Oh, all the mini things! I will gobble them all up!
I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but I think these are going to be our Valentine’s Day dessert. I think. I’m having the hardest time deciding what to make from my 30 days of chocolate collection. It’s been a sweet month, friends, and it’s not over yet!
Not only are these chocolate mini layer cakes undeniably adorable, the chocolate cake is the easiest chocolate cake to make–really. Have you ever heard of wacky cake? I believe it’s called wacky cake because it doesn’t require eggs or milk, but still creates a lovely risen chocolate cake with a soft texture. It relies on vinegar and baking soda as leaveners. I promise you won’t taste vinegar. The other fun thing about using vinegar in a chocolate cake made with cocoa powder is that the reaction makes for an ever-so-slightly red cake.
Quick overview on how easy this cake is: Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and espresso powder. Then, stir in the oil, vanilla, vinegar, and cold water. That’s it. Whisk dry ingredients into the wet ingredients , and then bake it. You can do this! Wacky looks so good on you!
We’re using a standard 8 x 8-inch baking pan today–the same one you bake a large batch of brownies in. I love it when we can make desserts for two using regular pans!
Sorry ’bout that baby bump up there…except I’m not! Camille wanted to say ‘hi’ to everyone. She loves chocolate right now. And spicy food. And creamy tomato soup. Oh oh oh! and Caesar salad. Ok, she’ll stop now.
After baking, let the cake cool all the way, before tipping it out onto the counter.
Next, use a 3″ round biscuit cutter to cut out 4 circles of cake. These are your adorable layers:
The chocolate buttercream recipe I made to go with these cakes is so easy that it leaves me with no excuse for why my nail polish is chipped. If buttercream only takes 3 minutes to whip up, why can’t I have nice nails? Sorry, Mom.
What should you do with those corner cake scraps? Mix them with the rest of the frosting and roll them into cake truffles! If I don’t admit right here and now that this was 100% my husband’s idea, I will be shamed! Thanks, B. You help me be the queen of small/ no-leftover desserts every day. If that isn’t what marriage is about, then I’m lost in life. xo
I adapted this cake from Martha Stewart’s ‘Busy-Day Chocolate Cake.’ And speaking of Martha, I wanted to let y’all know that I’m teaming up with Martha Stewart Weddings to host giveaways for my cookbook next week! We’ll be chatting on twitter about romance, desserts, and all the other things lovely in life in our campaign called #14DAYSOFLOVE. You guys know Valentine’s Day is my favorite time of year, so please, join me and the Martha Weddings team to chat about love and sugar! You just may win a copy of my cookbook, too!
Looking for more mini cakes?
Or maybe you just need a mini big cake. Does that make sense? MINI ROSE CAKE recipe:
And, finally: the wacky recipe:
Mini Chocolate Layer Cakes
These chocolate layer cakes are perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 cup cold water
For the frosting:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-4 teaspoon milk (as needed for consistency)
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8 x 8'inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, espresso powder and salt.
- Make a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients, and pour in the oil, vanilla, vinegar and cold water.
- Stir to combine very well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely. Once cool, use a 3" biscuit cutter or other round cookie cutter to cut out 4 circles of cake.
- To make the frosting: beat together all of the ingredients until light and fluffy. Add additional milk as needed to achieve a frosting consistency.
- Stack the cake layers and add frosting in between the layers. I do not recommend attempting to frost the sides of the cake--since it is a cut edge, the frosting picks up too many crumbs. If you want to do it anyway, try freezing the cakes first.
- Finally, crumble the leftover cake scraps, and add the leftover frosting to them. Stir to combine very well, and then roll into balls to form cake truffles. Serve these on the side, or keep them all to yourself ;)
Notes
*Wacky cake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart u][here[/u].
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1 cakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 2129Total Fat: 90gSaturated Fat: 32gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 53gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 1181mgCarbohydrates: 321gFiber: 6gSugar: 235gProtein: 14g
Adorable cakes, adorable belly! Who could want for anything more?
I love how easy this is! I’ve never heard of wacky cake, but it sounds like my kind of baking.
I was going to comment about how adorable the cakes are — but then the BUMP! I can’t even handle all the adorableness.
Gahhh the baby bump! It looks so good on you!!!! I’m so happy to hear that she likes chocolate :-D I’m also lovin’ the baby cakes. Looks like the perfect cake-to-icing ratio!
You are just the cutest person ever! Way to go on working with Martha! :)
Thanks, Beth! I wouldn’t say Martha and I are texting and having lunch or anything..it’s definitely just her wedding peeps, but I’ll take it! And if the great and wonderful Martha ever does invite me to lunch, you can be sure I’ll invite you too! xo
Positively adorable! I love all things mini!
These are adorable – just like your bump! :)
Chipped nail polish it’s the reason I avoid hands in pictures :D Let’s face it, we all do it :))) So worry not! The cakes take the spotlight anyway. I’ll give the sponge a try asap, thank you for sharing!
I’m so embarrassed, Oana! The minute I was done editing photos, I fixed my nails. And then ate more cake ;)
I’m not sure you can be much cuter! And these cakes? Well, they would disappear in 1.56 seconds flat. Pinned.
I’m loving these cakes but most of all that little bump of yours.
How freaking cute are these?!?! I want to share, I really do….but, you know? I go crazy for mini chocolate things!
you have the cutest baby bumb ever!! And of course these cakes are so lovely!
I’m all of easy cake recipes and I love that you got some truffles too!
