Description
Chocolate lovers will adore these mini naked chocolate cake hearts, perfect for intimate celebrations. Delicate layers of rich chocolate cake peek through silky frosting, creating a romantic dessert that melts hearts with its charming simplicity.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Base Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups (157 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Sweeteners:
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) brown sugar
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) buttermilk (or ½ cup milk + ½ teaspoon vinegar)
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) hot coffee (or hot water)
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients:
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups (210 grams) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Garnish Ingredients:
- Fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries)
- Chocolate shavings or curls
- Powdered sugar
- Edible gold leaf or sprinkles
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan by lightly coating with butter and lining with parchment paper.
- Combine all dry ingredients – flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and both sugar varieties – in a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly whisking to eliminate any potential lumps.
- In a separate vessel, vigorously blend buttermilk, piping hot coffee, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until the liquid mixture achieves a uniform consistency.
- Slowly incorporate the liquid ingredients into the dry mixture, stirring gently but consistently to create a silky, smooth chocolate batter without overmixing.
- Transfer the chocolate batter into the prepared pan, ensuring an even distribution across the surface.
- Position the pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 22-25 minutes, monitoring carefully and testing doneness by inserting a clean toothpick into the center – it should emerge without any wet batter clinging to it.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to rest at room temperature, enabling complete cooling before attempting to slice or shape into mini heart designs.
Notes
- Enhance moisture by using room temperature ingredients, ensuring a smoother cake batter and more even baking.
- Swap buttermilk with dairy-free alternatives like almond milk mixed with apple cider vinegar for vegan adaptation.
- Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter for precise and adorable mini cake shapes, creating a stunning visual presentation.
- Cool cake thoroughly before cutting to prevent crumbling and maintain clean, sharp edges when shaping hearts.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg