MINT COOKIES N CREAM CAKE

a recipe by Tessa Huff

For the Cake:
2 cups + 2 tablespoons cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
1 cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
For the Mint Filling:
4 egg whites
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (or to taste)
green gel food coloring (optional)
For the Frosting:
Remaining Mint Filling
1 1/4 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
For the Chocolate Glaze:
2 ounces semi or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
pinch salt
Make the Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 6-inch round cake pans and
set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter
until smooth. Add in the sugar and mix for about 3 minutes on medium speed.
4. Turn the mixer down to medium-low and add in the vanilla, eggs, and egg yolk.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
5. Working in three alternating batches, starting and ending with the dry ingredients,
add the flour mixture and milk on low speed. Fold in the crushed chocolate
cookies until combined.
6. Evenly distribute the batter between the pans and bake for about 24 to 26 minutes,
or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool on a
wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.
Make the Mint Filling:

7. Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir to combine.
8. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium heat.
Put the mixer bowl on the top of the saucepan to create a double-boiler. While
whisking, heat until the egg mixture reaches about 155 degrees on a candy
thermometer.
9. Once hot, carefully return the bowl back to the mixer fitted with the whisk
attachment. Beat on high for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until the outside of the
bowl returns to room temperature and the meringue holds medium peaks.
10. Stop the mixer and swap out the whisk for paddle attachment. With the mixer on
medium-low, add in the butter, and few tablespoons at a time. Mix until silky
smooth.
11. Add in the vanilla, mint and green gel food coloring, if desired. Mix until smooth.
Assemble the Cake:
12. Once the cakes are cool, trim and level the tops so that they are flat.
13. Place one cake layer on a cake board or serving dish. Spread on about 3/4 cup
mint filling. Top with the next layer of cake and repeat.
14. Crumb coat the cake with the mint filling, then refrigerate to set about 10
minutes.
15. Stir in 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies into the remaining
mint filling.
16. Frost the outside of the cake with the cookie-studded icing.
Make the Glaze:
17. Place the chocolate, cream, and corn syrup in a saucepan and heat over mediumhigh heat. Being careful not to scorch the cream, heat until the cream begins to
steam and the chocolate starts to melt.
18. Remove from the heat, whisk until smooth. Let cool.
19. Once glaze is completely cool but still pourable, lightly drizzle over the top of the
cake, letting it drip down the sides.
20. Once the glaze sets, decorate the top with any remaining buttercream and mini
chocolate sandwich cookies.
Store in refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

BANANA CHOCO HAZELNUT CAKE

a recipe by Tessa Huff
For the Banana Cake:
3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
21. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 6inch round pans with sides at least 2
inches tall, set aside.
22. Mash ripe bananas in a mixing bowl with a potato masher or fork and set aside.
23. Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside.
24. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with a paddle attachment until
smooth.
25. Add in the sugar, and mix until light and fluffy.
26. With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla and eggs one at a time.
27. Stop the mixer. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
28. With the mixer on low, add in half of the dry ingredients.
29. Mix in the yogurt or sour cream.
30. Add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
31. Fold in the mashed bananas until combined.
32. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until golden about 22-25 minutes for
the recommended size.
33. Cool on a wire rack.
34. Invert the cakes out of the pans once they are cool enough to handle.
35. Cool completely before slicing each cake in half horizontally to create four layers
of cake.
For the Chocolate Ganache:
8 ounces chocolate about 65%
6 ounces heavy cream
Chop the chocolate and place in a heat-safe bowl. Heat the cream over medium-low until
it starts to simmer. Be careful not the burn the cream! Once it starts to come to a low
simmer, pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit 30 seconds before whisking together
until smooth. Let cool before use.
For the Nutella Buttercream:
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup Nutella

36. Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk until
combined.
37. Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium heat.
38. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan to cream a double-boiler.
39. Heat, whisking occasionally, until the egg mixture is hot to the touch about 140
degrees on a candy thermometer.
40. Once hot, remove from heat and place bowl on mixer.
41. Whisk on high until the bowl of the mixer becomes room temperature.
42. Swap out the whisk attachment for the paddle.
43. With the mixer on medium-low, add in the vanilla, butter, and Nutella.
44. Once added, mix on medium-high until smooth.
To Assemble:
45. Slice cooled banana cakes in half, horizontally, to create four layers of cake.
46. Spread a layer of ganache on top of the bottom layer of cake. I prefer just a smear
of ganache, as this cake gets rich fast.
47. Add a layer of buttercream on top of the ganache.
48. Place the second layer of cake on top of the buttercream and repeat.
49. Ice with the remaining buttercream.
50. Garnish with chopped, touted hazelnuts if desired.
51. Serve with salted caramel sauce!
*Banana cake recipe adapted from Confetti Cakes

For the Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
1 cup boiling water
52. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a kettle of water on to boil. Butter and lightly
flour three 8 round pans.

53. In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa, baking
powder, baking soda and salt.
54. Add in eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and espresso powder. Mix on medium speed for
two minutes.
55. Add boiling water and mix to combine.
56. Divide batter evenly between three prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cake is
done with a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
57. Cool 10 minutes before inverting cakes from pans. Cool completely before
assembling cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate if not using until tomorrow.
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar
9 tablespoons milk
1/3 teaspoon salt
58. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and peanut butter on medium speed until
well combined.
59. Add vanilla and salt. Mix again.
60. Mix in powdered sugar in several batches.
61. Add milk and whip until fluffy.
For the Chocolate Ganache
6 ounces chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoon corn syrup
Place chocolate chips into medium bowl and set aside. Heat cream in a saucepan over
medium-high heat just until it almost starts to simmer. Remove from heat and pour over
chocolate. Let sit for about 5 minutes and then stir with a wooden spoon until chocolate is
completely melted and smooth. Stir in corn syrup.
To Assemble the Cake
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with one cup of frosting and set aside.
Place one layer of cake onto serving plate or cake stand and top with about one cup of
frosting. Repeat with second cake layer, more frosting and then last cake layer. Crumb
coat and frost cake with remaining peanut butter frosting. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or
until frosting is set. Drizzle chocolate ganache over the top with small drips overflowing
the edge. Smooth as desired with offset spatula. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until
ganache is set.
Using your reserved frosting, pipe 8 small swirls of frosting evenly spaced around the
edge of cake. Top each swirl with a peanut butter ball.
Store in refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Microwave Lemon Curd

Yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar 3 eggs 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons) zest of 3 lemons 1/2
cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth and
thoroughly combined. Whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest and butter. 2. Cook in the
microwave on full power for one minute intervals, stirring after each minute. This process
will take about 3-5 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave. You will know
the lemon curd is done cooking when it coats the back of a metal spoon. 3. Remove from
the microwave, push through a fine, mesh sieve and pour into sterile jar.
2 weeks tahan in peti sejuk