How To Make An Easy Layered Cake

Spring to Recipe

My 4-inch vanilla block recipe was such a big hitting it inspired me to make a chocolate version! Cue this minor chocolate cake.

I love this small chocolate block recipe because it's so piece of cake to brand, and absolutely delicious.

Information technology'due south perfect for a small celebration and would also make the cutest nail cake!

image of a small, 4-inch chocolate cake that's been frosted with chocolate buttercream

How Much Batter Does this Small Chocolate Cake Recipe Make?

One batch of this recipe makes enough batter to make 3, iv-inch cake layers, or 2, 6-inch cake layers.

I like to make cute little four-inch block layers, but I know that'southward an odd pan size that not everyone has on hand.

image of moist chocolate cake batter being mixer together

Decorating This Small Chocolate Cake

When I was recipe testing, I challenged myself to decorate this cake without a spinning cake stand!

I wanted to see what styles and decorations are achievable if you don't have tons of blistering tools on hand.

The easiest style was a textured look with a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

If y'all're after a more classic look, y'all can also smooth with a bench scraper and add together some buttercream swirls.

image of chocolate buttercream being smoothed onto a 4-inch chocolate cake

I also topped my block with some small-scale round sprinkles. I figured a mini cake should take some mini sprinkles.

They give this cake a nice pop of color that makes it perfect to celebrate whatsoever occasion.

image of a 4-inch chocolate smash cake that's been decorated with small round sprinkles and tall candles

Substitutions and Swaps – Small Chocolate Cake Layers

This small chocolate altogether block uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand. Or if you take food allergies or restrictions, I've got yous covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be fabricated in this block recipe.

All Purpose Flour– This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but yous can utilise a gluten free flour alloy or cake flour if that's all you have on hand.
Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the corporeality of sugar or irresolute the blazon of sugar, equally it volition modify the texture of the cake layers.
Cocoa Pulverization – I like to use regular, unsweetened cocoa pulverization in this recipe. Withal, information technology would also taste great with night cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you tin utilise it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just exist sure to omit the salt that this block recipe calls for. You lot can likewise utilise vegan butter in its place (and also omit the table salt)!
1 Big Egg– If you lot accept an egg allergy yous tin use a flaxseed egg or an egg replacer.
Buttermilk– You can also use total fat yogurt, sour cream, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if yous're dairy free.
Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or even sunflower oil would work great!

image of flour being leveled in a measuring cup

Substitutions and Swaps – Chocolate Buttercream

This recipe uses a chocolate American buttercream frosting.

If you want to employ a less sweet frosting, I recommend making a half batch of my chocolate Russian buttercream or my chocolate Italian meringue buttercream.

Or if y'all're unsure well-nigh the ingredients, beneath are some substitutions that can be made in this frosting recipe.

Unsalted Butter – If you simply have salted butter on hand, yous can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just exist sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You tin can also utilise vegan butter in its identify (and omit the salt)!
Heavy Foam – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that's what you accept on manus.
Chocolate Fries – I similar to utilise dark chocolate chips, but you tin can too use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips. You can too utilise chocolate bars or couverture chocolate.

Making This Minor Chocolate Cake Gluten Gratuitous

You lot can swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend cup for cup in this recipe!

I personally prefer Male monarch Arthur's gluten free flour blend, and detect that 1 cup of GF flour weighs most 120 grams.

In add-on to swapping the flour, there are two additional steps you need to accept when making this mini block gluten free.

image of a small chocolate smash cake that's been cut into to show its 4-inch cake layers

Gluten Complimentary Baking Tip #1: Over-Mix the Batter

The first pace is to vigorously whisk your batter for a few minutes once it's made. This helps give your cake layers structure.

I know this goes against everything you've always heard about blistering, but over mixing your batter is key when making anything gluten complimentary.

Information technology helps the cake layers rise better as they bake and gives the cake a more tender crumb.

Gluten Free Baking Tip #2: Let the Batter Residue

The second footstep I recommend is letting your batter rest for nearly 30 minutes before baking your block layers.

Gluten free flour blends tin have a hard time absorbing moisture and fats.

Letting the batter sit before baking it gives the flour more fourth dimension to absorb all that goodness.

This helps thicken the concoction and prevents your cake layers from having a gritty texture.

image of a small, 4-inch chocolate cake that's been frosted with chocolate buttercream that has been placed on a cute little white cake stand with party decorations around it

Tips for Making the Best Small Chocolate Cake:

Chill your block layers in the freezer for almost xx minutes before assembling the block. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost.
If your cake layers plough out less than perfect, delight check out my block troubleshooting guide.
Apply a serrated pocketknife tolevel your cake layersonce they're fully cooled. It makes this mini block and so much easier to assemble and frost.
I practice Not recommend using this recipe to make cupcakes! Instead, I highly recommend trying my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe. I like the texture improve for cupcakes.

Making These Block Layers in Advance and Storage Tips

Brand your cake layers in accelerate and freeze them. It breaks the procedure up and makes it more than approachable.

These cake layers can be frozen for upwards to 3 months, and as long as they're wrapped right I promise they'll taste only like they did the day yous baked them.

Make your frosting alee of time too or salvage any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for upwards to a calendar month, or in the freezer for up to three months.

