You have to try this Mini Chocolate Cake Recipe! A single layer of moist chocolate cake covered in a fluffy chocolate frosting and decorated with sprinkles. Just too cute and so easy to make!
I can think of so many reasons to make this mini cake recipe! How about as a birthday cake? Or as a Valentine’s Day cake for date night? Or how about making this tiny cake just for you!? It's the perfect size cake for a special occasion for a selected few.
If you love chocolate cake recipes then you have to take a look at this Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe, this Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, or this recipe for a Chocolate and Caramel Layer Cake.
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Ingredients
To make this easy cake recipe you will need the ingredients listed below. Remember to always use fresh room temperature ingredients.
- Unsalted butter
- Sunflower oil
- Extra large eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Self-raising flour
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
- Strong brewed coffee
- Sour cream
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Sprinkles
Unsalted butter – for this recipe use room-temperature unsalted butter.
Sunflower oil – using vegetable oil in cakes helps ensure a moist cake that lasts longer! Use neutral-tasting sunflower oil or canola oil.
Extra large eggs – if you don’t have extra large eggs, work out how many eggs you will need by cracking and weighing them. My eggs weigh 56 grams each out of their shell.
Self-raising flour – if you don’t have self-raising flour, use a combination of all-purpose cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda. See below for quantities.
Cocoa powder – make sure you use quality unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe.
Strong brewed coffee – I make a cup of strong coffee using ground espresso beans and a French press, do the same to ensure you have a great quality coffee to add to your cake batter.
Sour cream – this is used in the batter and can be substituted with Greek yogurt if needed.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the instructions below to make this small chocolate cake. First, you will be baking the cake, then allowing it to cool, and then making the chocolate buttercream.
Instructions for chocolate cake
STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and oil and line a 15cm (6 inches) round cake tin with parchment paper.
STEP 2: Beat sugar, oil, and butter. Add the butter, oil, and sugar to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy.
STEP 3: Add the eggs. Add the eggs to the sugar and butter mixture one at a time. Beat well between each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
STEP 4: Sift dry ingredients. In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
STEP 5: Combine wet ingredients. In a jug mix together the cooled coffee, sour cream, milk, and vanilla.
STEP 6: Add the wet and dry ingredients. With the mixer’s motor running at medium-low speed, add the wet ingredients and the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Do this by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour and ending with the wet ingredients.
STEP 7: Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix the cake batter again. Ensuring that it is well-mixed and lump free.
STEP 8: Bake. Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 30 minutes before turning it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Instructions for frosting
STEP 1: Beat butter, cocoa powder, and icing sugar. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter, cocoa powder, and icing sugar. Mix until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
STEP 2: Add the milk. In a jug combine the milk and vanilla extract. With the mixer running at medium speed slowly add the milk mixture. Once it has all been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat the frosting at medium-high speed for about 3 minutes.
STEP 3: Decorate. Place the cooled cake onto a cake plate and trim off the top of the cake if necessary. Spread a layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake and decorate with sprinkles and chocolate. Slice and enjoy!
Hint: Make sure you use softened butter for both the cake batter and the chocolate frosting.
Substitutions
Self-rasing flour – if you can't find self-raising flour, for this recipe use 170 grams of all-purpose flour sifted together with 1 tablespoon of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Continue with the recipe as usual.
Sour cream – if you can't find sour cream, replace it with the same quantity of crème fraiche or Greek yogurt.
Equipment
For this recipe, you will need a 6-inch cake pan, a cooling rack, and an electric stand or hand mixer.
Storage
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If it is very hot, choose to store the cake in the fridge.
This cake can be frozen. Do this by slicing the cake and wrapping each piece of cake in cling film and placing them in the freezer. Store for up to three months, and defrost before consuming.
Top tip
Follow the tips below to ensure that your mini chocolate cake comes out perfectly!
- Make sure you are using room-temperature ingredients, this is especially important for the butter in both the batter and the frosting.
- Add the eggs to the batter slowly, one at a time. And beat for a least a minute between each addition.
- Only decorate your cake with frosting once it has cooled completely.
- Be sure to beat the frosting for long enough, it must be light and fluffy.
FAQ
This is entirely up to you and how big you’d like to cut each piece. I’d say this cake is enough for 6 small slices.
Yes, you can, for this recipe use 170 grams of all-purpose flour sifted together with 1 tablespoon of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Continue with the recipe as normal.
This is actually one of my favorite cake recipes! The sponge and the frosting are just delicious, and taste just like a classic cake should.
If you love this little cake recipe as much as I do and have given it a try, please leave a comment and star review below. I would love to hear from you!
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Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Mini Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- 1x 15cm (6-inch) cake pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 50 ml sunflower oil
- 170 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- 170 g self-raising flour
- 20 g cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 80 ml strong brewed coffee
- 60 ml sour cream
- 70 ml whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting
- 200 g powdered sugar
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 80 g unsalted butter
- 25 ml whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and oil and line a 15cm (6 inches) round cake tin with parchment paper.
- Add the butter, oil, and sugar to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs to the sugar and butter mixture one at a time. Beat well between each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
- In a jug mix together the cooled coffee, the sour cream, and the vanilla.
- With the mixer’s motor running at medium-low speed, add the wet ingredients and the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Do this by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour and ending with the wet ingredients.
- Using a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix the cake batter again. Ensuring that it is well-mixed and lump free.
- Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 30 minutes before turning it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter, cocoa powder, and icing sugar. Mix until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- In a jug combine the milk and vanilla extract. With the mixer running at medium speed slowly add the milk mixture. Once it has all been added, added scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat the frosting at medium-high speed for about 3 minutes.
- Place the cooled cake onto a cake plate and trim off the top of the cake if necessary. Spread a layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake and decorate with sprinkles and chocolate. Slice and enjoy!
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