This was one of aunt Gladys' standard recipes when I was growing up - I wonder where she got the peppermint flavoring.

Out of the blue, my daughter Michaela asked me to make this recipe for Christmas Eve this year (2013). I don't know that I made my grandmother justice was it was much easier and better than I anticipated. My first attempt at the frosting did fail, however, so I tried it again using a slightly different method explained below. Try the original method if you have an egg beater or, better yet, a handhed electric mixer (which I don't). The mint sauce has a consistency similar to mashmallow, and it hardens a little with time. The chocolate sauce poured over the cake hardens all the way. It's a beautiful cake.

Ingredients

For cake


• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 2 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup sour milk (substitute buttermilk)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

  For frosting
  
  

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1 tsp. butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter an 8"round cake pan.

Beat butter, sugar and yolks on the high setting of an electric mixer until well combined. Melt the chocolate, add it to the butter mixture and mix.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into the butter mixture, alternating with the sour milk. Mix in vanilla. Pour into the pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.

To make the frosting, place sugar, egg whites and water in a double boiler. Beat the mixture for four minutes. Add the peppermint extract and beat until thick. Remove from heat and continue beating until the frosting is soft enough to spread.

Alternatively, if you don't have an electric mixer and/or don't like double boilers, put the sugar and water in a heavy pan. Place over low heat and cook stirring constantly until it starts to melt/dissolve. Add the egg whites and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sugar completely disolves. Quickly transfer the mixture to an electric mixer an mix on maximum speed until the frosting achieves a spreadable, mashmallow-sauce-like consistency.

Spread frosting on the cake, covering both the top and side. Melt the chocolate, blend with the butter and pour onto the cake, letting it run down the sides.

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