Mint -- The Underappreciated Herb

Bon Appetit's Dede Wilson: It's Good In More Than Just Toothpaste, Gum, Tea And Cookies!

(CBS) 

Coconut- Mint Cream Cake

Mint gives a delicious lift to the coconut flavors in this cake, which gets moistness from sweetened condensed milk and coconut cream.

8 to 10 servings

For the cake:
2 3/4 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
4 large egg whites
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 14-ounce can coconut cream

For the mint whipped cream:
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
Sweetened flaked coconut

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; dust with flour.
Place round of parchment paper in each pan.
Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
Mix milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract in small bowl.
Beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended.
Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture in several batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just to blend after each addition.
With clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry peaks form.
Fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions.
Divide batter between prepared cake pans.
Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine condensed milk and coconut cream in medium bowl.
Remove cakes from oven and let cool 5 minutes.
Poke holes all over top of each cake layer with skewer.
Pour coconut cream mixture by half cupfuls over cakes, allowing mixture to be absorbed before adding more.
Cool completely in pans.

For the mint whipped cream:
Stir 1/3 cup mint, sugar, and 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.
Cook just until bubbles appear.
Cover and remove from heat; let steep 30 minutes.
Strain syrup into large bowl, pressing on mint.
Cool completely.
Add 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream to syrup and beat until firm peaks form.
Turn cakes out of pans onto separate plates. Peel off parchment.
Spread 1 cup mint whipped cream on 1 cake layer.
Top with second cake layer.
Spread remaining mint whipped cream over top and sides of cake.
Sprinkle with sweetened coconut.
Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.

Ingredient Tip
Coconut cream is a thick mixture made from shredded coconut and water, and is often sold in cans or cartons. If unavailable, buy coconut milk and open the can without shaking. The thick white coconut cream will be at the top of the can, separated from the milk. Don't confuse coconut cream with cream of coconut, which is a sweetened mixture often used in drinks and desserts.

Southside

2 sprigs of fresh mint
2 lime wedges
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces gin
4 ounces soda water

Muddle 1 mint sprig with the limes, lime juice, and simple syrup in the bottom
of a pint glass/bar glass.
Add gin and shake well.
Pour into a highball over crushed ice and stir until glass frosts.
Top with soda water and garnish with sprig of mint.