This Chocolate Mint Pound Cake is a chocolate pound cake filled with Andes mint chips covered in a thick chocolate mint ganache.
Someone I know, I can’t say friend anymore (even though I was at her wedding, baby shower, baby birthdays, etc.) has adopted a new policy in life.
I’m pretty sure she has been paying a little too much attention to the inspirational sayings on Pinterest.
Especially the one that reads “Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher”.
Except like many, she misinterprets this.
This phrase doesn’t mean I will sit around and blow smoke up your but.
It means surround yourself with people who will make you a better person.
Sometimes that’s telling you like it is.
Surrounding yourself with people who will never tell you that you are being a jackass or screwing up royally means that you will never grow as a person.
For the record she has basically unfriended every person she knows.
Because everyone she knows has told her that the choices she is making are not good or healthy ones.
Comments are made not to bring that person down but to keep them from making life changing choices that aren’t being thought out very well.
She lives in make believe land.
A lot of people do.
When at public skate last night (out on a skate date 🙂 )I saw a bunch of kids, some older, some younger.
Many of the kid’s parents were there too…and I talked to a few of them.
They all of course want their kid to go to the NHL and boast how their kid plays select hockey.
For those who don’t know select sports nowadays is basically super overpriced travel hockey (insert any sport) that isn’t made up of the best players.
It’s made up of the players whose parents check clear.
Some of these kids were already high schoolers.
If you aren’t awesome at hockey (any other sport) in high school…you aren’t going to get awesome in time to go to the NHL.
I myself am on the 17 year plan. 😛
So parents come to reality.
If your kids isn’t that great have them play recreational hockey (or other sport) and save yourself some money.
Surround yourself with people who will love you, make you laugh, and are comfortable with telling you their real opinion.
Now I am not saying keep the fun sponges in your life.
Fun sponges are the people who suck the fun out of life.
And don’t keep truly horrible people in your life either.
But if the person is telling you in a nice way and it’s coming from a true place of concern, while you don’t have to take the advice in any way, you might want to listen to it.
Especially if twelve of your friends are saying the same thing. 🙂
When my parents were here for Easter my dad asked if I had anything Chocolate Chip Mint in the house.
I had Girl Scout Cookies but I knew he wanted a little more.
So I made this cake.
He was very in favor of this cake and took the rest of it home with him.
Which of course made me super happy.
If you can’t find the Andes Mint Pieces (I find mine at Target) you can use half chocolate chips and half mint chips.
And if no mint chips then consider moving. 😀
But no, you can use a tsp. of peppermint extract instead and load up on the chocolate chips.
P.S. It’s a great day to buy my cookbook Holy Sweet!
Want more pound cake recipes?
Cinnamon Sugar Banana Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
Bourbon Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Whiskey Glazed Apple Buttermilk Pound Cake
Chocolate Mint Pound Cake
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 1 TBSP vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 ¼ cups Andes Mint Pieces, tossed with flour
- For the Chocolate Mint Ganache:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup Andes Mint Pieces
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla, and scrape down bowl when finished. Mix for another 30 seconds.
- Add all remaining ingredients except for boiling water and Andes Pieces, and blend.
- Once combined, stream in boiling water and blend until chocolate batter is smooth.
- Fold Andes Mint Pieces into batter.
- Spray loaf pan with cooking spray and pour in batter.
- Set loaf pan on a baking sheet and put in oven.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until cake is no longer jiggly. I baked mine for 60 minutes exactly.
- Let cake cool completely before removing it from pan.
- For the Chocolate Mint Ganache:
- Heat whipping cream over low heat just to boiling using a small saucepan.
- Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips and Andes pieces until melted.
- Pour over loaf cake.
B says
That looks awesome – best way I can think of to use Andes Mints (though I have to say my days at the OG have limited to how many Andes Mints I can eat). Mint & chocolate = heaven
So true what you are saying about pinterest and life affirming quotes in general. I know personally many of those quotes have helped me but people you gotta live well and listen/love those around you.
