This mini chocolate cake is a small cake that serves two made in a round 6 inch cake pan. The recipe makes 4 small slices of cake, which is perfect for two people! The ganache glaze on top is so easy to make and is so pretty garnished with fresh fruit. Small chocolate cake for two people is the best way to celebrate.
The last time I made this mini chocolate cake for two, we ate it in the car on the way to dinner. And if I remember correctly, we had burgers and fries.
It's not that this cake is 'light' or 'not too sweet' or whatever it is that people say about dessert to make them feel less badly about eating it. It's a solid, rich chocolate cake.
The cake has a crumb that is one notch closer to pound cake than boxed cake mix, which I love. The ganache on top is my obsession. I almost never remember to put butter on the counter to soften for cake frosting, and a 2-minute chocolate ganache solves that problem.
If you're looking for a more standard frosting, try my Chocolate Buttercream recipe.
Ingredients
- Flour. All-purpose, bleached regular flour is what I used to develop this mini chocolate cake recipe. Do not use cake flour, sifted flour, whole wheat or pastry flour for this recipe. If you make changes such as this, the results will not be the same.
- Cocoa Powder. All-natural, unsweet cocoa powder from the box is what we need, which is not the same as hot cocoa mix.
- Baking Soda. This cake only calls for baking soda for its rise and lift; it does not require baking powder. The two are not interchangeable, by the way.
- Oil. The best cake recipes use oil as the base, instead of butter. This is because oil is fully liquid at room temperature, making for a soft, tender cake crumb. This allows you to refrigerate the cake before serving without any hardening, as well. Any type of neutral, flavorless oil works here: canola oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, or even safflower oil. Do not use unrefined coconut oil that smells of coconut, because it will alter the whole flavor of your cake.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar is what we need for this cake, not brown sugar or powdered sugar.
- Sour Cream. We're using sour cream for its rich, full flavor, also for the acidity to react with the baking soda and make the cake rise. Sour cream is 40% and it cannot be substituted with anything else. Do not use yogurt, buttermilk, whole milk or even low fat sour cream, if you want perfect results.
- Egg. While a lot of my small batch recipes call for part of an egg, we need the whole egg for this mini chocolate cake recipe.
- Vanilla Extract. The best flavor is found in real, pure vanilla extract. My preference is for one made with Bourbon.
- Coffee. This cake will not taste like coffee, though if you're looking for that, try my Mocha Cupcakes. The coffee here provides moisture and a flavor boost for the chocolate.
- Chocolate. We need chopped semisweet chocolate to melt for the chocolate ganache for this mini chocolate cake. I reach for a baking bar or my favorite bar of chocolate to chop up.
- Heavy Cream. We will melt the chocolate into a small amount of heavy cream.
- Optional: A small amount of light (clear) corn syrup makes the ganache super shiny, but it is entirely optional. I like to use fresh fruit for decorating.
How to Make a Mini Chocolate Cake
I'm going to help you out with all of your Valentine's Day dessert for two needs, but first: you're going to need a 6" cake pan to make this mini chocolate cake. They're adorable. And once you buy one, you can make all of my small cake recipes. (Plus, I even use it to make a small batch of fudge, too!).
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit, and have ready your 6 inch round cake pan with 2 inch sides. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, and lightly spray the sides with a non-flavored cooking spray.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together: the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda; set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, sour cream, egg, vanilla and coffee. It's not necessary to use an electric mixer, whisking by hand is totally fine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together until no streaks of flour remain.
- Pour the mini chocolate cake batter into the prepared pan, slide into the oven and bake for 29-32 minutes. Use a toothpick to ensure the cake is done before removing it from the oven.
- While the cake cools, make the chocolate ganache frosting: in a double boiler, or bowl fitted over a pan of simmering water, combine the chopped chocolate, cream, and corn syrup (if using). Stir over medium heat until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and cream in the microwave in 25-second pulses on LOW power. Stir between each pulse.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake on a cake stand, garnish with fresh fruit, and serve.
