Super moist gluten free mint chocolate chip cake with three delicious layers will knock your socks off. It tastes just like mint chip ice cream!! What makes my mint chocolate chip cake extra special is the intense mint flavor and the fact that it’s decorated so cute with rich, creamy buttercream icing.
This isn’t your ordinary mint chocolate chip cake! It’s extraordinary because it is decorated like an adorable monster with turquoise frosting and brown spots for the fur.
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One of the things we love to do at the Fearless Dining house is to bake and decorate cakes. My daughter is a whiz when it comes to creating the most adorable cake ideas. This gluten free mint chocolate chip cake is no exception.
Decorated as a monster, this cake is perfect or a kid's birthday party! She gives step by step decorating instructions so you can easily make this monster cake too!
If you can’t get enough of this gluten free chocolate mint chip cake, you should see some of my other heavenly gluten free cakes.
Ingredient notes:
- Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend . That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Non-dairy milk - I used almond milk but other dairy-free kinds of milk will work but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- Butter - You can use coconut or another light oil if you want the mint chocolate chip cake to be gluten free. You would also need to use vegan butter to make the frosting.
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350º F. The first step to make this gluten free chocolate mint cake is to mix your dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk to blend.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to a smaller bowl. (*If you choose to add a little green food coloring for the mint color, do it now.) Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add either chocolate chips or shaved chocolate. Mix well.
Step 3: Add your cake batter to the cake pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes (this will depend on the size of your cake pans.)
Allow your cakes to cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting!!!
Now it is time to frost the cake!
How to frost a cake to look like a monster:
Mix up your frosting (see directions in the recipe card below). Separate the frosting into separate bowls, one for each color you plan to use.
Most of this cake was the turquoise color, so my daughter put most of the frosting in a larger bowl for this color. She had only a few brown spots, so she made much less of this color frosting.
The first step is to frost the layers and build your cake. If the tops of your cake are not flat, use a knife or cake leveling tool to remove part of the rounded top. Fill a frosting bag with frosting and pipe a small dab of frosting on the swiveling cake stand.
Trust me, if you are frosting a cake that is elaborate like this, you NEED a cake stand that spins so that it is easier to frost the cake.
Once the layers are assembled, frost the outside of the cake. Use a frosting smoother (comes with the swiveling stand I list above) to coat and smooth the frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
Tie off your frosting bag to avoid frosting from squirting out the top of the bag. My daughter really recommends doing this. Use a rubber band to tie off the end of the frosting bag. This will prevent frosting from leaking out all over your hands while you are frosting the cake.
This is the star tip you will want to use if you are making frosting "stars" to cover your cake.
Sketch or plan out how you want to decorate your cake...do you want spots, or all one color, etc? Cover the cake in the frosting stars as shown.
How to make the chocolate eyes and mouth:
When Making this gluten free chocolate mint chip cake, the chocolate eyes and mouth are one of the most important parts. All you need to do is melt chocolate and pipe them out onto wax paper. You can do all sorts of designs and shapes for all your cake decorating this way.
Then after you have it piped out the way you want, just place it in the fridge until it sets up. Once it’s hardened you can add it to the cake with some icing to keep it in place.
You can also buy pre-made candy eyes but note they may not be large enough for your cake. Also, make sure the sprinkles you use are safe by looking at my list of gluten free sprinkles.
Here is the top of the cake, see how she used the frosting to fill in around the back of the eyes to give them stability?
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
When coloring frosting, go very slowly in adding color. The color depth can change with just a drop or two. I always add 3-4 drops first, mix, then add more drops slowly a few at a time.
Stick a toothpick into the thickest part of the cake and check to see if it comes out clean. A clean toothpick means the cake is done. Also, you can look at the sides of the cake. Has it pulled away from the pan slightly?
Yes, in most cases...for most recipes you find you can replace regular flour with gluten free flour. Just use the same amount of gluten free flour as you would normally use all-purpose flour. Plus, you will need to add 1 tsp of xanthan gum if the flour you are using doesn't’ already contain any.
You can use any flavor of cake to make this monster birthday cake.
This cake will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
If you haven’t made many gluten free baked goods, take a look at my guide How To Eat Gluten Free Anywhere + Best Gluten Free Diet Tips. It’s a great way to get acquainted with gluten free dining and may answer several questions you have. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you have other questions; I would love to help.
More gluten free decorated cakes:
- Gluten Free Unicorn Cake {Gluten Free Strawberry Cake}
- Chocolaty Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Cake
- Gluten Free Vanilla Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Love cake? Give this gluten free poke cake recipe a try too!
I LOVE hearing from you!! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest to see even more delicious recipes!
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Mint Chocolate Chip Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons peppermint extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ¾ cup milk
- optional food coloring
- Frosting You need a lot if decorating the cake:
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ cup water you will probably need more, but add a little at a time after ¼ cup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- Add the wet ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to blend.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the chocolate chips and mix.
- Pour the cake batter into three 8 inch cake pans.
- Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out dry.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
- Add the frosting ingredients to a standing mixer. Wait until the cake is fully cooled before frosting it.
- Follow the cake decorating instructions in this post.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend in this recipe. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the donut. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the donuts need to bake longer.
- *Note, if you are not going to decorate the cake as a monster, half the frosting recipe!
Gina Matsoukas
I LOVE mint chocolate chip + this cake is a dream! Thanks for recipe!
Sandi Gaertner
You are so welcome.
wilhelmina
This is SO cute!!! O love the flavors and everything else about this cute little cake!
Sandi Gaertner
Awww, thank you so much Wilhelmina 🙂
Noelle
This looks soooo good! I have never made a mint cake like this but it's on my list for the next special occasion
Sandi Gaertner
Wow, thank you so much Noelle 🙂