Exist sure to give it a practiced stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can terminal in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for upwards to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the block fresh and succulent!

If y'all cut into the cake and take leftovers, use whatsoever remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a calendar week.

image of chelsey white of chelsweets lighting candles on a small chocolate smash cake

Permit Me Know What Y'all Call up!

If you lot try this modest chocolate block recipe, I'd honey to hear what you think of it! Please get out a rating and annotate below.

Tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your astonishing creations!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

image of a purple cake being frosted with buttercream to have super smooth sides and sharp edges — **How to Frost a Cake Smoothly**

image of a slice of WASC cake on a plate that's been cut into to show how moist it is — **How to Frost a Cake Smoothly**

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Fourth dimension 33 minutes

Boosted Time twenty minutes

Total Time 1 hour viii minutes

Ingredients

Small Chocolate Block Recipe

three/4 cup all-purpose flour (94g)
1 cup granulated carbohydrate (200g)
ane/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
1 tsp blistering pulverization (4g)
1/four tsp fine salt (1g)
1/four loving cup or 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted (56g)
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil (56g)
1 egg, room temperature (56g)
ane/two cup buttermilk or whole milk, room temperature (120g)
ane tsp vanilla extract (4g)

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1/two cup milk or dark chocolate chip, melted and cooled (90g)
3/4 loving cup unsalted butter, room temperature (169g)
2 tsp vanilla extract (8g)
1/4 tsp fine table salt (1g)
2 one/2 cups powdered sugar (310g)
i/ii loving cup unsweetened cocoa pulverization (50g)
1/4 cup heavy cream or whipping cream (60g)

Instructions

iv-Inch Chocolate Cake Layers:

Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line three iv-inch or ii 6-inch round pans with parchment rounds and grease with non-stick baking spray.
This recipe can be made by hand with a whisk or with a manus mixer. I prefer making information technology with a whisk.
In a large basin, whisk together 3/4 loving cup flour, i cup sugar, ane/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, and one/4 tsp salt.
Add i/iv loving cup of melted butter, 1/4 cup oil, and 1 egg into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. The batter will exist thick.
And then mix in one/ii cup buttermilk and one tsp vanilla extract until combined. Whisk the batter together for any additional xxx seconds to brand sure everything is properly combined. This will likewise aid lighten up the texture of the cake layers.
Divide concoction evenly between the prepared block pans.
Broil for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an first spatula effectually the perimeter of the pan to separate the block from the pan.
Place cake layers into the freezer for 20 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers, then set up aside. If you're making these in accelerate, wrap and freeze them at this betoken.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

While the cake layers bake and cool, make the chocolate buttercream frosting.
Cook 1/2 cup of chocolate first so that it has time to cool off earlier it's added into the frosting. Heat it in fifteen 2d intervals, stirring betwixt each interval until the chocolate is fully melted. Set aside.
Beat 3/4 cup butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with either a manus mixer or a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.
Mix in ii tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste and 1/4 tsp salt on a low speed.
Gradually mix in 2 1/2 cups of powdered saccharide, 1/ii loving cup unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/four cup of heavy foam.
Keep to mix on low speed for a few minutes, until the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting seems likewise thick, add in boosted cream (1 tsp at a fourth dimension). If the frosting is too thin, add in more than powdered saccharide (quarter of a cup at a fourth dimension).
Cover the frosting flush with plastic wrap and set aside.

Assembling This Small Chocolate Cake:

Stack and frost block layers on a small plate or block stand using a dab of frosting to assistance stick the first cake layer in place.
Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer with a large offset spatula.
Add a thin glaze of frosting around the block to fully cover the cake layers.
Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the block in the fridge (20 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
Add a 2d, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a demote scraper. So decorate as desired! I used a Wilton 1M frosting tip to pipe some fun swirls on elevation of the cake and added some round sprinkles.

Notes

Please see the section to a higher place for swaps and substitutions that can be fabricated in this recipe.

Tips for Making the All-time Pocket-size Chocolate Cake:

Arctic your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes information technology so much easier to stack and frost.
If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, delight check out my cake troubleshooting guide.
Utilise a serrated pocketknife tolevel the block layersonce they're fully cooled. It makes this mini block so much easier to assemble and frost.
I do NOT recommend using this recipe to make cupcakes! Instead, I highly recommend trying my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe. I similar the texture better for cupcakes.

Making These Cake Layers in Advance and Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. Information technology breaks the process up and makes information technology more approachable.

These cake layers can be frozen for up to 3 months, and as long as they're wrapped correct I promise they'll taste only similar they did the day you baked them.

Brand your frosting ahead of time besides or salvage whatsoever leftover frosting! It can exist stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a calendar month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir one time information technology thaws to become the consistency prissy and smooth over again.

A frosted cake tin last in the fridge for upward to a week, or in the freezer for up to a calendar month. The buttercream locks in all the wet, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!

If yous cut into the block and have leftovers, employ whatever remaining frosting to cover the cut department to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Yield

viii

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 636 Total Fatty 33g Saturated Fat 18g Trans Fatty 0g Unsaturated Fat 12g Cholesterol 98mg Sodium 292mg Carbohydrates 81g Fiber 2g Sugar 64g Protein 6g

Source: https://chelsweets.com/small-4-inch-chocolate-cake/

Posted by: princecapast.blogspot.com