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Sometimes, you just need a little cake—so say hello to my Mini Chocolate Cake for Two! Perfect for date night, a cute Valentine’s Day dessert (with an optional chocolate heart), a special occasion, or whenever you crave a chocolate treat without baking a whole cake. This decadent chocolate cake comes topped with luscious chocolate frosting with decorative vanilla buttercream frosting, delivering big flavor in a perfectly portioned dessert.

Mini chocolate cake for two on a grey plate with fresh raspberries


How cute are small cakes? This mini chocolate layer cake features two thick 4-inch cake layers, making it the perfect size to enjoy alone—half now and half the next day. Balance! You can even freeze the rest if you like.

Table of contents


Real Chocolate in Cake


I like to make my chocolate cakes with real melted chocolate (70% semi-sweet).  Not baking chocolate, just really good chocolate you would eat.

The higher cocoa percentage enhances the bold chocolate flavor while still containing enough sugar to prevent bitterness. Its smooth texture melts beautifully into cake batters, creating a moist, fudgy crumb. This cake also includes unsweetened cocoa powder for even more rich chocolate flavor.


Chocolate Buttercream Frosting


I also like to use real melted chocolate in my chocolate frosting. I love the rich chocolate flavor it adds.

2 mini cake tins filled with chocolate cake batter


Mini Cake Pan Size


This recipe makes two thick 4-inch (10 cm) round mini cakes. You can also use 6-inch cake pans—they won’t be as thick but will be just as perfect. Reduce the bake time slightly if using larger pans. I use springform pans, which make removing the cakes effortless.


How to Evenly Divide Cake Batter Between 2 Cake Pans


The simplest way this is done is by weighing them.

A side view of the cake showing the chocolate frosting


Cake Frosting Tips

  • Cakes develop a domed top as they rise. Before frosting, shave off the dome to create a flat surface (and enjoy a little sweet treat). This keeps the tops nice and straight. Both for keeping the cake straight when you place adding the second layer and also when piping the top.
  • Place pieces of parchment paper under the cake (just on the edges). This way you can frost the cake on the surface you want to serve it on without messing it up. Simply pull the piece of paper out after.
  • After the crumb coat (the first thin coat of the frosting) helps set the frosting, creating a firm, smooth base for the final layer. The crumb coat  seals in loose crumbs and prevents them from mixing into the outer frosting. Chilling the cake allows the butter or fat in the frosting to firm up, making it easier to apply the final coat without smudging or dragging crumbs through. Using an offset spatula helps achieve a nice smooth surface.

Red and white frosting in a piping bag


Two-Tone Frosting


Just like with my Key Lime Cupcakes, I use two colors of vanilla buttercream frosting in one piping bag to create a two-tone look. To do this neatly, first add each frosting to its own piping bag. Then, pipe them onto opposite sides of the decorating piping bag before piping onto the cake. Vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting can be used.


Make Ahead Mini Chocolate Recipe


Make the chocolate cakes a day or two in advance. Once completely cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to three days or store at room temperature for up to two days. A frosted cake will stay fresh for three to four days.


High Altitude Chocolate Cake


This cake stays moist and fudgy, making it perfect for high-altitude baking. The drier air and lower pressure at higher elevations often dry out cakes, but the rich moisture in this recipe prevents this from happening.

A chocolate heart on parchment paper


How to Make A Chocolate Heart


Add a cute touch for Valentine’s Day with a homemade chocolate heart. Simply pipe a thin line of melted chocolate onto parchment paper in the shape of a heart, then refrigerate until it hardens. For best results, use chocolate meant for eating rather than baking chocolate. To create a precise shape, print out a heart outline, place it under the parchment paper, and trace it with the melted chocolate.


