Bready or Not: Minty Chocolate Loaf
Since Christmas morning is Wednesday, this week's Bready or Not post is going up today. Maybe this will be something you'll want to make for a Christmas party!
It's time for a holiday remix of an old favorite.
A long, long time ago when I first started Bready or Not, I posted a Triple Chocolate Loaf. The result was delicious, but I overbaked the thing and that always annoyed me. Ever since, I've wanted to make it again and do it right.
Well, since I'm experimenting with coffee creamers, it occurred to me I could use Thin Mint coffee creamer instead of the half & half for this recipe. And that I could add peppermint flavor to the whole thing. And add peppermint pieces on top.
And this time I would not overbake it.
Dude. Just... dude.
Not only did I mint it up, but I also used most of a bag of Hershey's Baking Melts, with the discs broken into rough pieces. I figure it would add a smoother chocolate taste and texture to the whole thing.
DUDE.
What I ended up with is like a smaller, minty version of my much-beloved Tunnel of Fudge Cake. It's rich. It's dense. It hits your colon like an ACME anvil. But wow, is it good.
A few observations on this recipe:
- if the Hershey's Baking Melts aren't sold near you, try chocolate chunks, Kisses, or other chopped candy.
- make the cake a day before you want to cut into it. Wrap it up with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge. A lot of chocolate cakes taste better aged like this.
- if you don't have a minty coffee creamer, just use half & half or cream and add more peppermint extract.
- my frosting turned out very dry--an Arizona problem--so I used an old-fashioned trick and utilized a hair dryer. The heat is enough to melt the frosting a tiny bit and I was able to smooth it out with my finger.
- this keeps VERY well in the fridge. After a week and a half, it tastes just as good. I have a hunch it would keep well in the freezer, too. Just make sure it's well-wrapped.
- my husband thinks this cake is awesome with vanilla ice cream. Just sayin'.
Mint Chocolate Loaf
based on the Triple Chocolate Loaf
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese (half of an 8-ounce block), softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbsp Thin Mint coffee creamer (or other minty creamer)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup Hershey's Baking Melts or other chunky chocolate
1) Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper so that it fits length-wise and sticks up the sides; this creates a sling to easily lift up the loaf later. Use non-stick spray or butter on the paper as well.
2) In large bowl, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and blend well; next, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add coffee creamer and peppermint extract followed by the cocoa powder. Last, blend in the flour and then fold in the chocolate pieces.
3) Put batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 325-degrees for 65-75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (and if the top is starting to crack, it's likely done). Do NOT over-bake or you will be very sad.
4) Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then lift out of pan by using the parchment sling. Set the loaf out to cool completely.
Chocolate buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1+ Tbsp Thin Mint coffee creamer (or other minty creamer)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4– 1/3 cup crushed peppermint bits, for garnish
1) Cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar. Add in the cocoa powder and blend well. Lastly, mix in the creamer, starting with 1 tablespoon, then adding more until it's a spreadable consistency.
2) When the cake is completely cool, apply the frosting to the top and sides. Garnish with the peppermint bits.
3) Let the cake set in the fridge for a few hours, then wrap well with plastic wrap. Let it sit in the fridge overnight, at least, before you cut into it. The loaf will last for days if kept refrigerated and wrapped, and will also likely freeze well either whole or in slices for easy serving.
OM NOM NOM.
It's time for a holiday remix of an old favorite.
A long, long time ago when I first started Bready or Not, I posted a Triple Chocolate Loaf. The result was delicious, but I overbaked the thing and that always annoyed me. Ever since, I've wanted to make it again and do it right.
Well, since I'm experimenting with coffee creamers, it occurred to me I could use Thin Mint coffee creamer instead of the half & half for this recipe. And that I could add peppermint flavor to the whole thing. And add peppermint pieces on top.
And this time I would not overbake it.
Dude. Just... dude.
Not only did I mint it up, but I also used most of a bag of Hershey's Baking Melts, with the discs broken into rough pieces. I figure it would add a smoother chocolate taste and texture to the whole thing.
DUDE.
What I ended up with is like a smaller, minty version of my much-beloved Tunnel of Fudge Cake. It's rich. It's dense. It hits your colon like an ACME anvil. But wow, is it good.
A few observations on this recipe:
- if the Hershey's Baking Melts aren't sold near you, try chocolate chunks, Kisses, or other chopped candy.
- make the cake a day before you want to cut into it. Wrap it up with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge. A lot of chocolate cakes taste better aged like this.
- if you don't have a minty coffee creamer, just use half & half or cream and add more peppermint extract.
- my frosting turned out very dry--an Arizona problem--so I used an old-fashioned trick and utilized a hair dryer. The heat is enough to melt the frosting a tiny bit and I was able to smooth it out with my finger.
- this keeps VERY well in the fridge. After a week and a half, it tastes just as good. I have a hunch it would keep well in the freezer, too. Just make sure it's well-wrapped.
- my husband thinks this cake is awesome with vanilla ice cream. Just sayin'.
Mint Chocolate Loaf
based on the Triple Chocolate Loaf
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese (half of an 8-ounce block), softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbsp Thin Mint coffee creamer (or other minty creamer)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup Hershey's Baking Melts or other chunky chocolate
1) Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cut a piece of parchment paper so that it fits length-wise and sticks up the sides; this creates a sling to easily lift up the loaf later. Use non-stick spray or butter on the paper as well.
2) In large bowl, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and blend well; next, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add coffee creamer and peppermint extract followed by the cocoa powder. Last, blend in the flour and then fold in the chocolate pieces.
3) Put batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 325-degrees for 65-75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (and if the top is starting to crack, it's likely done). Do NOT over-bake or you will be very sad.
4) Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then lift out of pan by using the parchment sling. Set the loaf out to cool completely.
Chocolate buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1+ Tbsp Thin Mint coffee creamer (or other minty creamer)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4– 1/3 cup crushed peppermint bits, for garnish
1) Cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar. Add in the cocoa powder and blend well. Lastly, mix in the creamer, starting with 1 tablespoon, then adding more until it's a spreadable consistency.
2) When the cake is completely cool, apply the frosting to the top and sides. Garnish with the peppermint bits.
3) Let the cake set in the fridge for a few hours, then wrap well with plastic wrap. Let it sit in the fridge overnight, at least, before you cut into it. The loaf will last for days if kept refrigerated and wrapped, and will also likely freeze well either whole or in slices for easy serving.
OM NOM NOM.
No comments have been added yet.
