I feel like there are a few recipes that every blog should have. Just basics, like a solid mac & cheese, or a good homemade pasta sauce. There have been some that I’ve checked off my list — a go-to buttermilk pancake base, and a classic chocolate chip cookie. But one that I’ve been meaning to get around to (you know, in addition to the mac & cheese and the pasta sauce) is just a simple, classic chocolate cake, and a good chocolate buttercream to go with it.
For awhile I couldn’t decide on a recipe to try, partly because I didn’t want to be saddled with a gigantic chocolate cake to get through between just the two of us (much less a mediocre gigantic cake, if it didn’t turn out well). Then I got the idea to try and make a mini chocolate cake out of “layers” made in four-ounce ramekins. But most classic chocolate cake recipes (this one looks unbelievable) use just a few eggs for a large cake, so that the recipe can’t be scaled down as easily (or else you end up using less than an egg, which, let’s face it, no one likes to do).
Finally, I came across this hilariously-named chocolate cake that uses no eggs, just vinegar — and discovered that vinegar-only chocolate cake is pretty common (usually with an equally funny name). I fiddled with the numbers a bit, added some brown sugar and coffee (always coffee in chocolate baking! Trust) and came out with this. I thought it was perfect — nice and moist, with a wonderful, deep chocolate taste. I used balsamic vinegar because it was all I had on hand and was a little nervous about it, but it added just a touch of nuance, and not in an unpleasant way at all. Evidently it’s a thing! I was just thrilled — this cake is so easy, manageable, perfect for two (and vegan!) without scrimping on taste.
The buttercream is definitely not vegan, but equally delicious. I could never understand eating frosting on its own before I started making my own. But this, and a maple brown butter cream cheese frosting I just made from Tutti Dolci, and lime cream cheese frosting I made the other day — oh man, my life has been changed. The recipe below makes exactly enough for this mini cake, but you may want to double it so that you’re not nervous that you’re eating too much for the cake. Or so that you can sit on the couch and eat it straight with a spoon later instead of eating lunch. Not speaking from experience at all.
Lastly, a quick run-down of how I made the layer cake mini. I lined two four-ounce porcelain ramekins (six-ounce would work fine, as well) with parchment paper circles, divided the batter evenly between the two of them, and baked on the middle rack. Once cooled, I leveled them with a knife (probably not exact, but eh!).
I placed one layer, bottom side down and leveled-side up, on the mini cake stand (secret: actually this candle holder from IKEA), and frosted the top. Then the second layer I placed upside down, or leveled-side down, then did a crumb coat. One nice thing about mini cakes is that you don’t need a revolving stand to frost the sides — they’re so small that you can just hold the stand and revolve it as you go.
After the crumb coat, I chilled it for about 20 minutes to set the frosting. Then I put the final layer of frosting on and, done. If you’re looking for a real tutorial, I followed a great one by i am baker, here. Some tips I didn’t find necessary for a mini, like chilling the cake before working with it, but I found chilling the cake after the crumb coat was particularly helpful. I also used Jennifer’s tip (from Savory Simple, most beautifully-done cakes you’ve ever seen!) on heating the knife before cutting slices for a clean cut.
Easy (And Vegan) Mini Chocolate Layer Cake, For Two
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp white sugar
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1/8 tsp baking soda, heaping
a pinch of salt
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp vinegar
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp hot brewed coffee (alternatively, dissolve 1 tsp instant espresso powder in 2 tbsp + 2 tsp hot water)
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two 4-ounce ramekins with circles of parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together brown sugar, vanilla extract, vinegar, oil, and coffee. Combine wet ingredients with dry and whisk gently until smooth. Divide evenly into ramekins.
3. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the ramekins, then flip ramekins. The cakes should slide out easily. Peel the parchment paper off (which should also come off like a dream, even if not greased) and then flip them back right-side up to let the cakes cool completely.
5. If storing overnight before frosting (they can be made a day ahead), just wrap completely in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
yields about ⅓ cup, enough for one mini cake
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
7 tbsp confectioners’ sugar (potentially more, depending on resulting thickness of the frosting)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp milk
1. Whisk butter in a bowl until very smooth. Sift together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt, then add to the butter in two batches, whisking after each addition.
2. Mix until the sugar and cocoa powder are absorbed by the butter, then add vanilla and milk and mix again until fully incorporated.
3. If your frosting needs to be stiffer, add a little more sugar. If it is too stiff to spread, add milk a few drops at a time.
Frosting a Layer Cake (tutorials here and here)
1. Level the cake tops if there is a dome.
2. Place one layer, leveled-side up, on the cake stand.
3. Add an even layer of frosting to the top, then place the second layer, leveled-side down, on top. If you have more layers, repeat this step again until you run out of cake.
