Description
These Mini Chocolate Cakes are indulgent little desserts that feature soft, moist cake layers, rich chocolate buttercream, and elegant decorations. Perfect for special occasions or as a personal treat, these mini cakes are packed with chocolate flavor and topped with a swirl of creamy frosting, making them irresistible to any chocolate lover.
Ingredients
For the Cake
1 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour)
1/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened, not Dutch-processed)
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda)
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk (preferably full fat), at room temperature
1/4 cup plain oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tsp instant coffee powder (optional)
For the Chocolate Buttercream
250g / 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp milk (preferably full fat)
For Decoration
Dark chocolate, finely shaved using a knife (white chocolate works too)
Raspberries
Rosemary sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced). Grease a 40 x 28.5 x 2.5 cm (15.8 x 11.3 x 1 inch) tray or jelly roll pan, then line with baking paper.
- Whisk the Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Mix in Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Whisk to combine. Dissolve the coffee powder in the boiling water, then add it to the mixture. Whisk until smooth. The batter will be very thin!
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then, use the overhanging baking paper to lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely (about 30 minutes), then refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour before cutting. This helps firm up the cake for easier handling.
- Assembling & Frosting:
- Cut the Cake: Once the cake has cooled and chilled, flip it over onto a cutting board (with the sticky side down) and peel off the baking paper. Cut out 21 rounds using a 2.4-inch (6 cm) round cutter (or any shape/size you prefer).
- Pipe the Frosting: Place a piece of cake on a small piece of paper or plate (this keeps it from sliding around). Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cake layer, stacking 3 layers for each mini cake. Frost the top and sides.
- Smooth the Frosting: Use a small offset spatula or knife to smooth the frosting. Be careful not to touch the cake too much, as crumbs may mix into the frosting.
- Decorate: Decorate the mini cakes with finely shaved chocolate shards, fresh raspberries, and rosemary sprigs for an elegant touch.
- For the Chocolate Buttercream:
- Beat the Butter: Beat the softened butter on high speed for about 3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.
- Add the Icing Sugar: Gradually add the sifted icing sugar in 3 batches, mixing on low speed at first to avoid a mess. Once all the sugar is incorporated, continue to beat until smooth.
- Add Cocoa and Liquid: Add the cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla extract to the buttercream. Beat again on low speed to combine, then increase the speed and beat for another 3 minutes until the frosting is fluffy and light.
- Pipe the Frosting: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the tip cut off for easy frosting application.
Notes
- Flavor Additions: Add a splash of flavored liqueur, such as Baileys or Amaretto, to the buttercream for a unique twist.
- Fruit Garnishes: Replace the raspberries with other berries like strawberries or blueberries, or add edible flowers for a colorful decoration.
- Cake Flavor: Experiment with adding a dash of cinnamon or orange zest to the cake for a spiced or citrusy flavor.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cake
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
