
Chocolate cake with mint buttercream frosting. Although we don’t celebrate St. Patrick’ day, green is my favorite color and I could not let this Irish holiday pass without sharing one recipe with you. And since this is my only St. Patrick’ day related post I thought I go grande and celebrate with a Chocolate Layer Cake with Refreshing Mint Buttercream Frosting.
I had a hard time deciding what to make, to be honest. At first I thought of making a Guinness cake but since we don’t drink I didn’t want to buy a 6 pack for just 1 cup or so to use in a recipe. Then I wanted to make a Soda Irish Bread, which I did, but didn’t last long enough to take some photos.
But all for a good cause, otherwise I had not made this cake!
The recipe for this cake is from Kitchen Diaries by Clodagh McKenna, sent to me by the lovely people at Kerrygold Butter.
The book is divided in chapters for each month and of course I had to look for a March recipe. This cake was actually made into cupcakes in the book, 18 cupcakes to be exact. If you follow along and make a cake you simply divide the batter between two 9 inch round pans and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. For cupcakes, bake just 20 minutes or so.

I changed just a little bit the recipe, leaving the chocolate chips out of the batter and used all purpose flour instead of self-rising.
I had a little bit of trouble, so to speak with the recipe, since it calls for 2 sticks of butter but I wasn’t sure how much, in weight, that is since 2 sticks American version equals 8 oz while Kerrygold butter comes in 8 oz bars. I took a change and used only 8 oz of butter, which turned out to be a good guess.
The cake turned out great, love the mint touch in both the cake and the frosting. There is just one thing I would change next time. I would cover completely the cake in frosting. The sides dried out by the next day while the inside was still moist.
I also doubled the frosting to make sure I have enough to cover both layers and added some Irish Cream coffee creamer for flavor.
Chocolate layer cake with mint buttercream frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 grams) room temperature butter
- 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp mint extract
- 1 3/4 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup (20 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup (227 grams) room temperature butter
- 1 tsp mint extract
- 5 cups (600 grams) powder sugar
- ~ 1 tbsp Irish Cream coffee creamer
- mini chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9 inch pans. Shake off excess flour.
- In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, for about 3 minutes.
- Add the mint extract and the eggs, one by one, stirring well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Add the to the wet ingredients mixture.
- Stir until just combined.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 5 minutes in the pans before placing them on wire racks to cool completely.
- In a mixing bowl cream the butter for 1 minute. Add the mint extract and, slowly, add the powder sugar, 1/2 cup at a time making sure the sugar is incorporated before adding more.
- When all the sugar is mixed in, add enough Irish Cream coffee creamer to make a fluffy airy buttercream.
- Spread half of the frosting on top of one of the cake layers.
- Place the 2nd cake layer and top with the remaining frosting.
- Sprinkle mini chocolate chips if you're using.
- Let the flavors combine for few hours before slicing it.
Notes
Recipe from Kitchen Diaries

If you like this Chocolate cake with mint buttercream you may also like
Triple Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Chocolate Cake with Dulce de Leche Frosting
Devil’s Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Sending love your way,
Roxana
I am part of the Kerrygold Food Blogger Network and was provided with coupons for Kerrygold butter and a free copy of the cookbook. All opinions are mine.























{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks amazing!
I love anything with chocolate and mint! Another beautiful cake
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Pretty cake! MmmMmm
I love chocolate and mint together, what a gorgeous cake!
Great St. Patty’s Day cake, Roxana!!! Chocolate and mint were made for each other! Have a beautiful Sunday!
Squee, this is adorable. I just want a nice big slice. Maybe two.
SO beautiful Roxana! Chocolate and mint is my FAV. I want to eat the frosting with a spoon!
Wow, this cake looks absolutely amazing. Great photos!
Absolutely gorgeous, Rox! And I recognize those little flags, I used them on my bundt cake too.
Roxana, this is one beautiful cake, so festive! I love it.
I love that you bake real cakes rather than from a mix. I know lots of people don’t keep all the ingredients in their pantries to make a scratch cake. I personally get nervous if I don’t have flour, sugar, shortening, butter and chocolate chips in mine!
We’re having a party at Tumbleweed Contessa, and I’d love it if your brought this over. http://www.tumbleweedcontessa.com/blog/whatd-you-do-this-weekend-6/
Linda (The Contessa)
This cake looks so delicious, and I am a big fan of chocolate and mint!
I love your recipes!
I’ve never seen so much buttercream on a cake – I’m in love
Green is my favorite color too!!!!! I did one St. Paddy’s post, hopping to get one more in if time is on my side:-) I hope you are doing well! Your cake is seriously so beautiful, and caught my attention right away! Just Gorgeous, Hugs, Terra
I’m a bit of a St. Patrick’s Day grinch but I feeel like this cake could get me in the spirit! Yum!
I love this cake, I was actually thinking of making one for St. Patrick’s before you posted this but I opted for brownies with the mint frosting instead. Your cake looks like it turned out perfect!
Love chocolate mint cake and anything baked with Kerrygold butter, YUM!!!
Beautiful green color! And mint buttercream. Yum! Good call with the butter.
this looks delish!
Your cake looks absolutely gorgeous! It sounds delicious too!
Green is my favorite color, too, and I love the flavors of this cake!!
Beautiful cake and perfect for St. Patty’s Day!
Chocolate and mint…fabulous!I was check out those cupcakes too. I also got the book and it’s so pretty. I love that you made a pretty cake with the cupcake recipe, Roxy.