These mini chocolate buttercream cakes start with one moist, thin chocolate batter and finish with fluffy cocoa frosting, fresh raspberries, and chocolate shavings.
They are baked in a single tray and cut into small cakes, so you get bakery style results with very little fuss. The cakes look polished on a dessert table and travel well to parties.
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Why This Mini Chocolate Buttercream Cakes Recipe Works
The batter is thin on purpose. Boiling water blooms the cocoa and makes the crumb tender and deeply chocolatey, while a spoonful of oil keeps the cakes moist for days.
Baking in a large tray cooks the batter fast and evenly. Once cooled, you can cut neat shapes and frost each cake individually.
The cocoa buttercream is rich and spreadable, and the raspberries and rosemary sprigs add a fresh, tart contrast.
Ingredients for Mini Chocolate Buttercream Cakes
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted, not Dutch processed
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 tsp instant coffee powder, optional
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, for the frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, for the frosting
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, for the frosting
- 5 tbsp whole milk, for the frosting
- 2 oz dark chocolate, finely shaved
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 4 rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Cocoa powder. Use natural unsweetened cocoa so it reacts with the baking soda. Sift it to remove lumps.
Boiling water. Stir it in carefully at the end. It makes the batter thin, which gives the cakes a tender, moist crumb.
Instant coffee. A teaspoon deepens the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee.
Butter. Soften it until a finger leaves an indent but it still holds its shape, which gives fluffy frosting.
Toppings. Shave dark chocolate with a knife for delicate curls. White chocolate shavings look pretty too.
How to Make Mini Chocolate Buttercream Cakes
1. Prepare the tray. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F, or 320 degrees F for a fan oven. Butter a 16 x 11 inch rimmed tray and line it with parchment paper.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Add the wet ingredients. Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Carefully stir in the boiling water and coffee powder. The batter will be thin.
4. Bake. Pour the batter into the tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
5. Make the frosting. Beat the softened butter until fluffy, then gradually mix in the sifted powdered sugar and cocoa. Add the vanilla and milk and beat until smooth.
6. Cut and frost. Cut the cooled cake into 12 small cakes with a knife or round cutter. Frost the tops with the chocolate buttercream.
7. Decorate. Top with shaved chocolate, raspberries, and rosemary sprigs.
How to Serve Mini Chocolate Buttercream Cakes
Present the cakes on a tiered stand with a bowl of extra raspberries. They pair beautifully with a plate of dark chocolate cupcakes and a tray of red velvet brownies on a party table. A slice of moist vanilla cake adds a lighter option, and a cold glass of strawberry blueberry kefir smoothie cuts through the richness.
How to Store and Reheat Mini Chocolate Buttercream Cakes
Store the frosted cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for about a week, and bring them to room temperature before serving for the softest frosting. You can also freeze unfrosted cakes, wrapped well, for up to 2 months and frost them after thawing.
Tips and Variations for Mini Chocolate Buttercream Cakes
Use room temperature ingredients. They blend into a smooth batter and bake evenly.
Sift the cocoa and sugar. This keeps the batter and frosting lump free.
Do not overbake. Pull the tray as soon as a toothpick comes out clean for the softest cakes.
Cool completely. Frosting a warm cake makes the buttercream melt and slide off.
Use a round cutter. A round cutter makes neat cakes, and the scraps make a nice cook treat.
Adjust the frosting. Add a pinch of salt for balance, or a little more milk to loosen the consistency.
Try other toppings. Strawberries can replace the raspberries, or use white chocolate shavings.
Handle with care. Do not taste batter that contains raw egg, and see this Texas AgriLife Extension food safety guide for safe handling of eggs and dairy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mini Chocolate Buttercream Cakes
How do I cut mini chocolate buttercream cakes from a sheet?
Let the cake cool completely, then use a sharp knife or round cutter. Chill briefly if the sponge feels too soft to cut neatly.
Can I make mini chocolate buttercream cakes ahead?
Yes. Bake the sheet a day ahead and keep it wrapped, then cut and frost the cakes before serving.
Why is the batter for mini chocolate buttercream cakes so thin?
The boiling water makes it thin, and that is what gives the cakes their moist, tender crumb. Do not add more flour.
Can I skip the coffee?
Yes. The coffee only deepens the chocolate flavor, and the cakes still taste great without it.
Can I use Dutch processed cocoa?
Natural cocoa is best here because it reacts with the baking soda. Dutch processed cocoa can make the cakes a bit flat.
Mini Chocolate Buttercream Cakes with Raspberries
Equipment
- Rimmed baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- round cutter
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted, natural
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 tsp instant coffee powder optional
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, for the frosting
- 4 cup powdered sugar sifted
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder for the frosting
- 1 tsp vanilla extract for the frosting
- 5 tbsp whole milk for the frosting
- 2 oz dark chocolate finely shaved
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 4 rosemary sprigs for garnish
Instructions
Cooking
- Mix the batter. Whisk the dry ingredients, add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla, then stir in the boiling water and coffee until smooth.
- Bake. Pour into a lined 16 x 11 inch tray and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool. Cool the cake completely in the tray.
- Frost. Beat the butter with the powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and milk until fluffy, then cut the cake into 12 pieces and frost them.
- Top. Add chocolate shavings, raspberries, and rosemary sprigs.
