chocolate peppermint cake

My dad likes After Eights or York Peppermint Patties so I decided to make him a chocolate cake (his favorite) infused with mint--an After Eight cake! I placed a few stems of it in the melted chocolate and butter, the base of the cake mixture, allowing it to sit for at least ten minutes before removing the mint, then added the rest of the mint to 2 cups water 2 cups sugar, brought it to a boil and then let it sit, making a mint syrup. This syrup can be stored for a while without spoiling (sugar is a preservative) and can be added to hot or iced beverages or to dessert (it tastes fantastic over ice cream!). After taking the cake out of the oven I poured syrup over the top, spreading it around and allowing it to seep into the cake. To add some kitsch and deliciousness I chopped up a few York Peppermint Patties and distributed them on top. It wasn't the most beautiful cake, but it was quite delicious!

(my sister, dad and the cake!)

Tip of the day: focus on being active rather than working out. If you can't get to the gym or don't have time for a run, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk part of all of the way home, or complete some exercises whenever commercials interrupt your favorite show.