Easy Grasshopper Cake
Grasshopper Cake is a green, minty cake with chocolate fudge and whipped cream topping sprinkled with Andes Creme de Menthe pieces. So good!
Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day (Or Any Day!)
This particular cake takes me back to my childhood. This yummy, minty grasshopper cake first made its way into my mouth some time during the early 80’s. Cake mixes had been around for a while and by the time the 70’s & 80’s rolled around, folks were doing all kinds of amazing things with them.
I made this cake for work today and it was so good!! I am now printing the recipe to share. We all loved it. Thanks!
– Lisa
Frequently Asked Questions:
It is named after the famed green Grasshopper drink that uses creme de menthe in the recipe. There is also a Grasshopper Pie that is also inspired by the drink!
No.
Just chop up some Andes chocolate candies. They can be found near the other chocolate candy.
If the hot fudge sauce is hard to spread at room temperature, try putting it in the microwave (with the lid removed) for about 15-20 seconds. Stir it with a spoon until you get it to a spreadable consistency. You don’t want it to be hot and liquid-y. It should still be a thick but spreadable consistency. Make sure your fudge layer is completely cool before adding whipped topping.
Yes, because of the Cool Whip whipped topping, it does need to be stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
How To Make Grasshopper Cake
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9″x 13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Make cake mix per the directions on the back of the box. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the mint extract.
Then stir in green food coloring. I wanted it really green so I added about 50 drops of color.
Pour batter into baking dish and cook for time listed on back of cake mix box. Once it is finished baking, allow the cake to cool completely.
Spread hot fudge sauce on cooled cake.
For the next layer, add in 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract and green food coloring (about 6-10 drops) to the whipped topping. Stir it up. If you’d like, you can add in more green food coloring until you’ve reached the desired color.
Spread whipped topping onto cake. Then sprinkle with chopped creme de menthe candies.
This cake will need to be stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Craving More Recipes?
Originally published: March 2011
Updated photos and republished: January 2019
Grasshopper Cake
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box white (or vanilla) cake mix
- ingredients called for on cake mix box: egg whites, oil and water
- 2 ½ teaspoons mint extract (divided use)
- green food color
- 16 ounce jar hot fudge topping
- 8 ounce container whipped topping (COOL WHIP), thawed
- handful Creme de Menthe chocolate candies, chopped into pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 9"x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make cake mix per the directions on the back of the box.
- Add in 2 teaspoons of mint extract and food color (about 50 drops) to the cake batter and stir well until combined.
- Pour batter into baking dish and cook for time listed on back of cake mix box.
- Once it is finished baking, allow the cake to cool completely.
- Spread hot fudge sauce on cooled cake.
- For the next layer, add in 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract and green food coloring (about 6-10 drops) to the whipped topping. You don't actually need a separate bowl for this. Just mix it right in the container of Cool Whip.
- Stir it up. Spread whipped topping onto cooled cake.
- Sprinkle with chopped Andes creme de menthe chocolate candies.
Video
Notes
- Mint extract is needed. Not peppermint. Mint extract is a combination of peppermint and spearmint extracts. It makes a difference here.
- Natural food colorings can be used.
- I haven’t tried making this as a layered cake so I can’t say if that would work with this recipe. If you try it, please let me know.
- This cake definitely would not work well as a bundt cake.
- White or vanilla cake mix would work with this
- Use a nonstick spray that has flour in it – like Baker’s Joy.
- If you can’t find the Andes mint chocolate baking chips, just crush up some Andes chocolate candies.
- If the hot fudge sauce is hard to spread at room temperature, try putting it in the microwave (with the lid removed) for about 15-20 seconds. Stir it with a spoon until you get it to a spreadable consistency. You don’t want it to be hot and liquid-y. It should still be a thick but spreadable consistency. Make sure your fudge layer is completely cool before adding whipped topping.
- This cake will need to be stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Yum! I have been making this since you posted it 15 years ago and I realized I never commented!! We make this so much! My kids have grown up with it and they always ask for it. I have followed you for so many years and your recipes have always been our go-to! Seriously, my kids have grown up with so many of them and they just think I am a great cook LOL.
Oh my goodness Shelley! Wow, thank you so much! I have been doing this for about 16 years now and to hear that a family has grown up using my recipes really makes me so incredibly happy!! I can’t thank you enough for letting me know that! It really means more than I can say. Thank you!!
So, so good! Huge hit
Thank you Brandie. I made a 2 tier cake and it was super easy. Used the fudge between layers and around sides and sprinkled andies chips on top of fudge and let set on fist layer in fridge for 10 minutes before doing second tier. Held great and let sit for a while in fridge before covering in whip frosting !! Used 2 9” rounds and came out great. Can’t wait to eat it!!
Love hearing that Peggy! I know a lot of people often ask about making it a layer cake so I’m glad to hear you had success!
Love this recipe!
This is my all time new favorite cake!! I opted for no candies in top and it’s delicious!!!
SO GOOD! THANK YOU.
I have made this cake for years. When I made it for St Patricks day we decided the name of the cake should be shamrock cake, so it is! To soften the fudge topping, I just put the opened can on top of the oven while the cake is baking. It warms enough to spread easily. I've always used creame de menthe syrup instead of the flavoring and food color. It works ,too
I made this cake for work today and I was so good!! I am now printing the recipe to share. We all loved it. Thanks!
This is my favorite go to cake for the winter months…everyone loves it. I don't make the entire cake batter green though, as it is a turn off for some people when seeing an all green cake. I take a small amount maybe a cup of batter and place in a small bowl and add a drop of green food gel for more of a pastel green and then place dollops of it on the top of batter in the pan and then swirl with a knife before baking, so pretty this way and not so green. I also add about 1/2 cup of sour cream to batter…white cake has a tendency to be dry at times if over baked slightly, and my oven has a tendency to want to do that on me. You have to try this cake you won't be sorry.
I'm just now seeing this recipe. I love, love, love mint! Thank you for posting this recipe. Can't wait to try it! Did I mention I love mint?! LOL!
I made this cake for Easter and I thought it was delicious! My kids loved it, it was not very sweet I thought. It baked up nicely, except I think next time I will use two boxes of cake mix. Thank you for sharing this awesome dessert with us! Love, Love, Loved it!
Mom of Triplet boys!
Made this for Easter dessert and already tried a piece – it's very yummy!
about to go to wally world to get these ingredients for this weekend!i'm sure it will be awesome,just like every other recipe:)i would just like to say thank you,brandie for your website.you are such a sweetheart and your meals have been such a hit with my family.i've been on a country cook rampage this week and they have just gobbled every thing up!the poke cakes have been a revelation and you've really encouraged me to use store brands.they're totally just as good!so thank ya,girlfriend and big hugs:)
Thanks for sharing! I love those mints, I keep them in the freezer(dont tell the husband)
New follower!
This looks awesome, and I know my granddaughters will love the color! Not to mention that mint chocolate chip is a favorite ice cream flavor around here. I'm going to make this soon, but a little closer to St. Patrick's Day. Not fond of corned beef and cabbage, but I can sure get into cake!!
Absolutely can't wait to try this on my family for St. Patrick's Day! All your recipes look wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
My grandmother and mother have made this cake for me for my birthday for years. It's one of my favorites. The only difference is that they use Creme DeMenthe liquor instead of the extract and food coloring. It is amazing!
Gonna make this cake! Kind of on the expensive side now that I bought all the ingredients but I bet it will be well worth it!
Hmm, guess who just clicked on another one of yours at Weekend Potluck! 😉
Printing!
So, I may or may not have invited people over for dinner JUST so I could make this cake. Haha. 🙂
Thank you for sharing. My two year old daughter loves to help me with things like this and we frequently come to your blog to check out what we can do with the boxed cake mix because it's so easy yet looks like we slaved hours over it!
Gorgeous Yummy cake! I've had Grasshopper pie, but I never had Grasshopper cake, till mow. Perfect for St. Patty's day!
I love chocolate and mint together so thanks for the awesome recipe!!
This is the first time I've ever seen a grasshopper cake. Being that I love the mint/chocolate combination this ones right up my alley!
The perfect treat for March. This was so good. My co-workers loved it!!
I love this recipe, it's no fuss and looks sinfully delish! I'm defitnely making this. Have a blessed day.
I love this recipe! it's no fuss and looks sinfully delish! I'm going to make this cake. Thanks, have a blessed day!
Thanks, Brandie…you are the BEST! Love all your recipes, and the way you try to make things easier as well as taste and look good! Will make this for the office for St. Patrick's Day!
You are the Master of cake recipes…I think I'll start calling you the CAKE BOSS! =) Lovely recipe – I just used my mint chips to make cookies. This is perfect for St. Patty's day!
This cake looks festive and fun! I love Andes mints I haven't had them in ages. My son would love this cake.
I love Andes mint chips! This cake looks awesome. Nice job!
The recipe calls for 2 1/2 tsp. of mint extract. Did I miss something as I see only 1/2tsp that is added to the whippied topping? Where is the rest of it added? Definitely going to make this. Thanks
2 tsp. go into the cake and 1/2 tsp. into whipped topping 😉
This is SO right up my alley! I love grasshopper pie, but this is so different, that I HAVE to try it, right?
Thanks for sharing!
You have turned my two favorite ice cream into cakes….. first chubby hubby and now mint chocolate chip…. YUMMY…can't wait to try this one…you are the BEST, just incase you haven't been told that this morning!
This is an interesting cake and I can just imagine how tempting this looks to a kid! 😀
Oh my goodness that looks amazing!! So yummy! Love the green color!!