Since I’ve started this blog I’ve realised that I enjoy baking a whole lot more than I thought I did. I have baked every week for the last month and a half, except for last weekend because I was travelling. Having not baked for the last week and a half it is literally causing me to suffer from baking withdrawal symptoms. I. Need. To. Bake. ASAP. I keep speaking to myself and saying, “Ok baby girl, just relax and wait for the weekend.” And I really thought I could take that advice but I can’t, the more I bake the more I need to bake. Baking is my sanctuary and I started this blog to document that which I love so let us do just that. So today I have been eyeing this decadent mini chocolate cake recipe. I am super proud of this baby because it is super moist, chocolatey, delicious AND I finally got to put my piping set into good use because I got to make cute pink and lilac meringues to decorate the cake but these will be featured in one of my later blogs.
I would seriously recommend these if you're having company over for coffee and you want to make cake but not tons of it.
Yours in Cake
Xxx
The Baking Dietitian
Decadent Mini Chocolate Cupcake Recipe
Preparation time: 1 hour 20minutes
Cooking time:
Yield: 4 servings, 1 mini cake or 24 mini cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cake:
• 60g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup hot brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (maas will work jus as well)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the icing:
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• 230g dark chocolate
Directions
1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 180°C d. Line a 10cm cake pan with non-stick spray. Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder and brown sugar in a large bowl; add the hot coffee and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon a half of the batter into the came tin and bake for about 50min. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centres comes out clean. Let cool a few minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely. Repeat this with the other half of the batter. If you are making mini cupcakes bake for 15min or until a toothpick comes out clean.
3. Once cooled, level your cakes using a serrated bread knife for ease of stacking.
4. Make the frosting: Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and whisk until smooth, then let cool to room temperature. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a medium bowl; then carefully place it in the ice water and let sit, stirring every few minutes, until the frosting is thick enough to spread, about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe onto the one layer of the cake, place the second layer on top and continue icing the cake. Use a bench scraper or the blunt side of a butter knife to smooth the ganache all around the cake.
6. Decorate to your liking. I used coloured meringues and rose gold edible flakes but you can also use fresh fruit and dust it with icing sugar.
7. Enjoy!