My Mint Chocolate Chip Sheet Cake is a moist chocolate cake recipe topped with an amazing mint chip frosting. Make it for birthdays, cookouts, and potlucks ~ everybody loves this ice cream inspired dessert!
This mint chocolate chip cake tastes like mint chocolate chip ice cream in a sheet pan (really!)
If you have a mint chip lover in your life, and don’t we all, this cake is for you. The frosting is spot on. And I should know, my Fresh Mint Chip Ice Cream is made with real mint, and is the ultimate mint chip ice cream recipe.
The cake is based on Ina Garten’s foolproof chocolate cake recipe
Aka, the best chocolate cake ever. It’s deep and rich, moist, and fluffy. I made a few adjustments to turn it into a mint chocolate chip cake, including baking it up in my 9×13 pan. What started out as an elegant layer cake has been transformed into a fun, laid back summer dessert.
The secret to making mint chip frosting
As great as the cake is, this recipe really stands or falls on the quality of the frosting. I love a good basic buttercream, but I wanted this frosting to be a little less dense, a little more soft and creamy, like…ice cream! I found that by adding a good amount of heavy whipping cream to a standard buttercream, I got something soft and cloud-like but with enough structure to hold up. Perfection! Finely chopped dark chocolate makes for the “mint chip” experience. You can use mini chocolate chips just as well.
Why I use a drop or two of green food coloring in this mint frosting
- A tiny drop of green food coloring gives the frosting that mint chip appearance. After all, we do eat with our eyes first. Absolutely leave it out if you prefer.
Not all mint is created equal
- Be sure to use a good quality mint extract, I like McCormicks.
- You want peppermint for baking. Spearmint will make your food taste like toothpaste 😉
If you’re stuck home with kids this summer, this sheet cake will be your best friend.
I love this cake for all kinds of celebrations from birthdays, graduations, and anything else you’ve got going on this season. It’s whimsical, a little different, and super delicious.
Convert this cake to other pan sizes
- Two 8 inch round cake pans: cooking time will be about 35 minutes. Two 9 inch round cake pans will cook in about 25 minutes. You may want to double the frosting recipe for a layer cake.
- A 9×9 square baking dish will bake in about 25 minutes. You’ll need to halve the recipe.
- Cupcakes ~ cooking time for 24 cupcakes will be 15-18 minutes.
More summer sheet cakes ~
- Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cake
- Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon Velvet Sheet Cake
- Blueberry Zucchini Snack Cake
- Brown Sugar Peach Cake
Mint Chip Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 cup hot water
For the frosting
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 2-3 drops green food coloring
- 1/4 cup finely chopped dark chocolate (semisweet or bittersweet is fine)
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat oven to 350F and butter a 9×13 inch baking pan. If you like you can line the pan with a parchment sling which makes it easy to remove the cake for frosting and cutting.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add this to the dry ingredients, and whisk together.
- Then add the hot water, and mix until everything is combined, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so no dry bits of flour remain. The batter will be fairly thin.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and bake for 35 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out without wet batter clinging to it.
- Allow the cake to cool fully before frosting.
For the frosting
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until very smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, a cup or so at a time, and continue to beat until smooth.
- Then, slowly add the heavy cream, while the mixer is running on medium speed, and allow it to get fully incorporated.
- Add the peppermint extract and food coloring, and mix until everything is smooth and there are no steaks of food coloring left. If your frosting seems to soft or too stiff for your liking, feel free to adjust it by adding either a little more cream to make it softer or a little more powdered sugar to make it stiffer.
- Finally, fold in the chopped chocolate.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and use the back of a spoon to make pretty swirls.
Video
Notes
- You can make the cake a day in advance before frosting if you like. Just make sure to allow it to cool at room temperature and then store in the fridge overnight. I like to bring it back to room temperature to frost and serve it.
- Any kind of bar chocolate (baking chocolate or regular bar chocolate) is fine for the chips in the mint frosting. Mini chocolate chips would work well, too.
- If you have issues with your frosting getting grainy or having too many air bubbles, my trick is to transfer the frosting to a food processor and briefly process it until it is smooth. Works for me every time! Just make sure you do it before adding the chopped chocolate.
- Be careful when adding food coloring, you’ll only need a little bit, and you can always add more. Â
Nutrition
Have you tried Andes mint chips?
Great idea!
Can I use a box cake mix if I am short on time?
Yes for sure!
Thank you very much for your quick response. Since the pandemic, I have been making large trays of sweet treats for my family members who are nurses to bring to work and share with their colleagues each week. This all began because one of them asked if I could sew masks. The answer to that is NO sewing talent here, but I can bake. This sweet treat will definitely be part of my tray this week. Have a wonderful day – stay safe.
Can’t wait to try this! I don’t have heavy cream on hand, but do have half and half – thoughts on whether that might work for the frosting? Thanks!!
Yes, it will work fine.
So glad to find a simple sheet cake. Two of my favorite flavors, mint and chocolate. I didn’t have green food coloring. The flavor speaks for itself. So delicious!
Actually my favorite mint chip ice cream is white, so I agree!
Now this is a cake I definitely need to try – mint chocolate is one of my favourite things and my whole family would enjoy this!
Such a good chocolate cake! It’s actually easier to make than I thought. And you’re right, the mint frosting makes it taste like ice cream! So good!
Glad you enjoyed it Ana 🙂
I love minty flavors, so this mint chip sheet cake is now on my list! Can’t wait to try it YUM:)
Love the minty flavor and sounds like a very delicious dessert option for a party. Need to try this out.
I have dutch cocoa…can I use it in this recipe without making adjustments with baking powder or baking soda?
Yes, go ahead and use it.
This cake looks amazing! Would I be able to bake it in a nine inch square cake pan?
Yes, you can, just halve the recipe.
I’m making this a night in advance, but have only made the cake so far. Would you keep the icing and cake in the refrigerator separate, together as a finished cake, or just make the icing tomorrow?
I would make the frosting the day you are serving, Cody.