Double-Delight Cake

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Begin by making a chocolate cream cheese frosting infused with mint extract, just enough to accent the chocolate without overpowering it.
  2. 2Combine shortening, cream cheese, vanilla, and peppermint flavoring in a bowl.
  3. 3Sift confectioners' sugar into the mixture.
  4. 4Add melted chocolate and hot water to the mixture and mix thoroughly.
  5. 5Separate the frosting mixture. Half of it will be used to ice the cake later.
  6. 6To the remaining half of the frosting, add additional shortening and eggs, mixing well.
  7. 7Sift together flour, sugar, soda, and salt.
  8. 8Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk to the batter, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, mixing after each addition.
  9. 9Pour the batter into two greased and lightly floured 9-inch round cake pans.
  10. 10Bake in a moderate oven (350°F) for 30 to 40 minutes.
  11. 11Let the cakes cool on a wire rack.
  12. 12Prepare candied mint leaves for garnish by dipping fresh mint leaves into egg white and then coating them with granulated sugar.
  13. 13Spread the reserved chocolate cream cheese frosting between the cake layers.
  14. 14Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
  15. 15Decorate the cake with the candied mint leaves.
  16. 16Slice and serve the cake.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups shortening
  • 2 packages (3 oz. size) cream cheese
  • 2 to 3 drops oil peppermint flavoring
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 4 squares (1 oz. size) chocolate, melted
  • 0.5 cup hot water
  • 0.75 cup additional shortening
  • 2 eggs
  • 2.25 cups Pillsbury's Best Enriched Flour
  • 1.5 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 cup milk

Equipment

bowlspatulasiftermeasuring spoonsmeasuring cupsround cake pansovencooling rackcake standoffset spatulaknife

Tips

  • Mix old recipes by hand to understand how batter feels when it's right, which is an intuitive knowledge often passed down through generations.
  • For baking, use your senses (sight, smell, and the sound a cake makes) rather than strictly relying on suggested times. A cake sings when it's baking and goes quiet when it's done.