Explore 2019: New 4-Component Cake Recipe

Normally when I make a cake, it's just two parts: cake + frosting. I tend to avoid cakes with multiple components! But when Violet asked for "some kind of chocolate mint cake" for her birthday I immediately went to my recipe binder. Years ago (decades ago?!) I clipped a recipe for a delicious-looking chocolate mint cake but had never made it. I decide to give it a try!

This cake involves 4 components. The first 3 (devil's food cake, dark chocolate ganache, white chocolate cream) were actually really easy and I prepped them all yesterday. This afternoon I figured I was cruising but then I made a mistake. I should have assembled these 3 components BEFORE making the marshmallowy peppermint frosting (component 4). I didn't realize why this was bad until I saw the frosting starting to harden in the bowl while I was assembling the layers. GAH! Totally my bad, not the recipe!

I guess this is where experience helps! I didn't want to remake the marshmallow frosting so I spread a thin coat of it all over as best I could, then let it set up in the fridge. And luckily I had enough white chocolate whipped cream left over to cover the whole thing. I skipped the chocolate curls because I was tuckered from the stress, the pile of dishes in the sink, and the reality that I still need to work today!

As I've said many times, DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT. I can't wait to celebrate Violet tonight!