Description
Delicious homemade chocolate mini cakes with a rich and creamy chocolate fudge frosting. These bite-sized treats are perfect for any chocolate lover and are baked to moist perfection using quality cocoa and melted butter. Finished with a smooth, luscious frosting, these mini cakes are ideal for parties, dessert tables, or anytime you crave a decadent chocolate delight.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chocolate cakes:
- 195 grams plain flour
- 55 grams Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1.75 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 170 grams melted unsalted butter
- 150 grams white granulated sugar
- 150 grams packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the chocolate fudge frosting:
- 180 grams dark chocolate
- 115 grams unsalted butter
- 80 milliliters whole milk
- 55 grams Dutch processed cocoa powder
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 325 grams icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a mini cheesecake pan to ensure the cakes don’t stick during baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the plain flour, Dutch processed cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the melted unsalted butter with white granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth and well blended.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Incorporate Dry and Buttermilk: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the wet ingredients, mixing gently after each addition just until combined to keep the batter light.
- Fill Cake Pan: Spoon the batter into the prepared mini cheesecake pan, filling each cavity about two-thirds full to allow room for rising.
- Bake Cakes: Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make Fudge Frosting: In a saucepan over low heat, melt together the dark chocolate, unsalted butter, whole milk, Dutch cocoa powder, and a pinch of fine sea salt, stirring constantly until smooth.
- Cool Chocolate Mixture: Pour the melted chocolate mixture into a bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes to slightly thicken.
- Beat in Icing Sugar: Gradually beat in the icing sugar to the cooled chocolate mixture until fully combined and smooth.
- Set Frosting: Let the frosting sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes until it firms up enough to pipe or spread easily.
- Prepare Cakes for Assembly: Once the cakes are fully cooled, slice off the domes or slice them in half horizontally for mini layer cakes.
- Frost Mini Cakes: Spread or pipe the chocolate fudge frosting onto the mini cakes as desired, then serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Ensure all wet ingredients are at room temperature for better incorporation.
- When mixing batter, avoid overmixing to keep cakes tender and light.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- For cleaner frosting application, chill the cakes slightly before frosting if they become too soft at room temperature.
- Store frosted mini cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
