MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Vegan Mint Chocolate Cake With Simple Chocolate Buttercream
 Categories: Cakes
      Yield: 8 Slices
 
  2 1/2 c  All purpose flour (370 g);
           - sifted
      2 c  Sugar (400 g)
      4 ts Baking powder
  1 1/2 ts Baking soda
      1 pn Salt (optional)
  1 1/8 c  Cocoa powder (120 g)
      2    Shots espresso; see Note
    1/2    Banana; mashed
    2/3 c  Vegetable oil
  1 3/4 c  Water
      1 tb Vanilla extract
    1/2 ts Peppermint extract
      1 c  Powdered sugar; sifted
    1/4 c  Cocoa powder; sifted
    1/2 c  Butter; at room temperature
    1/4 c  Chocolate; melted;
           - at room temperature
      2 tb Plant milk;
           - at room temperature
      1 ts Vanilla extract
 
  Mint Chocolate Cakes:
  
  Preheat your oven to 350 F.
  
  Spray two 7" cake pans with cooking spray and line them with
  parchment paper.
  
  Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a
  large bowl. Whisk and set aside.
  
  To a small saucepot, add cocoa powder, vegetable oil, water,
  peppermint extract, espresso, vanilla extract, and banana. Stir
  together over medium-low heat until the cocoa powder has completely
  dissolved.
  
  Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients. Using a
  whisk, mix together all ingredients until the dry ingredients are
  completely incorporated.
  
  Divide cake batter equally into the two cake pans (use a
  scale--it's not as intuitive as you think!).
  
  Bake in the oven for about 38 minutes, until a toothpick inserted
  into the center comes out clean.
  
  Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 5 to 10 minutes. Run
  a sharp knife or offset spatula around the edges to loose the cakes
  before flipping the cake pans over and gently dislodging the cakes.
  
  Allow the cakes to cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before
  frosting them. You can also wrap them up and place them in the
  fridge overnight. This will actually make it much easier to frost
  them.
  
  Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
  
  Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl.
  
  Add half of the butter, melted chocolate and vanilla extract and
  mix using hand mixer until the mixture becomes creamy. If the
  frosting is too thick, additional butter (1 tb at a time) and plant
  milk until you reach desired consistency.
  
  Wait until the cakes have completely cooled before attempting to
  frost them. I generally do not like too much frosting, but if you
  like frosting, double the frosting recipe.
  
  Recipe by Joanne Molinaro
 
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