Mini Chocolate Cake for Two Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

  • Plain/all-purpose flour
  • Baking powder (no baking soda needed)
  • Salt
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder


Wet Ingredients:

  • 70% semi-sweet  chocolate
  • Unsalted butter, softened
  • Granulated sugar
  • Eggs
  • Whole milk 
A chocolate heart on top of a cake decorated with red and white frosting


If you’ve made this Mini Chocolate Cake for Two, please leave a star rating in the recipe card. You can also ask a question or leave a comment below.

Yield: 2

Mini Chocolate Cake for Two

A mini chocolate cake with red, white and chocolate frosting

Mini chocolate cake for two is a chocolate lovers dream. Rich chocolate cake is smothered in gorgeous dark chocolate frosting with a little special decorating.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 23 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 ounces (55 grams) 70% semi-sweet chocolate, chopped * see note
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) milk, warmed

For the chocolate frosting

  • 1 cup/16 tablespoons (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
  • 2 ounces (55 grams) semi-sweet chocolate melted and cooled
  • ½ cup (74 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • A little room temperature milk

For the colored frosting

  • 16 ounces (453 grams) store bought white frosting
  • Natural red frosting color

Instructions

For the cakes:

  1. Position oven rack to center of oven and preheat to 325°F/165°C.
    Use butter to grease 2 each, 4-inch x 2-inch (10 cm x 6 cm) round, springform cake tins.
  2. To a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa, set aside.
    Add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between until melted.
  3. To a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar one-at-a-time while beating then the milk and mix.
  4. If it starts to look curdled or separates, don't worry it's not a fail. It just means the butter and sugar was not creamed long enough. Fold in the flour mix and chocolate into the butter mix and fold until well mixed and smooth.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans. The best way to get them accurate is to weigh them.  Bake for 40 - 50 minutes (depending how your oven is calibrated) until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove the cakes from the pan and place onto a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool completely. 
  7. For the chocolate frosting:
    Cream the butter and powdered sugar using a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
    Mix in the melted chocolate and cocoa (a little at a time) until well mixed. If the frosting is too thick, add a little of the milk to thin out. Set aside for 1 hour to firm up.
  8. To make the chocolate heart:
  9. Add the melted chocolate to a plastic piping bag or ziptop bag. Cut a small opening on the corner and pipe a heart onto parchment paper (you can also print out a heart onto paper, place the parchment paper over and trace). Place the heart in the fridge to harden.
  10. For the chocolate frosting:
  11. Cream the butter and powdered sugar using a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the melted chocolate and cocoa (a little at a time) until well mixed. Scraping the sides of the bowl to incorporate.
  12. For the red frosting
  13. Divide the frosting between 2 bowls. Add the red dye to 1 bowl until you achieve the red color you like. Add the red and white frosting to 1 piping bag so you get a nice red and white swirl.
  14. To assemble the cake:
  15. Use a large, sharp knife to flatten the tops of the cakes. Set one of the cake halves onto a flat surface that you can turn.
  16. Spread a thick amount of frosting onto the top, then place the other cake on top.
  17. Place small pieces of parchment paper underneath the cake (to keep the surface clean when frosting).
  18. Spread an even layer of chocolate frosting all over the cake in a thin layer (this is call the crumb coat. if there are cake crumbs caught in the frosting, they will be covered with the next layer) and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
  19. Remove the cake from the fridge and add another layer of chocolate frosting, smoothing with an offset spatula. You may not use all the frosting, this depends on how thick you like it.
  20. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
  21. After 30 minutes, pipe the pink and white frosting on the top in your preferred design. 
  22. Carefully remove the chocolate heart from the parchment paper and place on top of the cake.

Notes

This percentage is just a suggestion. You can use a whatever chocolate you like.

Use only chocolate you would eat. Especially for the heart as baking chocolate may not set hard enough.

Nutrition Information

Yield

2

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 863Total Fat 55gSaturated Fat 30gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 21gCholesterol 293mgSodium 710mgCarbohydrates 78gFiber 3gSugar 46gProtein 18g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Janette
Cuisine: American / Category: Dessert