Mini Chocolate Cake
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This mini chocolate cake is moist and fudgy with a delicious chocolate flavor. It’s a single layer 6-inch round cake that will serve about 4 people, or 2 people with leftovers. Topped with creamy chocolate frosting or serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The recipe is quick, easy and perfect for date night or whenever you don’t want leftovers.
A slice of sky high, rich and fudgy chocolate cake just might be the perfect decadent dessert. But if you’re craving chocolate cake, but only have a few mouths to feed, then this small chocolate cake recipe is for you. It’s incredibly moist with rich chocolate flavor and chocolate frosting on top. The recipe uses pantry staples and it’s baked as a single layer cake in a 6-inch round pan.
Perfect for small get togethers with friends, I will also bake it for me and my husband then have the leftovers for breakfast the next morning.
Making a Small Chocolate Cake
The cake batter for this recipe can be made without an electric mixer using simple ingredients you likely already have on hand.
- Start by preheating the oven to 350F (180C) and preparing your cake pan. You’ll line the bottom with a round of parchment paper then lightly grease the sides.
- If you don’t have baking paper, you can lightly grease the pan and dust with cocoa powder. However, I find lining the bottom makes the cake easier to remove.
- This cake is made in a 6-inch (15 cm) round cake pan. My pan has 3 inch (7.6 cm) sides, but 2 inch (5 cm) sides is fine.
- Then in a medium bowl you’ll whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. I recommend sifting the cocoa powder first to remove any lumps.
- In a separate bowl, you’ll whisk together the wet ingredients (except for the water) and sugar: oil, egg, milk, vanilla extract and sugar. You want to keep whisking until you no longer see pieces of egg.
- Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add in a little boiling water. The hot water helps the cocoa to bloom, giving the cake a richer chocolate flavor.
- Whisk together until smooth. You should no longer see lumps or streaks of dry ingredients.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven to bake. It will take about 27-32 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and it’s starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- I wrapped the outside of the pan in a cake strip (soaked in water). Cake strips can be found online or in specialty baking stores. The helps cakes to bake with flat tops. For this recipe, it’s not overly necessary because we’re making a single layer cake.
After the cake is done baking, I like to make a small batch of creamy chocolate frosting to decorate it with. The frosting recipe uses butter, cocoa, whipping cream (or milk), a pinch of salt and vanilla for a creamy chocolate buttercream. Alternatively, you can serve this mini chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream, fresh berries and whipped cream, and or a drizzle of hot fudge sauce.
The perfect chocolate recipe for when you’re short on time and don’t want leftovers – this mini chocolate cake is moist, decadent and perfect for chocolate lovers.
More small-batch desserts to love:
- Small-Batch Brownies
- Small-Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
- Mini Carrot Cake
- Single Serving Double Chocolate Cookie
Mini Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- 6-inch (15 cm) round cake pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (84 grams)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (22 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt, a very small pinch
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (60 ml), or canola oil
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (133 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup milk (80 ml), 2% or whole milk is best
- 1 tablespoon boiling water (15 ml)
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (75 grams), softened
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (110-165 grams) , sifted
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (17 grams), sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 2-3 teaspoons whipping cream (10-15 ml), or milk
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line the bottom of a 6-inch round (15 cm) pan with baking paper then lightly grease the sides. Alternatively, grease the bottom and sides of the pan and dust with cocoa powder.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, egg, vanilla and milk until there are no longer pieces of egg.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add in the boiling water. Whisk together until smooth. There should no longer be streaks of lumps of flour.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for at least 15 minutes, before gently inverting onto a cooling rack
Chocolate Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add in 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted cocoa, vanilla extract and salt. Beat together starting with the mixer on a low speed.
- Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar a little at time. If needed, beat in a little cream/milk until the desired sweetness and thickness is reached.
- Frost the cooled cake with a thick layer of frosting.
Notes
- Cocoa: I recommend using Dutch process cocoa.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
