Andes Mint Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped Andes Mints

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease/flour three 9 inch cake pans. Bring some water to boil and keep it simmering while you mix together the other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Once the wet ingredients are combined, add them to the large mixing bowl with the wet ingredients and beat until well combined. 

Add 1 cup of boiling water and carefully stir until it is well combined. Beat for 1 and 1/2 minutes. (The batter will be very runny, don't worry it is supposed to be.) Stir in Andes Mints. Pour cake batter into the 3 prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cakes cool on baking rack. (If preparing the night before, cover the cakes in plastic wrap and put in refrigerator). 

Mint Buttercream Frosting

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 5 to 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract
• green food coloring
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk (may use less)

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, peppermint and green food coloring on low speed in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add milk until you reach the desired consistency. 

Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place chocolate chips in a metal bowl. Heat cream over medium heat in a small saucepan. Keep and eye on it and as soon as it starts to boil remove cream from heat and pour over chocolate chips. Let cream and chocolate chips sit for 1-2 minutes. Stir chocolate mixture until well combined. Stir in vanilla extract. 

Allow chocolate ganache to cool and thicken. Cover ganache and place in refrigerator for a couple of 1-2 hours or until thickened.  

When ready to assemble the cake, frost the entire 3 layers with mint buttercream. Once the cake is frosted, pour chocolate ganache in the center of the cake. Work your way outwards in a circle until the ganache is about 1-inch from the edge of the cake. Lightly spread the ganache from the center of the cake to the edge of the cake. Adding more ganache as necessary, direct the ganache over the edge to create drips down the side of the cake. Top the cake with extra mints. 

Source: Bird on a Cake