If you're looking for something even fancier, can I suggest my chocolate mousse cake?
If you're looking for the vanilla version of this cake, try my mini vanilla cake. It includes a tutorial for making buttercream roses, too!
Mini Chocolate Cake
A small chocolate cake that serves just two people.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup neutral oil (like canola or grapeseed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon warm coffee
For the ganache:
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- splash of light corn syrup (to keep the frosting smooth, optional)
- pomegranate arils, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350, and position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Line a 6" round cake pan (with 2" sides) with parchment paper on the bottom, and lightly grease the sides with oil.
- Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, sour cream, egg, vanilla and coffee.
- Combine the two bowls, mixing just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan, and bake for 29-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. If you under-bake the cake, it will slightly sink, so check it! It will also start to pull away from the sides when it's done.
- Remove the cake from the pan by carefully tilting it into one hand, peel off the parchment from the bottom, and then place it on a small cake stand.
- In a double boiler, or bowl fitted over a pan of simmering water, combine the chopped chocolate, cream, and corn syrup (if using). Stir over medium heat until melted and smooth. *Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and cream in the microwave in 25-second pulses on LOW power. Stir between each pulse.
- Pour the chocolate over the cake, and garnish with pomegranate arils.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 626Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 193mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 6gSugar: 52gProtein: 7g
Ann says
Wow, this really is the perfect little cake! I used Scharffen Berger cocoa, reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup, and added 1/4 tsp. almond extract. I baked it in a 6" x 3" cake pan, wrapped with a cake pan strip. I didn't have pomegranate arils, so I garnished with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds.
Trace says
Last night I was craving chocolate cake, so of course I knew to come to your site for a little something.
I used Dutch cocoa and what ever fat content sour cream I had on hand. I had no coffee or pomegranate, but topped my ganache with some chopped nuts.
Such an easy recipe to put together, I will be making this over and over again.
Allen says
Hey can I substitutie the All purpose flour to plain flour
Christina Lane says
It's the same thing :) Go for it!
Stacey says
This cake was simply delicious. I used almond flour instead of regular flour and added one more egg. Also used less than a 1/2 cup of brown sugar. I didn't use the tbs of coffee, just added a tbs of water like recommended and didn't use the syrup for the ganache. We try to have the sweets we eat under control ;) I used a 5x3 cake pan; cake came out perfect!
Christina Lane says
These are amazing substitutions--wow, thank you! Almond flour works with this cake? I have to try it today! Thank you :)
Jean Fugate Besalke says
This cake looks amazing however I don't have the 6" cake pan...can I bake it in a square pan?
I am so enjoying your site because for years with just my hubby and I we are older and don't need a whole cake but, like something sweet to eat. You are the answer to our prayers!
Thank you so much!
Jean
Christina Lane says
Hi Jean! Thanks! I haven't tried it in a square pan, unfortunately. Is it a 6" square pan that you have?
Don Schuldes says
Made this cake the second time and oh lord! It's always amazing. The best cake ever. thank you so much
Anna says
Did you find the cake moist enough? The author writes that its crumb is closer to that of pound cake.
As a fan of really thick, almost fudge/brownie-like chocolate cakes, I'm searching for the perfect recipe for that!
cant say says
can you please tell me what to do to double the recipe for some friends
Racheli says
Hi! Thanks for making small desserts. It's underrated how hard it is to cook for only two people. I was wonder if there is a substitute I can use for sour cream that is diary free?
Donna says
Do you let the cake cool before taking it out if the pan?
Christina Lane says
It works either way :)
Nancy Parker says
My "healthy" version. Fabulous
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup stevia blend
1/3 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon warm coffee
ganache
4 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup water
Christina Lane says
Love this, Nancy! Thanks for sharing!
Olivia says
Hi there
Can this cake be baked in a 4x3 pan?
Christina Lane says
I don't think so...