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!
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 mint chocolate chip sheet 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 it’s 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, and always my go-to when I need a chocolate cake as the base for another recipe.
I made a few adjustments to turn this favorite recipe into a mint chocolate chip sheet 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.
secrets to perfect mint chocolate 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!
- Adding plenty of heavy whipping cream to a standard buttercream makes a soft and cloud-like texture, 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.
- 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 peppermint extract, I like McCormicks.
- You want peppermint for baking. Spearmint will make your food taste like toothpaste 😉
this sheet cake will be my go-to for summer gatherings and parties
I love this sheet 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.
The “ice cream” theme makes it perfectly appropriate for summer, but without all the fuss of an actual ice cream cake. It’s delicious both chilled and room temperature, too.
how to 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 ~
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Mint Chip Sheet Cake
Video
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.
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.
Made these for a recent bbq. Added Andes mint baking chips per another review. Lots of compliments. Very moist!
Thanks so much, Mariah, glad to hear it was a hit!
Just made two of these this morning: one for a funeral and one for a fundraiser. They were yummy, easy, and so pretty!
Thanks for the report Jaye!
Thanks for the recipe. I see that using mint extract is mentioned and then in the ingredients it lists peppermint extract. Which one should I use? I was thinking the peppermint would be too candy like. Thanks.
It’s really down to personal preference Ellen, we used peppermint for this cake, but if you prefer spearmint, or a mixed ‘mint’ then go for it.
Will this frosting hold at room temperature? Must the leftover cake be refrigerated?
I’m comfortable leaving it out for a day, but after that you probably should refrigerate it.
Hi! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! My brother will love it!
Does the cake change a lot if I use buttermilk instead of milk, and hot coffee instead of hot water, as the original Ina’s recipe?
No you can do that, for sure.
This is a new family favorite!! Thank you!!! So delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing such an amazing recipe that made my day. Loved It
I’m trying to leave a five stars, but it won’t let me! I have made a dessert every other day of quarantine (if not everyday) and this has easily been the best one! SO GOOD! The chocolate cake and mint frosting was an amazing combo and I’m dreaming of more desserts I can make with the chocolate cake! Thank you so much for sharing!! xoxo
Thanks Ashley, there’s a glitch with the ratings, working on it now. I’m so glad you loved this cake, I’m dreaming of ways to change it up too, you can never have too much chocolate cake 😉
Hi, thank you in advance for what looks like such a good recipe! I’d like to downsize it and make it using a 6′ round cake pan, would you suggest halving the recipe or should I cut it down further? Thank you so much!
I think you should be ok halving the recipe, just don’t fill your 6 inch pan too full, 2/3 full is about right.
Do you think I would be ok using mint extract rather than peppermint extract? The store was out of peppermint ?
Yes, that will be fine.