recipes...........yummy!!!!

Mint Chocolate Cake
By: Anna Olson
Ingredients:For Cake:1 ¾ cups water1 ¾ cups Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped1 cup sour cream1 Tbsp vanilla extract2 tsp* extract1 ¾ cups unsalted butter, room temperature1 ¾ cups sugar¾ cup golden brown sugar, packed5 eggs3 cups all purpose flour2 ½ tsp baking soda1 tsp saltFor Frosting:½ cup unsalted butter2 Tbsp cocoa powder, sifted2.5 Tbsp milk1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted1 tsp vanilla extract


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and butter and sugar a 9 x 13-inch pan. Whisk water, cocoa powder and chocolate over low heat until chocolate is melted. Allow to cool to room temperature. Combine sour cream, vanilla and peppermint extract and whisk into cooled chocolate mixture. Cream butter and sugars together until fluffy and pale. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt and add to butter mixture alternately with chocolate mixture. Scrape and spread into prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

2. While cake is cooling, prepare frosting. Heat butter, cocoa and milk together until smooth and shiny. Remove from heat and stir in icing sugar and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Pour and spread over cake and allow to cool.