Little Chocolate Cake Recipes

LITTLE CHOCOLATE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate and butter. Microwave on High for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is shiny and almost melted. Stir until smooth. Whisk in brandy and salt. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat eggs and egg yolks with sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened, pale and the consistency of soft whipped cream. Fold in half of the chocolate mixture until blended. Fold in remaining chocolate mixture.
• In a small bowl, combine flour and cocoa powder. Sift over top of batter and gently fold in until incorporated.
• Divide batter among prepared ramekins and place on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until tops of cakes are puffed and just starting to crack. Remove from pan and let cool on rack for 3 minutes. Gently run a sharp paring knife around edge of cakes and invert onto serving plates. Serve immediately.

LITTLE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine chocolate and water; stir until blended. Cool. Add the sugar, shortening, egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. , Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely. , For frosting, combine the first six ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil for 1-1/2 minutes; remove from the heat. Set pan into a large pan of ice water. Beat for 1 minute. Add butter and vanilla. Beat 10 minutes longer or until frosting achieves spreading consistency. Frost cake.

CHOCOLATE LITTLE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease three 9-inch cake pans and line with rounds of parchment or waxed paper.
• In a mixer, cream together butter, sugar and shortening until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time and continue to mix on medium until eggs are well incorporated. Stir in vanilla.
• Sift flour, then add salt, baking soda and baking powder. Sift a second time. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and milk in about 4 additions, then increase speed to medium. Beat until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl.
• Spread 3/4 cup batter in each pan. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until cake springs lightly when pressed with a finger. Flip cake out of pan onto paper towels or cake rack while still very warm. Repeat with second set of layers.
• When first layers go into oven, start to make icing. Put sugar and cocoa in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan and mix well. Turn heat to medium-high and add butter and milks, bringing to a boil. Boil for about 4 minutes, stirring continually, careful to watch that it does not boil over. Lower heat to simmer, add vanilla and stir occasionally for another 7 to 10 minutes. If using a candy thermometer, cook to the point just before soft ball stage or about 230 degrees.
• Begin icing first layers, still warm, when second batch is in the oven. Flip layers over so that top side faces up. Use about 4 tablespoons of icing per layer. Icing will be thin but will firm up as it cools. Stack layers, then continue icing and stacking as layers are baked.
• When all layers are iced and stacked, glaze top and sides of cake. Contours of layers will be visible through icing. If icing hardens too much while frosting cake, set back on low heat and stir until it is spreadable.

LITTLE CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE FOR TWO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour pan very well. I designed this to go in a petit loaf pan that measures about 5x3x2 but you can use 2 mini Bundts, 4 cupcake cups, 2 jumbo muffin cups or whatever small pan you like.
• When doubled it works nicely with either a 6 cup Bundt pan, 5 inch spring form pan, 4 mini Bundt pans or 7x4x3 loaf pan.
• Whisk together all of the flour, cocoa powder and sugar in small mixing bowl.
• In another small bowl, whisk together sour cream and baking soda. Add egg and vanilla extract; gently whisk to combine.
• Add the butter and 1/2 of the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture and mix with electric mixer until moistened. Beat on low for about 45 seconds.
• Add remaining sour cream mixture and beat on medium until well blended, 30 seconds. Do not over mix or you'll ruin the texture. Pour into prepared pan or pans.
• Bake until well browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes for the petit loaf pan. When recipe is doubled, bake 40 minutes in the small loaf pan.
• Baking times vary slightly depending on which pan you use. The important thing is that the cake is browned and toothpick comes out clean when inserted in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes on rack. Remove from pan and cool completely.

LITTLE CHOCOLATE HEART CAKES WITH PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place an 8-cavity heart silicone mold onto a baking sheet.
• Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each melting, 1 to 3 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes.
• Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add melted chocolate, 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, egg, and baking powder and mix in. Fold in pear and almonds into batter. Spoon batter into the prepared heart-shaped molds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes, then unmold.