Starlight Mint Cake Recipes

STARLIGHT MINT CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 2 (9-inch) round layers. Cool cakes in pans 15 min. Pierce cakes with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals. Add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Pour over cakes. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 350ºF. Reserve 5 mints for later use. Place 12 of the remaining mints, about 4 inches apart, on parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake 5 min. or until mints are melted and each spreads out to 1-1/2- to 2-inch circle. Cool completely before removing from parchment. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining 11 mints.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package. Blend 5 reserved mints in blender until finely crushed; place in small bowl. Stir in melted chocolate, sour cream and food coloring.
• Dip bottom of 1 cake pan in warm water 10 sec.; unmold onto serving plate. Spread cake with chocolate mixture. Unmold second cake layer; place on first layer. Frost with COOL WHIP. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Decorate with melted mints.

STARLIGHT MINT SURPRISE COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
• Cream together the butter and Crisco.
• Add sugars and mix well. Add unbeaten eggs, water and vanilla and mix well.
• Blend in the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Chill dough.
• Open and unwrap the chocolate mint wafers (Eight O'Clock or Andres)
• Enclose each wafer in about 1 Tablespoon of dough and top each cookie with a walnut half.
• Place on ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
• Bake in moderate oven (recipe says 375°)for 10-12 minutes. You might consider a moderate oven to be 350°.

CHOCOLATE MINT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Mix 2 cups cold water and sugar in large bowl until sugar dissolves. Gradually mix in corn oil and vanilla extract. Whisk in dry ingredients. Divide cake batter among prepared pans. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mint-flavored chocolate chips over cake batter in each pan.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Cut around pan sides. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.
• For frosting:
• Combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons milk, peppermint extract and vanilla extract in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat frosting until smooth. Thin with more milk by tablespoonfuls, if necessary.
• Place 1 cake layer, chocolate-chip side up, on platter. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Top with second cake layer, chocolate-chip side up. Spread 2/3 cup frosting over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Top with remaining cake layer, chocolate-chip side down. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.)
• Place striped peppermint candies in heavy plastic bag. Crush with hammer. Sprinkle candies over cake.

PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stir cookie crumbs and margarine in a bowl until evenly moistened; press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly darkened, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature; about 30 minutes.
• Stir gelatin and cold water in a small saucepan over low heat until gelatin dissolves completely, about 3 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually add gelatin mixture, milk, and peppermint candy; mix until well-blended. Chill filling until thickened, about 2 hours.
• Fold whipped cream and chocolate into filling. Pour filling into crust; chill until firm, about 1 hour.

STARLIGHT MINT CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for two 9-inch round layers.
• Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes.
• Pierce cakes with large fork at 1/2 inch intervals.
• Stir boiling water into dry jelly powder 2 minutes until completely dissolved.
• Pour over cakes.
• Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F
• Crush 5 mints in blender; mix with melted chocolate, sour cream and food coloring.
• Place 1/2 the remaining mints, about 4 inches apart, on baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
• Bake 5 minutes or until mints melt to form 2 1/2 to 3 inch circles.
• Cool before removing from baking sheet.
• Repeat with remaining mints.
• Dip bottom of 1 cake pan in warm water 10 seconds; unmould onto plate,
• Spread with chocolate mixture.
• Unmould second cake; place on first layer.
• Frost with Cool Whip.
• Decorate with melted mints.
• Store in refrigerator.
• HOW TO BEND CANDY: To create a curvy effect on the melted candy, use a metal spatula to carefully remove melted candy from parchment while still warm and pliable.
• Place over the handle of a wooden spoon or any other object that will bend the candy.
• Cool completely before using to decorate cake.