Tere says
Awwwww the hand holding picture melts my heart. 🙂 And I can assure you I would take the rest of this home too. Chocolate + mint = amazing!!
Victoria says
This looks amazing! Definitely going on my “to make” list! 🙂
Katrina says
Your posts are always so well written and well said. and the chocolate mint cake–tops!
jodi says
I think that’s the prettiest picture I’ve ever seen on this site. 🙂
Rosa says
That is so sad… I totally agree with you. The people who bring you down are the toxic ones and are not your real friends. They will most likely tell you what you want and ve untrue (because they know how to manipulate you). ;-P
That cake looks amazing!
Cheers,
Rosa
vanillasugarblog says
P you are WAAAAAY better off without her.
People like that make me ill.
You don’t need toxic friends like that. I know it hurts, or you wouldn’t be writing about it.
Good riddance–life is short.
Susie Q says
I just wanted to say that I love your words about your “friend”, Pinterest, etc. Life is too short! Love your blog too. You made my day when I read this post.
KJ says
This recipe is hands down the best thing I’ve read all year! Chocolate. Chip. Pound. Cake. Why has my brain never dreamed such a wonderful thing? Totally making this tomorrow!
Tia says
LOVE chocolate & mint – never thought of making it a load/cake form. Must try though I’m likely the only one to eat it in my house & that might be trouble. I’m a long time lurker but have often wanted to post – just felt weird to post to someone I didn’t know! I teach junior high and love to cook – and am also very blunt! Your blog often strikes a chord w/ me in many ways. I admire your spunk – and creativity in the kitchen!
Jill says
We are all better off without crazies in our lives. 🙂
Becca - Cookie Jar Treats says
Wow, she’s unfriending people. Oh the horror. Hopfully this woman will realize her mistakes, although at that point it may be too late. Oh well. :/
As for this cake I don’t live near a place that sells andes mint chips or nestle mixed chocolate and mint chips. However there are mint candies at my grocery store. I guess I’m just going to have to get un-lazy and unwrap each individual one and chop them all up to make this loaf. By the way it looks fantastic. Especially that glaze on top MmmmmMPH! Besides, anything Nigella makes looks amazing 🙂
kita says
I know several people who live in make believe land. It’s really obnoxious and I stopped trying to hold meaningful conversations with them and removed (or been removed) from ‘friend’ status with them. Oddly, I don’t feel much of a loss at that point.
Sometimes I wonder if I am doing it wrong though, if a life of delusion and no consequence would just be easier. Can’t do it, but I do wonder.
I love me some mint packed desserts and this cake pound cake screams awesome. I would be able to have it all to myself too as I’m the only mint fan in my world.
Chris says
Oh…..that cake…..it looks…..beyond words! I could melt into it…..
About friends….. I found myself up against a losing battle with a few I thought were real friends. So, I devised a plan…I would call, have a routine conversation, and then start the clock. If I didn’t receive a call within three months, I would call again and proceed with another routine conversation. If I didn’t receive a call from said friend within three more months, I let them go. Sometimes, you just don’t get/have it right and it’s better to know who your REAL friends are in the end. Yes, you grieve, but you’re ARE better off knowing who really DOES have your back. Life IS too short. Stay with those who are loyal and care, even if it hurts when they tell you the truth about yourself. Like Dr. Suess said, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” I LOVE THAT QUOTE! Thank you for giving me one more place to share it! And for another reminder that I have TRUE friends!
Nicole says
Chocolate mint ganache sounds very good. I also have some thin mints left that would be good chunked up in this, but it seems like I just want to eat the Girl Scout cookies (although I obviously haven’t yet)!
mIA says
Good Morning, Peabody! Thanks for the post…
karin says
I can’t imagine what a travel team would cost…my son plays on the local town team, a mite 2, he is 6 and it was about 1500 bucks for the year. not including any extras. He LOVES hockey..so it’s worth every penny. My husband also plays on a couple of leagues, and if he likes getting up at 430 on saturdays, then good for him!