Description
These Mini Chocolate & Raspberry Cakes are rich, moist, and packed with intense cocoa flavor complemented by a fresh and tangy raspberry puree. Perfectly sized for individual servings, these delightful cakes combine a tender crumb with bursts of fresh raspberries and melty dark chocolate chips, making them perfect for special occasions or an indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup raspberry puree (fresh or frozen)
Additional Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup fresh raspberries for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and flour mini cake pans thoroughly to ensure the cakes release easily after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside to ensure even distribution of leavening agents and cocoa.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This aeration helps create a tender cake texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to build structure. Stir in the vanilla extract for aromatic depth.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Alternate adding the dry ingredients and whole milk to the wet mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overworking the batter. Gently fold in the sour cream and raspberry puree to infuse moisture and fresh fruit flavor.
- Fill Pans and Add Chocolate Chips: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared mini cake pans. Sprinkle dark chocolate chips on top of each portion to add pockets of melted chocolate in the final bake.
- Bake: Bake the cakes for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating they are fully cooked but still moist.
- Cool Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, preventing sogginess from steam.
- Garnish and Serve: Once cooled, top each mini cake with fresh raspberries and optionally drizzle with additional raspberry sauce for extra flavor and visual appeal.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen raspberries for the puree depending on availability; thaw frozen raspberries before pureeing.
- Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for easy creaming with sugars.
- Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added to keep the cakes light and tender.
- If you don’t have mini cake pans, muffin tins can be used as an alternative with adjusted baking time.
- Raspberry sauce can be made by gently heating raspberry puree with a little sugar and straining to remove seeds, then cooled before drizzling.
