Chocolate Mini Cake

Yield: one 4-inch round cake

Oven Temperature: 350℉

*These mini-cakes are great for 2-4 people. I started making mini-cakes when I moved for law school and didn't have a large family available to eat a standard-sized cake. This is my basic chocolate cake recipe, you can customize it as you like.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. oil
• 1/2 beaten egg (just try your best to half the egg)
• 2 tbsp. sour cream (or plain Greek yoghurt)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 c. flour (can be gluten free)
• 2 tbsp. dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. boiling hot water

For the frosting:

• 4 tbsp. salted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 3 oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. dark cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉ and line the bases of two four-inch round pans with parchment paper. If you have a six-inch round pan, you can make this recipe as a six-inch single-layer cake.
2. In a medium sized bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, half egg, sour cream, and vanilla.
3. Sift in the flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, baking soda. Add the salt and stir until just combined.
4. Rapidly mix in the hot water. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when touched. Cool completely.
5. For the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy (don't under beat). Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder (you can adjust the sugar to your taste) mix to combine. Stir in the vanilla. Set aside.
6. Assemble the cake by leveling off each cake round and then slicing each round in half horizontally. Stack the layers on top of each other making sure to spread frosting in between each layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake.
7. If you want to decorate the same way I did, rinse off and pat dry three strawberries. Cut one of the strawberries in half (make sure that you don't cut off the green leaves). Arrange the two whole strawberries on the top of the cake with the leaves facing the edge of the cake. Place one of the half strawberries cut side up in between the two whole strawberries. Place the other cut strawberry cut side up to the side of the leftmost whole strawberry. Pipe whipped cream around the strawberries and the left side of a cake in a crescent-moon shape. Decorate with mini chocolate chips.
8. Eat and enjoy.