Here's a sweet turn of events: Bake a cake using leftover holiday mints

Christmas is over, but many homes bear witness to its passing beyond the wonderful memories: crumpled gift wrap, discarded boxes, more toys to trip over. And mints. Masses of mints. Peppermints, butter mints, candy canes, dinner mints, holiday mints. Mints of all shapes and sizes.

What better way to use up those breath-freshening candies than by baking them into a delicious cake, such as this one?

So while we can't give any advice on what to do with that pea-green argyle sweater that came without a gift receipt, at least we can offer something scrumptious to eat while you wear it.

This recipe, adapted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution food writer Meridith Ford from one originally submitted by Alice Faye Hatcher from Albany, Ga., on the Bobs Candies Web site, is a moist cake full of peppermint flavor. Bobs' Web site ( www.bobscandies.com ) says it's "delicious as is, or you may prefer a glaze." We suggest the chocolate glaze. (You can order crushed peppermint from the Web site if you don't want to crush it yourself.) Any peppermint will work, but softer mints, like Bobs or butter mints, will be easy to crush, Ford advises

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

3 cups granulated sugar

6 eggs, separated

3 cups cake flour, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup crushed peppermint

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan (or use baking spray). In a large mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream the butter with the cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Add the sugar and cream until light. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour in stages, blending well after each addition (do not overbeat).

Fold in the vanilla and peppermint.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold the whites into the cake batter, taking care not to deflate the mixture.

Bake the cake for 1 hour, 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Yield: 12 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 566 calories (percent of calories from fat, 38), 7 grams protein, 82 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 24 grams fat (14 grams saturated), 156 milligrams cholesterol, 91 milligrams sodium.

This easy-to-make, all-purpose glaze can be used to dip cookies, frost cakes or top ice cream. Garnish with chopped or crushed peppermint, if desired.

Chocolate-Peppermint Ganache Glaze

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring heavy cream just to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and stir in the chocolate chips, whisking gently until all the chocolate has melted and the ganache is smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract and butter until smooth. Cover the surface with plastic wrap until ready to use. This can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a week. The ganache will harden, so gently heat it in the microwave or on the stove to bring it back to a fluid consistency.

Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 88 calories (percent of calories from fat, 71), 1 gram protein, 6 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 7 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 16 milligrams cholesterol, 5 milligrams sodium.