Hi, I'm making a christmas cake for my aunt and i need a chocolate cake recipe that holds it's shape even if i carve it up like a turkey. I also am looking for a mint buttercream recipe. Any ideas?

There are many Choc. cake recipes under the Recipe Tab here on CC that you can choose from. Check them out. For the frosting purchase peppermint flavoring and add a couple of drops to your favorite BC recipe. Sounds like it'll be a delicious cake.

I always use Killer Chocolate Cake....if you're going to be carving it up, freeze it for a little while, it will be much easier.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2182-Killer-Chocolate-Cake.html

Like morningglories said, you can add peppermint extract to your buttercream. You can also add Peppermint Schnapps instead of milk/water(yum!) and, if you don't mind the lumps, crushed peppermint pieces.

I think a chocolate pound cake would work.

Sorry, I also need it to withstand mmf. Also any tips on using mmf? It'll be my first time and i'm a little nervous.

I just posted a chocolate recipe here that it's to die for. Although the cake is very very moist it does have a very nice thick shape. It then almost melts as you eat. However, if you do the carving while the cake is still somewhat frozen it is even easier. I covered this cake in MMF (still waiting for the pictures). MMF is truly no more different than traditional fondant I feel. I like it better because I think it is a bit more forgiving. I would be a bit nervous about using fondant to cover shapes such as a turkey but that is just me. I have yet to make a shaped cake. If I were to do it, however, I would make sure I can cover the cake by pieces (i.e try not to do the whole thing) and then perhaps cover edges, and cuts with some feather looking strokes made in buttercream. Ok my thoughts for the day.

Hope these help.

[quote="Susecita"]I just posted a chocolate recipe here that it's to die for. Although the cake is very very moist it does have a very nice thick shape. It then almost melts as you eat. However, if you do the carving while the cake is still somewhat frozen it is even easier. I covered this cake in MMF (still waiting for the pictures). MMF is truly no more different than traditional fondant I feel. I like it better because I think it is a bit more forgiving. I would be a bit nervous about using fondant to cover shapes such as a turkey but that is just me. I have yet to make a shaped cake. If I were to do it, however, I would make sure I can cover the cake by pieces (i.e try not to do the whole thing) and then perhaps cover edges, and cuts with some feather looking strokes made in buttercream. Ok my thoughts for the day.

Hope these help.[/quote]

It was a figure of speech. I don't think i'm emotionally, physically, and mentally ready to make a turkey shaped like a cake. I mean... a cake shaped like a turkey. Good idea though....

Oh got it. Cuts like a turkey. Well this is your recipe. This cake is as smooth and moist as can get.