This mini chocolate cake is a small three layer 6 inch cake. It incredibly moist and filled with a chocolate mousse. This is the ultimate chocolate cake because it is topped with chocolate ganache turned into a frosting!
How To Make Chocolate Cake Batter
This chocolate cake is made with no mixer required! It is super easy to make.
- Pull out eggs and buttermilk- Pull these out 2 hours before baking so they are room temperature.
- Mix dry ingredients- Use a sifter to sift the flour and cocoa powder. This will get rid of all the lumps. Then, mix everything together including the sugars.
- Mix wet ingredients- Mix everything but the hot water together in a separate bowl. Heat the water in a saucepan. It needs to be steaming to bloom the chocolate flavor.
- Mix wet ingredients in with the dry- Mix these while using the whisk until combined.
- Pour in hot water- Pour in a tiny bit at a time. Pour in a little, then put the pot of hot water down. Mix well before adding in more hot water. Go slow, otherwise the hot water will cook the eggs.
How To Easily Remove Cakes From The Pans
First, you need three 6 inch cake pans. Those are the exact ones I use. Then, spray well with a baking non-stick spray. Place a 6 inch parchment paper on the bottom of each pan and spray again. I do this method every time I bake cake.
After the cake is done baking, keep the cakes in the pan for 10 minutes. As the cake slightly cools, it will pull away from the edges of the pan. After the 10 minutes, it should come right out on a cooling rack.
Making The Cakes Ahead Of Time
You can make the cake layers ahead of time. Once the cakes are done cooling, wrap tightly in cling wrap. Place in the freezer. I make cake layers 1 week max before I need them.
Then, pull the cakes out 1 hour before decorating. If they are too cold the cakes will mess with the frosting.
Flat Cakes
When decorating the cakes, you need the cake layers to be flat, and these cake like to rise with a dome on the top.
Right before decorating, use a cake leveler or a serrated knife to cut the tops of the cakes off so they are flat.
Easy Chocolate Mousse
Okay, so I am calling this chocolate mousse, but it is similar to chocolate whipped cream cheese. It is super easy to make, and completely transforms this cake.
First, put the metal bowl and attachment in the freezer for the whipped cream. A cold bowl, will keep the cream cold while it beats. This will make it into whipped cream faster.
Then, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese. I prefer the hand mixer here because it will give you more control over the cream cheese. Beat the room temperature cream cheese on high for 1 minute.
To prevent gritty mousse, sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Then, add both of those into the cream cheese. It will appear dry and crumbly. Keep mixing until super thick, but mixed together.
Add in the vanilla and milk. The milk helps to make it creamy and easier to blend into the whipped cream.
When you fold in the whipped cream, this does take a few minutes until fully combined. Be patient and keep folding it until soft.
Keep this in the fridge until right before you need it. Otherwise it can melt.
Easiest Chocolate Frosting
This frosting only needs 2 things. Heavy cream and chocolate chips.
First, make it into a chocolate ganache. Then, separate into 2 bowls (it thickens faster this way) and place in the fridge for 45 minutes.
It will turn into a pudding like texture. Once ready, use it right away on the cake. If left too long, it will be too thick to frost the cake.
Tips To Assembling The Cake
- Decorate this cake where you are going to store the cake. It will make things a lot easier!
- Put a small amount of frosting down on the surface. This will keep your cake from sliding around.
- Place first layer bottom side down. Pipe a ring of chocolate frosting around the edge of the cake to keep the filling from spreading out. Then, spread half of the filling on the cake. Make sure it is perfectly even.
- Repeat with the second layer of cake. Then, with the last layer, place it bottom side down. This gives the flattest layer for the top of the cake.
- Next, freeze the cake for 10 minutes. The soft filling will make it hard to decorate the cake right away.
- Apply a light layer of frosting around the cake for the crumb coat. Then, freeze for 15 minutes. This will set the frosting.
- Then, frost the rest of the cake!
Decorating The Cake
This mini chocolate cake can be decorated with your favorite chocolates on top!
I made this cake at the end of Valentine's Day season, so I found these Dove hearts that were delicious and cute.
You can top with:
- Snickers
- Lindor truffles
- Ghirardelli chocolate squares
- Any truffles
- Hershey's kisses
How To Store The Cake
This mini chocolate cake needs to be stored in the fridge in an air tight container. It will last up to 5 days.
You can also freeze the cake slices. Wrap each slice in cling wrap, then store in an air tight container before putting in the freezer. It will be good in the freezer for up to 30 days.
Allow cake to thaw for 1 hour on the counter before eating.
Other Cake Recipes To Try
- Triple chocolate cake
- Blueberry jam and cream cake
- Cookies and cream cake
- Red velvet bundt cake
- Layered Rainbow Swirl Cake
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats and leave me a review below if you made this cake. I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
Mini Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- ¾ cup White granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup Oil can use olive, canola, or vegetable
- 2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 2 Large eggs room temperature
- 1 Egg yolk room temperature
- ½ cup Buttermilk room temperature
- ½ cup Hot water
Chocolate Mousse
- 2 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup Powdered sugar sifted
- ⅛ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder sifted
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Milk
- ½ cup Heavy cream cold
Chocolate Ganache
- 2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups Heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 6 inch cake pans with baking non-stick spray. Line a 6 inch parchment circle on the bottom of the pans. Spray again
- In one bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Then, add in sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix oil, eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk. Heat the hot water in a sauce pan until steaming. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredient in 2 intervals. Use a whisk to mix. Very slowly add in the hot water. Do only a little at a time to not over cook the batter.
- Pour the batter evenly between the three cake pans. Use a kitchen scale. Bake for 18-22 minutes. The cakes are done baking when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes sit for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring a cooling rack. Allow cakes to cool completely before decorating.
Chocolate Mousse
- Place metal bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese on high for 1 minute. Add in sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Mix until it starts to clump together.
- Add in the vanilla and milk. Beat until it is smooth and creamy.
- Pour heavy cream into cold bowl. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Pour whipped cream into chocolate mixture.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the whipped cream. This takes a few minute to get it entirely combined and smooth. Keep in the fridge while making the frosting.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- Pour chocolate chips into a mixing bowl. Heat heavy cream in a sauce pan over medium heat. Heat until hot and steaming. Pour over chocolate chips. Let it sit for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- Use a rubber spatula to mix until smooth and glossy. Pour the chocolate into 2 smaller bowls. Place in the fridge for 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes. The end result should have a frosting texture, almost like pudding.
Assembly
- Place a small amount of frosting on the platter you are decorating the cake on. This will be the glue that holds it in place. Place 1st layer bottom side down.
- Place frosting in a piping bag and pipe a circle around the edge of the cake to act as a border. Use about half of the mousse and spread evenly in the middle of the cake.
- Repeat with the second layer. Place the last layer bottom side up. Use frosting and pipe into the edges of the cake to seal the gaps. Scrape until smooth. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Apply a light layer of frosting around the cake for the crumb coat. Freeze for 15 minutes. Then, frost the rest of the cake. Top with your favorite chocolate candies.
Alex says
Hey can I make this with two 9 inch pans instead? If so how would the measurements change?
Stephanie Rutherford says
Yes you can do that. They will make a thin cake. For a thicker cake, use my triple chocolate cake recipe.