4. Do a crumb coat — a very thin layer of frosting to seal in the crumbs — over the entire cake, then chill the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes or so.
5. Frost again with a final, thicker layer of frosting. Done! When serving, for a clean cut, run a very sharp knife under hot water, wipe dry, and then cut the cake while the knife is still hot. Cut downwards in one motion, then slide the blade out towards you, not up.
I hope you enjoy this cake! It’s become my go-to for small celebration cakes, since it’s not too much cake to be a gift for one person only, but still feels more special than cupcakes. I made it last month for a friend who took the LSAT, and it was our little celebration cake for passing the bar last week, too (!) Hope it can be a teensy treat for your own personal celebration (or for no reason at all!) 🙂
For other just-for-two (with seconds) desserts, check out this fruit crisp or these pumpkin cupcakes. Thank you so much for reading! 🙂
Sara
It is too early in the morning to want cake, and yet I do. Oh man, I can taste the buttercream.
tworedbowls
I could practically smell it as I was editing these photos! Seriously good. I will not judge if you eat it for breakfast.
saucygander
I’ve just discovered vinegar pie crust, time for vinegar cake? Love, love the idea of using a candlestick as a mini cake stand, I was wondering if you had found a cupcake stand! 😀
tworedbowls
Haha, thank you!! I seized it when I saw it at IKEA — so cute (I’m in love with ALL things mini). And yes, definitely give the vinegar cake a try!!! I first saw it in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World but now I’m seeing that it’s pretty common in chocolate cakes. I loved it. But now I’m curious about vinegar pie crusts! What sets them apart? Other than the fact that they use vinegar 😉
saucygander
You’re right, the main thing is the our crust uses vinegar, which (asking with lard) is meant to stop gluten forming and so create a flakier crust. I’ve also tried an old Sicilian pasta frolla recipe which uses white wine, I was worried about a tough dough but the crust held its shape and was wonderfully flaky too! 😀
erika
OH man you are the goddess of making very reasonable portions of desserts!! (I’m thinking of your pumpkin muffins here.) I discovered my own go-to vegan chocolate cake by accident when I made Martha Stewart’s one bowl chocolate cake and accidentally left out the egg–best accident ever! Okay so you know those chocolate mug cakes that call for like 1/2 cup of sugar and 4 tablespoons of oil for “one serving”? I’m exaggerating, but those are seriously the biggest calorie/fat bombs ever and they’re supposed to be single servings! I love that your recipe keeps things in check (2 tsp of oil is totally reasonable!) AND has the most gorgeous presentation ever!! Also, I love that tiny cake stand. So cute. I am definitely keeping this in mind for…omg! Erik and my (okay WHAT is the proper grammar on that?) two-year anniversary was yesterday and we are celebrating on Tuesday after his big test…maybe I’ll make this cake!! :3
tworedbowls
Hahaha, thank you so, so much Erika! Yes, I try to make just-for-two desserts whenever I can … I would try and make it my blog “thing,” except half the time I just go ahead and say eff it and make a million anyway. 😡 But it is so rewarding when they do turn out just as good as the large batches but don’t give you the guilt or the feeling of wastefulness! I hope y’all like this if you try it (and YAY for two years!! Congrats! 🙂 )
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
What a gorgeous little cake, I love the petite size. Thank you for linking to my frosting, so glad you liked it! 🙂
tworedbowls
Ahhh, thank you so much for coming to my little blog to comment! I’m so flattered, especially coming from you — I adore your blog. Thank you for your delicious recipe — it’s my favorite cream cheese frosting now. I brought the pumpkin bars into the office and the frosting got tons of compliments. Bookmarked as a go-to in the future, for sure!
Ruthy Kirwan
Why am I just hearing about vinegar cake now!? And even better, a balsamic vinegar cake!? Off to waste time googling!
But not before I let you know that this cake is pretty dang cute. Especially on that cake/candle/sh! stand! A whole cake is always way too much for just my husband and I to eat, so this would be perfect to whip up for a small special occasion.
tworedbowls
Haha isn’t it amazing?! I saw the Pioneer Woman’s red wine chocolate cake the other day and realized it must be the same concept — an acid to make the baking soda react, or something like that? Whatever it is, I’m a big fan. Thank you so much for the sweet words, Ruthy 🙂 You’re always so kind! And yes! I love that this cake is a way for me to get the fun of putting together a layer cake too, except without the stress of working with large portions, or being stuck with leftovers. 🙂 Hope you two enjoy this if you end up making it
Johnnysenough Hepburn
I’ve read about using vinegar (which would react nicely with soda) in cakes and it has always put me off. Balsamic, as it’s only a splash, probably wouldn’t bother me. Funny thing is, love vinegars in dressings and chips (French fries). But can’t stand it in cooking. Well, chutneys are different.
