Happy Belated St. Patrick's Day

I made this cake for my husband’s birthday because it falls around St. Patrick’s Day and this cake has green in it, plus mint. I love mint candies, so I thought this would be perfect. I have been sitting on this recipe just waiting for the right time to try it, and I finally tried it. If you like mint and chocolate, then this recipe is good for you. I will tell you that it is even better the second day, if it lasts that long. 
 I found it in the Betty Crocker Super Moist Cakes® book back in 2008. (That’s how long this recipe has been sitting in my house.) I was almost ready to throw out the cookbook, well actually, give it to Goodwill ®, when I looked through it one more time. This cake was on the cover of the book, which is why I probably bought the book in the first place. The recipe is as follows:

                                                             Grasshopper Fudge Cake 

 1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist®white cake mix 

1 ¼ cups water 

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons mint extract 

3 egg whites 

12 drops green food color 

2 jars (16 oz. each) hot fudge topping 

1 8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed 

5 drops yellow food color 

Thin retangular crème de menthe chocolate candies, unwrapped and cut into pieces, if desired. 

 1. Heat oven to 350º F for shiny metal or glass pan (or 325ºF for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13 x 9 inch pan with baking spray with flour 

2. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil, 1 ½ teaspoons of the mint extract and the egg whites. Reserve 1 cup batter. Stir 3 drops of the green food color into reserved batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into pain. 

3. Drop green batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly in 12 to 14 mounds onto batter in pan. Cut through batters with metal spatula or knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan ¼ turn; repeat cutting for swirled design. (I used a toothpick).

4. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour. 

5. Carefully spread fudge topping evenly over cake. In medium bowl, stir whipped topping, remaining ½ teaspoon extract, remaining 9 drops green food color and the yellow food color until blended. Spread whipped topping mixture evenly over fudge. Garnish with candy pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.