After making gingersnaps and carrot cake for my first two Christmas recipes, I really wanted to make a dessert with chocolate. And since mint goes so well with chocolate, especially during the holidays, I thought why not make some Dark Chocolate and Andes Mint Cake Balls!
The base cake for these cake balls is my dark chocolate cake originally used in this recipe. I was thinking about making a mint frosting to incorporate the mint flavor, but decided to go with a vanilla frosting and the chopped Andes mints as I like the creme de menthe flavor better than straight up peppermint, especially in baked goods.
I hope you enjoy these Dark Chocolate and Andes Mint Cake Balls as much as my niece did (FYI – she loved them)! Let me know in the comments how they turned out or tag me on Instagram using @homecourtbakes!
XO,
Coco
Prep time: 1 hour (includes time to make cake batter, frosting and chill time)
Cook time: 30-35 minutes plus ~1 hour for cooling
Total time: 4 hours
Yields: ~30 cake balls
Ingredients for the Dark Chocolate Cake:
- 115 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 250 grams (1 1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 60 grams (1/4 cup + 1 tsp) light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 110 grams (1/2 cup) buttermilk
- 75 grams (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
- 8 grams (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 155 grams (1 1/4 cup) cake flour
- 90 grams (3/4 cup) midnight or dark cocoa powder
- 4 grams (1 tsp) baking powder
- 4 grams (1 tsp) kosher salt
Ingredients for the Vanilla Frosting:
- 7 Tablespoons (100 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups (210 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 2–3 tsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped Andes mints plus more for decorating
Coating:
- 20 ounces milk or dark chocolate melting wafers
Instructions:
Make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan with baking spray, line the bottom with parchment and spray the top of the parchment and up the sides of your pan.
- Add the butter and sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together on high for 2-3 minutes, just until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through and at the end.
- Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. After adding the last egg, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on high for another 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. If there are any streaks of ingredients that aren’t fully incorporated, cream for another 2-3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl or container (I like to use a measuring cup), combine the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Slowly stream the mixture into the bowl while on low. When finished, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for another 2-3 minutes on high. When done, the mixture should double in size and be completely homogenous.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the wet all at once and mix on the lowest speed for 45 to 60 seconds.
- Pour the batter into your pan and spread into an even layer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, making sure to rotate the pan at 15 minutes to ensure an even bake. At 30 minutes, use your finger to gently poke around the outside and center of the cake. It should bounce back very slightly and the center not jiggly at all.
- When baked through, remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan completely.
Make the frosting:
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy (about 2 minutes). Add the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract while the mixer is running on low speed. Once added, increase the mixer to high speed and beat for 3 more minutes.
Assemble the cake balls:
- Crumble the cooled cake into the bowl on top of the frosting. Make sure there are no large lumps. Add the Andes mints. Turn the mixer on low and beat the frosting, cake crumbles and mint chips together until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the moist cake mixture and roll into a ball. Place balls on a baking sheet or plate (whatever will fit in your refrigerator). Refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze for 1 hour.
- Note: You may need to re-roll the chilled balls to smooth them out. Once smooth, place the dough back into the fridge as you’ll only work with a couple at a time and they should be cold when adding the coating.
- Melt the chocolate wafers in a medium bowl according to package instructions.
- To coat the balls, place each ball on a fork and then spoon the coating over the top. Tap the fork lightly against the side of the bowl to remove any excess. Gently transfer each dipped cake ball to a sheet of parchment paper and top with a few chopped Andes mints. Let the cake balls sit for 10-15 minutes to ensure the chocolate coating has set.
- Enjoy!
Home Court Bakes 