Mocha Mint Delight...Chocolate Colored Cattle

Here in Colorado we have cattle and I mean a lot of cattle... all shapes and sizes.  Spending my last 25 years in Southern California you have to understand that we really didn't see much livestock.  Now, I get to watch in awe of these amazing creatures everyday.

There is a farm just around the corner from our house that we pass various times.  Each morning I see the most beautiful herd of black cows grazing in the morning sun and catching a drink from the stream  on the farm.  I stopped to take a picture of one that caught my eye and she came right up to the fence to greet me, just as sweet as could be.

 Then, in the evening when I am driving home from work I see a group of buffalo taking in the afternoon sun with their newborns.  There are buffalo around every corner here.  The University of Colorado in Boulder even have a buffalo for their mascot named Ralphie.

At our house, we have our own animals that resemble cattle.  On any given morning they like to also graze on our lawn and bask in the sun.

See the resemblance?  The brown one is named "Angus", need I say more?

With all the shades of brown around us and these beautiful creatures.  It reminds me of the colors in my Mocha Mint Delight.  This cake started a few years ago when a lady I worked with was having a birthday.  Her all-time favorite treat is Girl Scout Thin Mints.  I wanted to make her a special cake based on the cookie that she could enjoy any time of the year, even when Girl Scout cookies are out of season.  After being my girls' Troop Girl Scout Cookie Coordinator Mom one year, I never thought I would want to ever see another Thin Mint cookie!  Keep a cold glass of milk on hand, because this one you cannot get enough of (especially my husband, and he isn't even a big fan of cakes, but loves this one).

Mocha Mint Delight
Cake:
1 Box (16.5 oz.) Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Cup Best Foods Real Mayonnaise with Olive Oil
1 Cup Water
3 Eggs
1 Sleeve of Girl Scout Thin Mints(or Chocolate-Mint type Cookies), crushed
2 Tsp. Peppermint Extract

Chocolate Mint Ganache:
8 oz. Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1 - 2 Tsp. Peppermint Extract
1 Sleeve of Girl Scout Thin Mints(or Chocolate-Mint type Cookies), crushed

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray bundt pan with non-stick baking spray.

Mix cake mix, mayonnaise, water and eggs with mixer for 30 seconds on low speed.  Scrape bowl, add in peppermint extract and mix on medium for approximately 2 minutes until well mixed.  Fold in crushed cookies.

Pour batter into bundt pan.  Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes.  Invert pan and put on a cake stand.  Let cool completely.

While cake is cooling, cook the chocolate chips, heavy cream and peppermint extract in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

Drizzle ganache over cooled cake and sprinkle with the crushed cookies.

Maybe this should be renamed to "Mooocha Mint Delight"????