Mini Cakes baked in ramekins and decorated with vanilla frosting and fresh berries or sprinkles. This recipe makes four single layer cakes or two double layer cakes. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or as a smash cake. Prefer a small batch of cupcakes? Try our Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes.
Hello there! I’m stopping in with one last Valentine’s Day recipe. Although I am not the hugest fan of Valentine’s Day, I am a HUGE fan of chocolate (duh). So, I will not turn down the opportunity to bake, eat, and share some chocolaty goodness this Valentine’s Day. That brings me to these adorable Mini Cakes!
These mini cakes join some of our other favorite small batch recipes (see: small batch chocolate chip cookies and small batch vanilla cupcakes).
Mini Cakes
No special cake pans are needed for these cuties; the cakes are baked in ramekins. I’m sure you have some ramekins lying around. Grab them from the back of your cabinet, whip up this easy one-bowl chocolate cake batter, and before you know it you’ll be diving into chocolate cake.
I used 7-oz/4-inch ramekins, which made 4 miniature cakes. You can either serve the cakes in single layers or you can double them up and make two double layer cakes. I’ve included a recipe for a small batch of vanilla frosting, which I simply spread on the cakes with a butter knife. Top the cakes with fresh berries or sprinkles, and serve them to someone you love.
These mini chocolate cakes are great for Valentine’s day, anniversaries, or as a smash cake. And since this recipe feeds just a few, you really don’t need a reason to make these. The fact that it’s a Thursday is reason enough. 😉 Enjoy!
Recipe
Mini Chocolate Cakes
Ingredients
Cakes:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- heaping ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup hot coffee or hot water, see note
Vanilla Frosting:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons milk or half and half
- Fresh berries or sprinkles, for decorating.
Instructions
For the cakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of four 4-inch (7oz) ramekins with rounds of parchment. Grease the ramekins well. Set aside.
- With a stand mixer or hand mixer, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes. Add hot coffee or hot water, and beat until just combined. The batter will be thin.
- Divide evenly between four prepared ramekins (I used a little over ⅓ cup batter per ramekin). Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the top springs back when you touch them, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting and decorating:
- Run a thin knife around the edge of each ramekin and carefully remove each cake. With a serrated knife, gently cut the dome off the top of each cake. Discard or save the cake scraps for another use.
- For the frosting: Using a deep bowl, with a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter until smooth (starting the mixer low, then slowly increasing the speed). Add vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of milk. Beat on medium speed for a minute or two, until light and fluffy. If the frosting appears too thick, add an additional teaspoon of milk.
- Spread the frosting onto the top of each cake. You can leave the cakes in a single layer or stack them to make a double layer cake. Decorate the top with berries or sprinkles.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Josephine
The First time I made a double amount of all ingredients, it worked out perfectly as my kids want to eat again, the 2nd time I tripled all —Failed. Why? Because of baking powder? Any advice would be appreciated.
Celebrating Sweets
It’s hard to say why that didn’t work. You might not have needed to triple all of the ingredients, baking can be tricky that way. If you’re looking for a slighter larger recipe, I have a small batch chocolate cupcake recipe that makes 6 cupcakes.
Meadow
Wow they are amazing
Tova
The frosting wasn’t easy, until I started over and beat the butter by itself before adding the sugar. Was it something I did wrong? Or should the recipe make that clarification? I ask as I have powdered sugar over half my counter…
Celebrating Sweets
Your bowl was probably not deep enough. It is best to start our fairly slow to keep the powdered sugar from making a mess. I will update the recipe to include that. Thanks for sharing your experience.
thicc lady
so tasty
I was looking for a little cake recipe and this is the one! so so soft I have sensitive teeth from a resent visit to the orthodontist and I finally found something i can eat! The flavor is like a dream me and my family are in love!
– random lady on the internet writing a review for a cake
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Seema
Awesome… I tried the recipe it came really good.. My husband and my little kid both enjoyed.. Thank you so much for the wonderful mini cake recipe
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Anna
So tasty, I was making this mini cake last month ( daughter birthday) they love it.. I will make again this today for my husband birthday, thank you for this simple and delicious recipe ..
Celebrating Sweets
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Lynn Schofer
Do these freeze well?
Celebrating Sweets
They should freeze just fine. Enjoy!
Christina
I have smaller ramekins (6 oz) how much would you use to fill it, or about how high in the ramekin should you fill it?
Celebrating Sweets
I’d guess that you could probably divide the batter between five ramekins instead of four. The bake time will probably be similar. Enjoy!
kelly
this was the best thang Ive ever made
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Krizz
can i use a silicone mold for this? i ran out of parchment papers
Allison
That should work. Depending on the size of the mold you’ll need to increase or decrease the bake time.