Recipes

Grasshopper Cake

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This cake is inspired by the famous American dessert called a Grasshopper pie. The pie has a chocolate base and a creamy filling that contains a mint liqueur called Creme de Menthe. 
The cake version has a rich and moist chocolate cake with a soft and silky peppermint filling.

This recipe uses peppermint extract in place of the liqueur. If you happen to have this particular liqueur, then use in place of the peppermint extract.

A word on the frosting – it is a buttercream that uses a cup of fresh cream. This results in the silkiest of buttercream and not as sweet as the standard one. It is absolutely light and delicious.

Ingredients for Cake

  • 100 g butter
  • 225 g caster sugar
  • 250 ml buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 280 g self-raising flour
  • 2 heaped TB cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 100 g melted chocolate

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Method to make cake

  • Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
  • Grease and line the base of 2 or 3 x 20cm round pans. (if using 2 pans, make sure they have a depth of 5 cm or more)
  • Sift flour, cocoa powder and bicarb.
  • Measure out butter, eggs and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add buttermilk and melted chocolate.
  • Add dry ingredients and mix with an electric beater till smooth, voluminous and well combined.
  • Divide equally between pans.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes till well risen and the cakes shrink from the sides of the tin.
  • Leave cakes in pans for about 5 minutes to completely cool and then turn onto a wire rack to completely cool.

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Mint Frosting

  • 200 g butter
  • 250 ml fresh cream
  • 400 g sifted icing sugar
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
  • few drops of green gel paste/coloring
  • Using an electric beater to beat butter till light and fluffy.
  • Beat in 2/3 of cream with the butter.
  • Add sifted icing sugar gradually and beat well.
  • Add remaining cream and beat till buttercream is light and fluffy.
  • Add peppermint extract and a few drops of food colouring and lightly beat to combine. 

Assemble cake

  • Place cake layer on a flat plate or cake board and spread a thick layer of frosting.
  • Cover with another layer of cake.
  • Repeat if using 3 layers.
  • Using a spatula spread the rest of the frosting on the tops and sides of cake.
  • Decorate with shaved or grated chocolate.

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