A CakePHP 2.0 Component That integrates with the Mandrill API. Just enough to get you started, Fill in the gaps.

mandrill.php

<?php
// App/controllers/components/mandrill.php
class MandrillComponent extends Object
{
	var $components = array('Session', 'RestRequest');
	
	var $settings = array(
		'host'		=> 'smtp.mandrillapp.com',
		'port'		=> '587',
		'username'	=> 'username',
		'api_key'	=> 'randomapikey'
	);
	
	/*
		A Default $request_array for convenience purposes.
	*/
	var $request_array = array(
	    'key' => $this->settings['api_key'],
	    'message'=> array(
	        'html'=> '<p>Example HTML content</p>',
	        'text'=> 'Example text content',
	        'subject'=> 'example subject',
	        'from_email'=> 'message.from_email@example.com',
	        'from_name'=> 'Example Name',
	        'to' => array( 
/*
	        	'0' => array(
	                'email'=> 'recipient.email@example.com',
	                'name'=> 'Resident'
				),
	        	'1' => array(
	                'email'=> 'recipient.email@example.com',
	                'name'=> 'Resident'
				)
*/
            ),
	        'headers'=> array(
	            'Reply-To'=> 'message.reply@example.com'
	        ),
	        'important'=> false,
	        'track_opens'=> null,
	        'track_clicks'=> null,
	        'auto_text'=> null,
	        'auto_html'=> null,
	        'inline_css'=> null,
	        'url_strip_qs'=> null,
	        'preserve_recipients'=> null,
	        'view_content_link'=> null,
	        'bcc_address'=> 'message.bcc_address@example.com',
	        'tracking_domain'=> null,
	        'signing_domain'=> null,
	        'return_path_domain'=> null,
	        'tags'=> array(
	        	'notification-email'
	        ),
	        'metadata'=> array(
	            'website'=> 'www.example.com'
	        )
	    ),
	    'async'=> false,
	    'ip_pool'=> 'Main Pool'
	);
	

	/*
		When VARS ATTACKS!
		
		@param (string)$recipient, the person you're sending the email to.
		@param (string)$sender, the person who's sending the email.
		@param (string)$subject, the subject.
		@param (string)$html, The HTML email, could be just plain text if you wanted.
		@param (string)$html, indexless array of tags, defaults to just notification-email
		
		example request:
		Mandrill->send_email('me@test.com', 'admin@test.com', 'Subject'. 'Please provide new Credit Card data.', array('billing', 'expired-card'));
	*/
	function send_email($recipient = null, $sender = null, $subject = null, $html = null, $tags = array())
	{
		
		if(!empty($tags)){
			unset($request_array['message']['tags']);
			$request_array['message']['tags'] =  $tags;
		}
		
		// all the Mandrill sendness
		$request_array = $this->request_array;
		$request_array['message']['from_email'] = $sender;
		
		$recipient = array('email' => $recipient, 'name' => 'Resident');
		
		$request_array['message']['to'][] = $recipient;
		debug($request_array['message']['to'][0]['email']);
		//$request_array['message']['headers']['Reply-To'] = $html['message']['headers']['Reply-To'];
		$request_array['message']['html'] = $html;
		$request_array['message']['subject'] = $subject;

	    $request = new $this->RestRequest('https://mandrillapp.com/api/1.0/messages/send.json', 'POST', $request_array);
	    $request->execute();
	    //$responseObject = json_decode($request->getResponseBody());
		//return $responseObject;
		
		return $request->getResponseBody();
	}
	
	/* 
	 *
	 *	Users Methods
	 *
	 *  https://mandrillapp.com/api/docs/users.JSON.html
	 */
	function users_info(){
		
		$data = array(
			'key' => $this->settings->api_key
		);
		
		// create a new rest requst
		$request = $this->_make_request('users/info.json', 'POST', $data);
		$request->execute();
		return $request->getResponseBody();	
	}

	function users_ping(){
		
		$data = array(
			'key' => $this->settings->api_key
		);
		
		// create a new rest requst
		$request = $this->_make_request('users/ping.json', 'POST', $data);
		$request->execute();
		return $request->getResponseBody();	
	}
	
	function users_ping2(){
		
		$data = array(
			'key' => $this->settings->api_key
		);
		
		// create a new rest requst
		$request = $this->_make_request('users/ping2.json', 'POST', $data);
		$request->execute();
		return $request->getResponseBody();	
	}
	
	function users_senders(){
		
		$data = array(
			'key' => $this->settings->api_key
		);
		
		// create a new rest requst
		$request = $this->_make_request('users/senders.json', 'POST', $data);
		$request->execute();
		return $request->getResponseBody();	
	}
	
