Small Chocolate Cake (Small Batch)
This moist and fluffy small-batch chocolate cake is baked in an 8x8-inch pan and topped with a rich, silky chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake:
- 1 ¾ cups Flour AP, plain flour
- ⅓ cup Dutch cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup Vegetable oil
- 2 Eggs
- ½ cup Buttermilk
- ⅔ cup Hot coffee
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ⅓ teaspoon Salt
For the chocolate frosting:
- 1 cup Butter room temp, unsalted
- 2.1 oz Dark chocolate melted and cooled
- 1 ¼ cup Powder sugar
- ⅓ cup Cocoa powder Dutch processed
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoon Milk
Instructions
Make the chocolate cake:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, kosher salt, buttermilk, granulated sugar, and sifted cocoa powder until smooth.
- Whisk in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and hot coffee just until smooth and combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
Make the chocolate frosting & assembly:
- In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, cooled, melted dark chocolate, kosher salt, vanilla extract, and sifted cocoa powder.
- Beat on low speed with an electric hand mixer until combined, then beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until fluffy.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake with an offset spatula and serve.
Notes
- Hot Coffee Replacement: Hot coffee blooms the cocoa powder for maximum chocolate flavor without leaving any coffee taste. You can substitute equal amounts of boiling water or decaf hot coffee if preferred.
- Cool the Melted Chocolate: Ensure the melted dark chocolate cools to room temperature before beating it into the buttercream. Warm chocolate will melt the butter and cause the frosting to separate.
- Measuring Flour: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife, or use a kitchen scale for best results. Packing flour directly from the bag will yield a heavy, dense cake.
- Cocoa Powder: Dutch-processed cocoa yields a richer flavor and darker color, but natural unsweetened cocoa powder works as a direct 1:1 substitute.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Use room-temperature egg and buttermilk so the wet batter emulsifies smoothly without separating.
- Buttermilk Substitute: Combine ½ cup of whole milk with ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes before adding to the batter.
- Serving Tip: Serve this cake at room temperature so the fudgy dark chocolate frosting remains soft, silky, and easy to slice.
Nutrition
Calories: 489kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 6gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 458mgPotassium: 183mgFiber: 3gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 636IUCalcium: 86mgIron: 2mg
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