Chocolate Mint Cake with Fresh Milled Flour (dye-free)
This from scratch Chocolate Mint Cake made with freshly milled flour is the perfect balance of rich chocolate and refreshing mint. This soft, fluffy cake is layered with a smooth mint frosting, then finished with a rich chocolate topping. Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, this cake is ideal for holidays, birthdays, or anytime you’re craving a classic chocolate-mint dessert. If you love moist chocolate cake paired with a cool, creamy mint flavor, this homemade chocolate mint cake recipe is sure to become a favorite.
Equipment
- 1 9x13 cake pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 360 g fresh milled soft white wheat 3 cups
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- 2 eggs
- 200 g brown sugar 1 cup
- 100 g white sugar 1/2 cup
- 240 g milk 1 cup
- 125 g sourdough optional
- 240 g hot water 1 cup
- 50 g cocoa powder 1/2 cup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp coffee or espresso powder
Mint Filling
- 240 g powdered sugar 2 cups
- 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 stick
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp mint extract
- chlorophyll or matcha for green color optional
Topping
- 11 oz chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
- 1/2 tsp mint extract optional
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Mill grains (soft white wheat works best).
- In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Heat water and stir in cocoa, vanilla, and coffee; let bloom.
- Melt butter and mix with eggs, sugars, milk, and sourdough starter.
- Add cocoa mixture to wet ingredients, then stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Let batter rest while oven preheats.
- Pour into a well-greased 9×13 pan and bake 30–40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
Mint Filling
- Combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, water and mint extract and beat till creamy. Optionally, add chlorophyll or matcha to make it green - it makes a fun color without adding food dyes.
- Spread over cooled chocolate cake.
- Refrigerate until set.
Topping
- Melt butter, then pour in chocolate chips. Keep over low heat and stir till all the chocolate is melted.
- Let cool for 30 minutes or until lukewarm; stirring occasionally.
- Spread over filling.
- Chill before cutting.
- Store in refrigerator.
Notes
Mixing cocoa powder with hot water, a process called "blooming," intensifies its chocolate flavor, creates a richer aroma, helps it dissolve smoothly without lumps, and results in moister, fudgier texture by activating the cocoa solids and reducing bitterness. The hot liquid breaks down cocoa's natural fats and releases its full flavor potential, a key step for deep chocolatey results in baked goods like brownies.
Freshly milled flour is finer and takes longer to absorb moisture compared to commercial, highly processed flours. Resting gives the flour time to fully hydrate, which prevents the final product from having a gritty or sandy texture.