	/* 
	 *
	 *	Messages Methods
	 *
	 *  https://mandrillapp.com/api/docs/messages.JSON.html
	 */
	function messages_send($request_data = array()){
				
		if(!empty($request_data)){

			$default = $this->_return_default_send_email();
			$data = array_merge($default, $request_data);
		}
		
		// create a new rest requst
		$request = $this->_make_request('users/info.json', 'POST', $data);
		$request->execute();
		return $request->getResponseBody();	
	}
	
	
	
	
	
	// Utility methods
	// creat Rest Request
	function _make_request($method = null, $action = 'POST', $data = array()){
	
		if($method) {
			$url = "https://mandrillapp.com/api/1.0/" . $method;
		}
		
		if(!empty($data)) {
			return new $this->RestRequest($url, $action, $data);			
		} else {
			return false;
		}
	}
	
	function _return_default_send_email(){
		
			$default = array(
			    "key"=> $this->settings->api_key,
			    "message"=> array(
			        "html"=> "<p>Example HTML content</p>",
			        "text"=> "Example text content",
			        "subject"=> "example subject",
			        "from_email"=> "message.from_email@example.com",
			        "from_name"=> "Example Name",
			        "to"=> array(
		                "email"=> "recipient.email@example.com",
		                "name"=> "Recipient Name",
		                "type"=> "to"
		            ),
			        "headers"=> array(
			            "Reply-To"=> "message.reply@example.com"
			        ),
			        "important"=> false,
			        "track_opens"=> null,
			        "track_clicks"=> null,
			        "auto_text"=> null,
			        "auto_html"=> null,
			        "inline_css"=> null,
			        "url_strip_qs"=> null,
			        "preserve_recipients"=> null,
			        "view_content_link"=> null,
			        "bcc_address"=> "message.bcc_address@example.com",
			        "tracking_domain"=> null,
			        "signing_domain"=> null,
			        "return_path_domain"=> null,
			        "merge"=> true,
			        "global_merge_vars"=> array(
		                "name"=> "merge1",
		                "content"=> "merge1 content"
		            ),
			        "merge_vars"=> array(
		                "rcpt"=> "recipient.email@example.com",
		                "vars"=> array(
	                        "name"=> "merge2",
	                        "content"=> "merge2 content"
	                    )
		            ),
			        "tags"=> array(
			            "password-resets"
			        ),
			        "subaccount"=> "customer-123",
			        "google_analytics_domains"=> array(
			            "example.com"
			        ),
			        "google_analytics_campaign"=> "message.from_email@example.com",
			        "metadata"=> array(
			            "website"=> "www.example.com"
			        ),
			        "recipient_metadata"=> array(
		                "rcpt"=> "recipient.email@example.com",
		                "values"=> array(
		                    "user_id"=> 123456
		                )
		            ),
			        "attachments"=> array(
		                "type"=> "text/plain",
		                "name"=> "myfile.txt",
		                "content"=> "ZXhhbXBsZSBmaWxl"
		            ),
			        "images"=> array(
		                "type"=> "image/png",
		                "name"=> "IMAGECID",
		                "content"=> "ZXhhbXBsZSBmaWxl"
		            )
			    ),
			    "async"=> false,
			    "ip_pool"=> "Main Pool",
			    "send_at"=> "example send_at"
			);
		return $default;
	}
	
}
?>

mandrill_controller.php

<?
// App/controllers/mandrill_controller.php
class MandrillController extends AppController {

	var $name = 'Mandrill';
	var $components = array( 'Mandrill');
	//var $helpers = array();
	

	/*
		This sends a rest(

		@param $recipient = null, $string
		@param $sender = null, $string
		@param $subject = null, $string
		@param $html = null, $string

	*/
	function rest()
	{		
		// $this->Mandrill->send_email($recipient = null, $sender = null, $subject = null, $html = null)
		$message = "<p>This is the response message hardcore</p>";
		$subject = "Your Laundry is ready";
		$result = $this->Mandrill->send_email('example_email@gmail.com', 'admin@example.com', $subject, $message);
		debug($result);
		die;
	}
}
?>

rest_request.php

<?php
// App/controllers/components/rest_request.php
// shamelessly lifted from: http://www.gen-x-design.com/archives/making-restful-requests-in-php/
// slightly modified
class RestRequestComponent extends Object
{
	var $components = array('Session');
	
	protected $url;
	protected $verb;
	protected $requestBody;
	protected $requestLength;
	protected $username;
	protected $password;
	protected $acceptType;
	protected $responseBody;
	protected $responseInfo;
	
	public function __construct ($url = null, $verb = 'GET', $requestBody = null)
	{
		$this->url        = $url;
		$this->verb       = $verb;
		$this->requestBody    = $requestBody;
		$this->requestLength  = 0;
		$this->username     = null;
		$this->password     = null;
		$this->acceptType   = 'application/json';
		$this->responseBody   = null;
		$this->responseInfo   = null;
		
