Thin Mint Cookie Cake

Finally, a legitimate reason to buy three extra boxes of Thin Mints.

This cake gets its impossibly light texture from eight separated eggs, with the whites whipped stiff and folded into a cocoa-and-cookie-crumb batter that puffs up in the oven like a chocolate cloud.

The mint flavor comes entirely from the cookies themselves, a full cup crushed into the batter and another cup scattered over the top.

Once cooled, a glossy chocolate ganache blankets the whole thing, followed by that second round of cookie crumbs and a dusting of powdered sugar for a finish that looks as good as it tastes.

Kitchen Tips

• Fold the egg whites gently. Use a rubber spatula and wide, sweeping motions. Overmixing deflates the whites and turns your airy cake into a dense brownie.
• Crush the cookies unevenly. A mix of fine crumbs and bigger chunks gives the cake more interesting texture. A zip-lock bag and a rolling pin does the job.
• Pour the ganache while warm. It should flow like heavy cream. Too cool and it sets in clumps. Too hot and it slides right off the cake.
• Let it cool fully before topping. A warm cake melts the ganache instantly. Give it the full 15 minutes in the pan, then cool completely on a rack.