Chocolate Mint Cake (Movie Clapper Cake)

This post originally appeared on my other blog in 2013, but since I am no longer updating that one, I am researching here!

This cake was for a friend’s 9 year old’s birthday party.  My friend always throws gorgeous Pinterest-worthy parties that I completely envy.

So for her son, she turned her den into a movie theater, complete with all of the concessions 9 year old boys could ever hope for.

And of course a Movie Clapper Cake!

To make this cake, I baked the two layers in 8-inch square pans, filled them with chocolate mint ganache, wrapped it up and froze it over night.

The next day, I was able to cut the top portion of the cake to resemble the movie clapper.  I then frosted the entire thing with chocolate frosting (tinted black) and added white fondant details as well as a few piped details.  Lastly, the cake was finished off with a fondant reel and fondant popcorn!

Chocolate Mint Cake

1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix

1 (3.9 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

1 cup canola oil

1 tbsp extra dark cocoa powder

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp espresso powder

1 (10 oz) package Grasshopper aka Thin Mint aka Chocolate Mint Cookies, crushed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray desired pans (I used 8-inch squares) with nonstick spray.

Combine all of the ingredients, except the crushed cookies, in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth.  Add in the crushed cookies.  Mix on low until combined.

Pour the batter evenly into the desired pans and bake for 30-35 minutes (for 8-inch pans) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. 

Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans.  Then, invert and cool completely before frosting.