Description
Decadent mini chocolate cakes layered with fudge frosting and covered in a rich chocolate ganache, perfect for individual servings.
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake:
1 and ½ cups (128 g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 and ½ tsp. Salt
3 cups (375 g) All-Purpose Flour
3 cups (600 g) Sugar
1 TBS Baking Soda
1 and ½ tsp. Baking Powder
1 and ½ cups Vegetable Oil
1 and ½ cups Buttermilk
1 and ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
3 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
1 and ½ cups Hot Water
For the chocolate fudge frosting:
4 oz. (114 g) Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped
1 stick (112 g) Unsalted Butter
16 oz. Powdered Sugar
½ cup Milk
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
For the chocolate ganache:
16 oz. Bitter-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
2 cups Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, and then grease the paper.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Step 3: Using a hand-held mixer, beat in the oil, buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, and hot water one at a time until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Step 4: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
- Step 5: Let cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert them onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Step 6: Once cooled, level each cake and then cut each cake in half horizontally, creating four equal layers.
- Step 7: Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out approximately 8 rounds from each cake layer. Then, cut each of these mini cake rounds in half horizontally to create thin disks.
- Step 8: To make the frosting, melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan over low heat.
- Step 9: In a separate bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture.
- Step 10: Place the frosting bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the frosting is smooth, thicker, and has a good spreading consistency.
- Step 11: To make the ganache, place the chopped bitter-sweet chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a saucepan.
- Step 12: Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. Slowly stir until the mixture is smooth and shiny, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the rum, if using, and set aside to cool for 20 minutes.
- Step 13: To assemble, spread or pipe some fudge frosting on one cake disk and top with another disk to create a mini two-layered cake. Repeat for all cake disks.
- Step 14: Place the assembled mini cakes on a wire rack set over parchment paper. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of ganache over each cake, ensuring the top and sides are fully covered.
- Step 15: Place the cakes in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to allow the ganache to set.
- Step 16: Transfer the remaining fudge frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe a design on top of each chilled cake.
Notes
Wrap up and freeze leftover cake scraps to use in a trifle or cake pops.
An offset spatula can be helpful to spread the ganache evenly over the cakes.
Special equipment needed: Hand-held mixer, two 9-inch round cake pans, 2-inch biscuit cutter, off-set spatula, piping bag, and a star tip.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American