This 4-inch Mini Vegan Chocolate Cake layered with a flavorful dairy-free ganache is an easy and indulgent dessert made from scratch. It's cute and perfect for two people.
Sometimes a mini dessert is all you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. Take this easy Vegan Mini Cake. It's small but not too small, it' easy to make but absolutely indulgent.
It's perfect for two people but realistically can feed 4.
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I've been a fan of mini cakes as long as I remember. They're cute and perfect for any occasion.
There's already 1 recipe for Mini Chocolate Cake for two that I shared on the blog awhile ago. But the original recipe has egg and dairy.
It took me a few attempts to "veganise" the recipe and make it just right.
The result - moist, spongy and the most delicious Mini Dairy-Free Cake layered with a melt-in-your-mouth chocolate ganache.
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients for the best vegan mini chocolate cake. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.
- cacao powder - I recommend using cacao powder versus the cocoa powder because the latter is more processed and has less nutrition. You can buy cacao powder in any grocery store or online
- flour - you can use all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- baking powder - to help our cake rise
- sugar - although I made this cake with organic cane sugar, you can also use brown sugar, turbinado or coconut sugar
- salt
- applesauce - acts as a vegan "egg"
- almond milk
- olive oil - for making our cake nice and moist
- vanilla extract - for flavor
- full fat coconut milk - you'll need only the solid cream part. For making it easier to scoop, I recommend refrigerating a can of coconut milk overnight
- dairy-free dark chocolate chips or chocolate - for chocolate ganache
- pomegranate seeds or any other berries for decorating the cake
- shredded coconut for decorating
🍽 Equipment
I made this Mini Vegan Chocolate Cake in 4 inch springform pans, that bought on Amazon a few years ago. You can either get those or use creme brûlée ramekins that are a similar size.
🔪 Instructions
1. Prepare chocolate ganache
Scoop out the solid part of coconut milk and add it to a small pot. Add vegan chocolate chips and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
Whisk until the chocolate melts. Remove from the heat, transfer the frosting to a heatproof bowl, and let it cool on a counter. After that, place in a refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours.
Remove the frosting from the fridge and using a spatula, whisk until it’s firm but smooth and suitable for frosting the cake.
💭 Top tip
You can speed up the cooling part and place the bowl with a ganache into a freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Just keep an eye on the ganache. You don't want it to get too firm, otherwise it will be difficult to frost the cake with it.
2. Combine cacao powder and boiling water
Preheat the oven to 350 F and cover the bottom and the sides of 2 mini springform pans with a parchment paper. In a small bowl whisk cacao powder and boiling water. Set aside.
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a small bowl whisk together applesauce, almond milk, olive oil and vanilla extract. Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Add cacao powder
Add in the cocoa powder and water mixture and stir until all ingredients are combined.
5. Divide the batter among the baking pans and bake
Divide the batter evenly between two mini springform pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of a cake, comes out with fewer crumbs. Remove cake from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes and then transfer on a wire rack.
At this point, it's best to let the cake cool completely before frosting it. You can either refrigerate it overnight or place in a cool place for an hour or so.
6. Frost the cake
Using a spatula, generously spread the chocolate ganache on one of the cakes.
Cover with a second cake. Spread the ganache on the sides of the cake. I found this tutorial to be especially useful.
Sprinkle the sides of the cake with the shredded coconut. You can use your fingers to press the coconut into the frosting.
Top the cake with the pomegranate seeds and serve.
Substitutions
If you don't have chocolate chips for the ganache, you can use my other Vegan Chocolate Frosting recipe. It's just as easy and absolutely mouthwatering.
♨️ Storing Tips
This small chocolate cake for two can easily be stored in a refrigerator for up to 5 days.
🍰 Similar Recipes
If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
If you're looking for a quick overview of the recipe, please check out my Vegan Mini Chocolate Cake web-story.
Recipe
Mini Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the chocolate ganache
- 1 c full fat coconut milk chilled, preferably overnight (you'll need only a solid cream portion)
- ¾ c vegan chocolate chips use the code IRYNA15 for 15% off on all Hu Kitchen products
For the batter
- ⅓ c boiling water
- ⅓ c cacao powder
- ⅓ + ¼ c all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ c organic cane sugar brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ c applesauce
- ⅓ c almond milk or any other plant-based milk
- 2 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
- 5 tablespoon shredded coconut
Instructions
Prepare chocolate ganache
- Scoop out the solid part of coconut milk and add it to a small pot. Add vegan chocolate chips and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Whisk until chocolate melts. Remove from the heat, transfer the frosting to a heatproof bowl and let it cool on a counter. After that, place in a refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours. (Note 1)
- Remove the frosting from the fridge and using a spatula, whisk until it’s firm but smooth and suitable for frosting the cake.
Combine cacao powder and boiling water
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and cover the bottom and the sides of 2 mini springform pans with a parchment paper. In a small bowl whisk cacao powder and boiling water. Set aside.
Combine wet and dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a small bowl whisk together applesauce, almond milk, olive oil and vanilla extract. Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Add cacao powder
- Add in the cocoa powder and water mixture and stir until all ingredients are combined.
Divide the batter among the baking pans and bake
- Divide the batter evenly between two mini springform pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of a cake, comes out with fewer crumbs. Remove cake from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes and then transfer on a wire rack. (Note 2)
Frost the cake
- Using a spatula, generously spread the chocolate ganache on one of the cakes. Cover with a second cake. Spread the ganache on the sides of the cake.
- Sprinkle the sides of the cake with the shredded coconut. You can use your fingers to press the coconut into the frosting. Top the cake with the pomegranate seeds and serve.
Equipment
- For this recipe I recommend 2 4-inches mini springform pans.
Notes
Nutrition
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Lori says
Your instructions list egg and sour cream, neither of which are in the cake.
Iryna says
Lori, my apologies, this is a mistake and thank you for pointing out. There's no egg and sour cream in the recipe, but applesauce and almond milk. I've already fixed the instructions.