.... It was such a refreshing change from the scorching sun and heat.

         Now coming to the recipe... this is one of the most simplest of cakes and that too with the "Universal Favourite Ingredient - Chocolate".

        
           The basic cake recipe is easy but the icing can be done in various flavours according to your own taste. One of my personal favourite flavour is "mint" and that is what I have combined with chocolate in this recipe. Not to mention the lovely green colour and refreshing flavour that contrasts and compliments chocolate brown colour and flavour.

         You can play around with the icing colours and flavours according to your taste- banana or pineapple flavouring with yellow colour, strawberry flavour with pink colour, coffee flavour with brown colour , chocolate icing , plain cream icing topped  with fresh fruits or ready made decorations .... the options are endless ..... just have fun.

For the cake:
Self raising flour: 125 gms.
Unsalted butter: 175 gms.
Caster sugar: 175 gms.
Eggs [medium]: 3.
Cocoa powder: 50 gms.
Vanilla essence: 1 tsp.

For the icing:
Double cream: 150 ml.
Condensed milk: 3-4 tbsp.
Mint essence/extract: 1/2 tsp.
Green food colouring: 1 tsp.

Garnish:
Fresh blackberries: a handful.
Dark chocolate drops: a handful.

1.Heat oven to 190 degrees C/ 170 degrees F/ 375 F/Gas mark 5. Grease and line the base of two 20 cms cake tins.
2.Beat the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
3.Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for a couple of minutes in between each addition.
4.Sift together flour and cocoa powder. Fold into the egg mix along with the vanilla essence.

5.Divide the mix equally in between the two cake tins and smoothen the surface.
6.Bake in the middle rack for 20 mins until well risen and the surface is firm to touch.
7.Remove from the oven and cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool off completely.
8.Beat the double cream to whipped cream consistency. Add the condensed milk, mint extact and green food colouring and mix well.

9.Smear half of the icing cream on top of one cake and place the other cake on top of the first one.
10.Apply the rest of the cream on top of the second cake and arrange the blackberries on top.
11.Melt the chocolate drops and drizzle on top of the berries.

Note: This is best eaten on the day of preparation. If you are planning to make the cake in the morning and serve in the evening - make the cake,store them in air tight container, ice and decorate an hour before serving.

Enjoy.....

Scribbled by Reva.