And you’re into mini things! My thing is everything fold away. So I don’t see it 🙂
tworedbowls
I feel you, I was nervous about it! I’d previously used apple cider vinegar in a few of Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Romero’s recipes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, which I thought was nice and mild, but never balsamic, and that did have a slightly stronger taste. I’ve actually seen some cake recipes call for white vinegar, though, and that I don’t think I could ever bring myself to do!
Haha, yes! Mini-desserts are my choice of poison 🙂 But I like your strategy too! For some things (especially yeast baking) I like to make a large batch and freeze it (so that it’s not easily accessible… haha) and bake up a few at a time. Out of sight, out of mind!
sophiamarie4498
OH MY GOSH. I can’t get over the cuteness. This is genius!! Thanks for sharing, love! 🙂
tworedbowls
Thank you so very much, Sophia! And so glad you commented so that I could find your blog — it’s so lovely!!! And you’re 15?! No way. 😉
mbakes (@mbakes_mbakes)
Now that is what I call some serious photography skillz. Aaaand some serious icing skills. I tried to make a vegan chocolate cake with black beans a few months ago, the cake didnt rise! It was nice but I wasnt thrilled. Oh, and ALWAYS non vegan icing, always 🙂
tworedbowls
Hahaha oh thank you!!! Yes, I was surprised by how well these cakes rose, especially when I was working with amounts smaller than teaspoons. And yay, glad to have a vote for non-vegan frosting 😉 Not that I ever really set out to make anything vegan … I’m just happy to declare something is when it is (because then I feel irrationally healthy.)
tworedbowls
PS I definitely had your stunning zucchini cake in mind when I was shooting this cake — particularly what you said about finding cake shoots to be frustrating. Totally agree! I especially can’t get the crumb to look right (something’s always out of focus! I never knew an aperture could be too wide until this lens.)
gottagetbaked
There is so much to love about this post, girl. First of all, your photos are gorgeous! More importantly, that cake looks deeeeeelicious. Fabulous idea making the cake in ramekins for that small, adorable size. It’d be so much fun to make this little cake and then cram it all into my mouth. I could pretend I was a giant! And I wouldn’t feel too bad because this is vegan and whenever I hear that word, I pretend that vegan automatically means it’s healthy. I’ll even pretend that luscious frosting is vegan too 😉
tworedbowls
HAHA Nancy!! I am the EXACT same way. I’m like oh, VEGAN? Well then obviously it must be like. Negative calories. Logically. And I’m obsessed with all things mini, so I love any excuse to make things into mini format 😉 Thanks so much for the compliments — I thought this was kind of frustrating to photograph so I’m glad it seemed like it worked out!
detailsjuliette
Looks amazing and that you used the candle holder: so smart!
tworedbowls
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Sam at Love,Cake
What a little cutie!
tworedbowls
Aw, thanks so much, Sam! 🙂
Big Sis Little Dish
Beautiful photos! I love your improvised tiny cake stand. I did not know that I needed a mini cake recipe until just now! So, thank you! I will try this with gluten free flours and see if the chemistry still works!
tworedbowls
Oh, I’d be so excited to hear your results! Baking chemistry fascinates me, especially when you get into the different kinds of flours. And the best part of experimenting with mini cakes is, too, that it’s so low risk — only 1/4 cup of flour at stake! Hope it turns out well for you!
tanaseaurica
hhhmmmm, look so creamy, delicious and fluffy..i like the presentation in picture of the way they’re prepared
tworedbowls
🙂 Thank you so much for your kind words!
hetalthakkar
i dont know y but my cake just didnt come up it just collapsed from the centre and went all gueee the recipe didnt work for me any idea ………… y?
tworedbowls
Hi Hetal, I’m so sorry to hear that!! Do you mean that it didn’t rise at all while baking, or that it rose and then collapsed when it came out of the oven? If it rose and collapsed, then it may have been any of several things .. first, make sure your baking soda hasn’t expired. Second, oven temperatures can sometimes affect whether a cake rises properly. Third, I’ve found that when I take the cake out a bit too early, the center hasn’t finished baking, and that can cause it to collapse. And finally, that also happens when I’ve added too much liquid to the batter. I hope that helps!
Michael Kitson
Cake looks good! As a vegan I’ll just forgo the buttercream, no trying to veganise that!
Tasty Noodles Recipe
i like it. awesome blog