		if ($this->requestBody !== null)
		{
		  $this->buildPostBody();
		}
	}
	
	public function flush ()
	{
		$this->requestBody    = null;
		$this->requestLength  = 0;
		$this->verb       = 'GET';
		$this->responseBody   = null;
		$this->responseInfo   = null;
	}
	
	public function execute ()
	{
		$ch = curl_init();
		$this->setAuth($ch);
		
		try
		{
		  switch (strtoupper($this->verb))
		  {
		    case 'GET':
		      $this->executeGet($ch);
		      break;
		    case 'POST':
		      $this->executePost($ch);
		      break;
		    case 'PUT':
		      $this->executePut($ch);
		      break;
		    case 'DELETE':
		      $this->executeDelete($ch);
		      break;
		    default:
		      throw new InvalidArgumentException('Current verb (' . $this->verb . ') is an invalid REST verb.');
		  }
		}
		catch (InvalidArgumentException $e)
		{
		  curl_close($ch);
		  throw $e;
		}
		catch (Exception $e)
		{
		  curl_close($ch);
		  throw $e;
		}
	
	}
	
	public function buildPostBody ($data = null)
	{
		$data = ($data !== null) ? $data : $this->requestBody;
		
		if (!is_array($data))
		{
		  throw new InvalidArgumentException('Invalid data input for postBody.  Array expected');
		}
		
		$data = http_build_query($data, '', '&');
		$this->requestBody = $data;
	}
	
	protected function executeGet ($ch)
	{   
		$this->doExecute($ch);  
	}
	
	protected function executePost ($ch)
	{
		if (!is_string($this->requestBody))
		{
		  $this->buildPostBody();
		}
		
		curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $this->requestBody);
		curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
		
		$this->doExecute($ch);  
	}
	
	protected function executePut ($ch)
	{
		if (!is_string($this->requestBody))
		{
		  $this->buildPostBody();
		}
		
		$this->requestLength = strlen($this->requestBody);
		
		$fh = fopen('php://memory', 'rw');
		fwrite($fh, $this->requestBody);
		rewind($fh);
		
		curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_INFILE, $fh);
		curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_INFILESIZE, $this->requestLength);
		curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_PUT, true);
		
		$this->doExecute($ch);
		
		fclose($fh);
	}
	
	protected function executeDelete ($ch)
	{
		curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, 'DELETE');
		
		$this->doExecute($ch);
	}
	
	protected function doExecute (&$curlHandle)
	{
		$this->setCurlOpts($curlHandle);
		$this->responseBody = curl_exec($curlHandle);
		$this->responseInfo = curl_getinfo($curlHandle);
		
		curl_close($curlHandle);
	}
	
	protected function setCurlOpts (&$curlHandle)
	{
		curl_setopt($curlHandle, CURLOPT_TIMEOUT, 10);
		curl_setopt($curlHandle, CURLOPT_URL, $this->url);
		curl_setopt($curlHandle, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
		if( isset( $_SESSION['login_token'] ) ){
		  curl_setopt($curlHandle, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array (
		  'Accept: ' . $this->acceptType,
		  'X-Pipejump-Auth: ' . $_SESSION['login_token']));
		}else {
		  curl_setopt($curlHandle, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array ('Accept: ' . $this->acceptType));
		}
	}
	
	protected function setAuth (&$curlHandle)
	{
		if ($this->username !== null && $this->password !== null)
		{
		  curl_setopt($curlHandle, CURLOPT_HTTPAUTH, CURLAUTH_DIGEST);
		  curl_setopt($curlHandle, CURLOPT_USERPWD, $this->username . ':' . $this->password);
		}
	}
	
	public function getAcceptType ()
	{
		return $this->acceptType;
	} 
	
	public function setAcceptType ($acceptType)
	{
		$this->acceptType = $acceptType;
	} 
	
	public function getPassword ()
	{
		return $this->password;
	} 
	
	public function setPassword ($password)
	{
		$this->password = $password;
	} 
	
	public function getResponseBody ()
	{
		return $this->responseBody;
	} 
	
	public function getResponseInfo ()
	{
		return $this->responseInfo;
	} 
	
	public function getUrl ()
	{
		return $this->url;
	} 
	
	public function setUrl ($url)
	{
		$this->url = $url;
	} 
	
	public function getUsername ()
	{
		return $this->username;
	} 
	
	public function setUsername ($username)
	{
		$this->username = $username;
	} 
	
	public function getVerb ()
	{
		return $this->verb;
	} 
	
	public function setVerb ($verb)
	{
		$this->verb = $verb;
	} 
}	
?>