These mini chocolate cakes are easy, decadent and so pretty for Christmas with a sprig of mint and raspberry garnish on top. We use our favorite go-to chocolate cake recipe, baked in 4-inch ramekins or springform pans, and then top each cake with a simple and silky chocolate sauce of dark chocolate, agave syrup, water, and vanilla.
This same cake recipe works well for an 8-inch layer cake and for cupcakes, too. It’s such a versatile recipe that you can add chocolate, peanut butter, or mint chips, to it as well, to suit the tastes of the chocolate lovers in your family. The cake also freezes very well, so it can be made ahead of time and frozen in plastic wrap for frosting at a later point in time. This is always so helpful when planning and preparing meals for special occasions.
We used plain, unsweetened whipped cream for the frosting on these mini cakes and it was such a great complement to the rich and silky chocolate sauce and moist dark chocolate cake. Be sure to use your favorite unsweetened cocoa powder in the cake batter. Our very favorite cocoa powders are Rodelle or Valhrona, but we also really like Trader Joe’s brand of cocoa powder. Whichever way you go, try to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a smoother more mellow flavor profile.
Mini Chocolate Cakes with Silky Dark Chocolate Sauce & Whipped Cream
Equipment
- 12 4-inch springform pans *can also use well greased 4-inch ramekins
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder the better quality, the better the flavor
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 cups cold water can use 1/4 cup strong coffee and 1 3/4 cup water to boost the chocolate flavor!
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Silky Dark Chocolate Sauce
- 10 oz. dark chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp. light agave syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Whipped Cream & Garnishes
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate shavings
- 12 whole raspberries
- 12 small mint sprigs
Instructions
- Grease, spray, or line with parchment paper, 12 four-inch cake pans or 4-inch ramekins.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place all dries for cake in a large mixing bowl and blend well with a wire whisk. In a large measuring cup, mix oil, water and vanilla and add to dries, mixing thoroughly with a whisk or wooden spoon.
- Divide batter evenly among the cake pans.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and remove from the pan. Remove cakes from oven and cool completely on a cake rack. When cool, remove cakes from cake pans or ramekins and set aside.
Silky Dark Chocolate Sauce
- Melt chocolate chips along with agave and water in a saucepan until melted and smooth. Bring just to a boil and whisk in vanilla. Remove from heat. Adjust for thickness by adding more water or more chocolate chips.
Assemble Cakes
- Spread cooled, but still spreadable chocolate sauce over the top of each cake, allowing some to drip down the sides.
- Using a pastry bag with a large #824 open star tip, make giant swirls of the whipped cream on top of the chocolate sauce. Garnish with chocolate curls, mint springs and raspberries.
