Wintermint Cake

Not a mint fan, so what to do with an assignment that is ALL ABOUT mint? I bake the same cake base, different filling and frosting flavor. 

OK, so I know you're going to say - but what's the point? That's what this cake is all about! True, true; guilty as charged, but I just couldn't bring myself to bake a cake that I knew no one ( at least no one I know) would eat.  I'm sure the cake is amazing for those who enjoy that flavor but it is such a distinct flavor - not a subtle hint kinda thing.

So a few weeks ago was my birthday (ouch! last one before the new number!) and I wanted to bring a cake to work. Seemed easy enough to just make this cake in advance. I switched the flavoring of the frosting and ganache filling to one of my favorites - coconut. 

I was actually more interested in trying the design that is in the book Baked Occasions. I do a lot of cake decorating and this looked simple enough. Elegant, straightforward......WRONG! At least for me. Just couldn't get the hang of making those beautiful gradations of color- separate they were fine, but when I tried to do it on the cake... well they just sort of mushed together. Guess it takes a lot of practice. Just because it "appears" easy, certainly doesn't make it so.

On top of my frustration with that, I made the cake at night and just quickly took a picture of it with my iPhone. Not that the cake looked like anything to begin with, but the photo is really lame.

Apologies for that! Next time... and there will be a next time. The cake itself is wonderful, with a rich, chocolaty flavor. Had a bit of trouble with the frosting consistency but managed. 

This is the way it's SUPPOSED to look!

Not very similar to my result!