Oh my word, these are too cute! Almost as cute as that baby bump :)
You are the cutest preggo lady I know! How fun is it going to be to show your little girl these pics someday?!! Now, this cake, pass me 18 slices?! K. thanks.
well if these aren’t just the cutest things ever…especially when paired up with that sweet baby bump! love!!
your belly!!!! such a cute little preggo lady Christina, seems like you’re going amazing! and these cakes? I’ll take three stacks
Aside from the adorableness that is you and that baby, these cakes look killer. Perfect for when you just need your own personal cake.
What a great cake! Eggs and milk are two ingredients I am constantly running out of. How great to know I can still have cake without them. I never notice how bad my nails are until I see them in pictures. :)
Ok, I’ll be honest. i came to see the progress of the bump but that cake looks pretty stinking irresistible. I don’t blame Camille, I would want chocolate all the time too!
Too cute! And, adorable background (the bump)! :)
Well these mini cakes are just too cute Christina! I love mini cakes. No need to share it, I get the whole thing to myself. I just love your photography! You are looking so beautiful!
This tiny cake is just perfect! As is your precious bump. And the name Camille. Love love love! I think I might try this out on some friends we’re having dinner with this weekend. :)
Adorable cake, adorable belly! Is it weird that I’m most excited about the cake scrap smash? Because honestly that’s how I eat my cake anyways.
OH heyyy Camille, hey chocolate cake. Both adorable! Although I’d only like to take a giant bite of one of them, the cake of course, not Camille…
I literally cannot decide what’s cuter – the cakes or your bump! omg.
yayyyyy hi Camille!!! :D
and these mini cakes are brilliant-I love the slightly red hue and the adorable mini-ness! and that taaaasty frosting!
This cake is so cute! My son’s birthday is Friday. Looking at the my agenda, I don’t think I can make it possibly that day. Can this cake be made ahead of time? Thanks.
Yes, totally! How sweet :) Enjoy!
Such a pretty cake and so perfect for February 14th! :)
These photos are just SO adorable with your baby bump! The mini chocolate cakes look ok, too. :) They would be a perfect Valentine’s dessert!
so cute! My sweet tooth was pretty crazy during pregnancy but it was OUT OF CONTROL post-partum, I’ve reigned it in recently, but I still want all the chocolate all the time. That bump is cuuuute, too!
Yes to all things mini! These are so cute!!
Your bump looks like a bump where mine looks like a mountain! I’d gladly come over this adorable cake!
Ahh they are SO cute, and such a lovely shade of red! Enjoy those cravings!
These wee little cakes are just darling.
Christina, are you having a girl? and naming her Camille?!!! I LOVE THAT NAME! she is going to be so beautiful. . can’t wait to meet her! (or see pics! :P) and love these mini chocolate layer cakes. they are perfect! will totally try to join the chat! so fun (and smart, yo!).
My stepdaughter has been learning to bake, she loves chocolate. And at 13 she can make this “almost” all by herself. And the truffles are my reward.:-) Love the shirt. And the baby bump of course.
This baby bump is getting entirely too darn cute girl. Can’t wait to see your beautiful baby girl and will be following along on the fun twitter chat my friend! Oh and these cakes are bananas!
Don’t you have to use the coffee and can you use any kind of coffee?
You make it look so easy!! LOVE IT :)
These are TOO PERFECT and you’re too cute. I love these!
Yes! More chocolate – I am on cloud 9. All that is missing is a cup of tea, an easy chair and absolute quiet! Yummy! :-)
I love these little cakes. They look so moist and delicious and chocolatey.
I’d probably have both servings…. haha :)
So adorable, you and the cakes!
Thank you for this great recipe. It is so hard to find something for singles. Love CHOCOLATE & this is perfect. I can freeze one for later. Recipe reminds me of one I knew as ” 30 Cake” I am truly going to make & enjoy this cake SOON !!
We had another day here in New Hampshire and we are having these cakes tonight!!! From all the sampling I know it’s going to be great
I LOOOOVE wacky cake! We called it crazy cake growing up, but it’s the same thing. It’s the easiest thing ever and I still think it’s the best, fluffiest cake around. I’m so thrilled to try this scaled down version! I don’t make it very often because there’s just no good reason for us to have a 9 x 13 inch cake sitting around this 2 person household.
I just made this cake for my husband’s birthday. It’s extremely easy to make, moist, and absolutely delicious. And, I love that we won’t have 3/4 of a cake leftover after he and I enjoy 1 slice each. Thank you for an amazing recipe.
That is so great to hear, Jennie! Thanks so much for the review :)
Christina
First of all, I’m kind of sad that I wasn’t invited to participate in the Valentine’s Day dessert fest. I mean, I totally would have eaten every last crumb of these cakes. But I’ll forgive you, because cake.
hello! This recipe looks delicious!! However my sister doesn’t eat chocolate, what changes would you suggest to make this cake without chocolate?
Thank you!!
I added an egg. I couldn’t help it! It just seemed strange to not add an egg to a cake. I checked the Martha website and another woman did too and she didn’t say it was a disaster lol. Thanks for the great recipes! I’ve been using a lot of your recipes lately to make awesome desserts that are great for a family of 2 adults and one toddler :)
Hah! Good to know! Did the cake dome in the middle from the egg?
No! It was perfect! So perfect I cut it I half and made a cute rectangular layer cake. I made Nutella cream cheese frosting and it was a hit!!