Andes Mint Chocolate Cake

Contributed by our good friend Natalie. Check out this recipe and many others on her blog at: nataliewaybakes.com

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups Namaste Perfect Flour Blend
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2 cage free eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp mint extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Silk unsweetened cashew milk
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
1 cup boiling hot water
Filling Layer
1 stick unsalted softened butter (not melted)
1/2 tsp mint extract
2 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 drops green food coloring
1/2 cup Andes baking chips (or 1/2 cup Andes candies chopped up into small pieces)
Chocolate Frosting
2 sticks softened unsalted butter (1 cup)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and line 2 round 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine and sift together your flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a large bowl cream together your eggs and sugar. Add in your mint, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and blend. Next blend in your cashew milk and oil. Fold your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients. (DO NOT BLEND with a mixer) Gently fold in with a spatula. Now pour 3/4 cup of boiling water into your mixture and gently stir until combined. (Batter will be thin and slightly runny - this is normal.) Next pour and split your batter between the two lined cake pans. Place in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Insert with a toothpick to check to see if it’s done. (Oven temperatures may vary so keep a close eye on your cake). Once cake is done, cool for at least 2 hours before you frost.
3. Once cake is cool, make your filling layer and spread it on top of one side of one of the cakes. Now place the other cake on top of that one. Make sure it’s aligned properly. With an angled cake spatula frost the tops and sides of the cake with the chocolate frosting.
4. Filling layer: In a large bowl blend softened butter, and mint. Next add your powdered sugar 1 cup at a time blending after each increment. Now add in a few drops of green food coloring and blend. Fold in a 1/2 cup of Andes Baking Chips or chopped Andes Candies.
5. Frosting layer: In a large bowl blend softened butter, and vanilla until creamy. Add in your cocoa and blend again.
   Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time blending between each increment.