
Have you ever really wanted chocolate cake, but didn't really want to make a whole chocolate cake? You just want a smaller version of that that's enough to finish in one sitting. Something delicious to enjoy with less work and fewer dishes. Well these Mini Chocolate Cakes for Two are the perfect thing to satisfy that craving for cake!
They're rich, chocolate-y, and feel really decadent, but are simple and easy to make. Four mini cakes are stacked to form two mini chocolate cakes that are layered with rich chocolate buttercream and fresh raspberries.
A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED
- Room Temperature Ingredients:
- Butter: It’s important that the butter for both the cakes and frosting is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
- Egg: You also want to make sure that the egg is at room temperature to ensure that it is properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave it out before you start baking, place it in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until it becomes room temperature.
- Measuring Your Ingredients:
- I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
- However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
- Oven Temperature:
- Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
- I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.
Let's get baking! Start by preheating your oven to 300º F. Coat four small ramekins with butter and set aside. I used small ramekins that fit about 3oz max.
In a large bowl, whisk together all of your dry ingredients while the butter and sugar mix in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of your bowl. Add egg and vanilla and continue to mix until combined.
With the mixer on low, add in the buttermilk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the freshly brewed coffee to the batter with the mixer on low. Mix just until combined.
Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, carefully scoop about four scoops into each ramekin to ensure they are all even. You'll bake these for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cakes bake, let's get started on that chocolate frosting. Heat the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring it until it melts. Using a stand or handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of the powdered sugar mixture before adding in the melted chocolate and mixing just until combined. Chill frosting until needed.
Once the cakes are done baking, let them cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before gently run a knife along the edges of each cake and carefully turning them out of their ramekins. Once cakes have completely cooled, use a serrated knife to gently cut off their domed tops so you have four cake layers.
Scoop the chocolate frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large piping tip. I used an Ateco 869, but any large piping tip will work. You can also cut a corner off of a plastic baggie.
Place one cake layer in front of you. While holding the piping bag vertically above the edge of the cake, pipe downwards, pushing down right before releasing. Continue to pipe four dollops of frosting around the outer edge of the cake, followed by one right in the center.
Place one raspberry in between each of the four dollops of frosting on the outer edge so that there are now four raspberries gently nestled into the frosting. Repeat this process with the other three cakes.
Carefully pipe a swirl on top of two of the cakes, as close to the center as possible. Place the other cake layers on top of each of those with the extra frosting, gently press down to ensure it adheres to the frosting underneath it and is level.
These are best to eat right away, but can be chilled if made in advance. Just make sure to either warm them slightly in the microwave or bring them to room temperature before enjoying.
Mini Chocolate Cakes for Two
Have you ever really wanted chocolate cake, but didn't really want to make a whole chocolate cake? These Mini Chocolate Cakes for Two are rich, chocolate-y, and feel really decadent, but are simple and easy to make. Four mini cakes are stacked to form two mini chocolate cakes that are layered with rich chocolate buttercream and fresh raspberries.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
Mini Chocolate Cakes for Two
- 90 grams (¾ cup) flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 21 grams (¼ cup) cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1.5 oz (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 99 grams (½ cup) sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp vanilla
- 56 grams (¼ cup) buttermilk
- ¼ cup freshly brewed coffee
Chocolate Frosting
- 3 oz bittersweet chocolate
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 125 grams (1 ¼ cup) powdered sugar, sifted
Assembly
- 16 raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300º F.
- Coat four small ramekins with butter and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of your bowl.
- Add egg and vanilla and continue to mix until combined.
- With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee to the batter with the mixer on low. Mix just until combined and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, carefully scoop about four scoops into each ramekin to ensure they are all even.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
- Gently run a knife along the edges of each cake before carefully turning them out of their ramekins. Let cakes cool on rack until completely cool.
Chocolate Frosting
- Heat bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring it until it melts.
- Using a stand or handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in spoonfuls of the powdered sugar mixture.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix until light and fluffy.
- Add in the melted chocolate and mixing just until combined.
- Chill frosting until needed.
Assembly
- Once cakes have completely cooled, use a serrated knife to gently cut off their domed tops so you have four cake layers.
- Scoop the chocolate frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large piping tip. I used an Ateco 869, but any large piping tip will work.
- Place one cake layer in front of you. While holding the piping bag vertically above the edge of the cake, pipe downwards, pushing down right before releasing.
- Continue to pipe four dollops of frosting around the outer edge of the cake, followed by one right in the center.
- Place one raspberry in between each of the four dollops of frosting on the outer edge so that there are now four raspberries gently nestled into the frosting.
- Repeat this process with the other three cakes.
- Carefully pipe a swirl on top of two of the cakes, as close to the center as possible. Place the other cake layers on top of each of those with the extra frosting, gently press down to ensure it adheres to the frosting underneath it and is level.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- These are best to eat right away, but can be chilled if made in advance. Make sure to either warm slightly in the microwave or bring to room temperature before eating.
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