The Cake Merchant

Mini One Bowl Yellow Cake with Malted Chocolate Frosting

Mini Yellow Cake

Sometimes I wonder why the holidays are the most stressful time of year. I mean, shouldn’t it be the opposite? They are called the holidays, after all. Last week, I found myself completely stressed out and trying to cram in a bunch of pumpkin recipes before I left for my trip to LA when I stopped and thought to myself, why am I doing this? It kind of got me thinking about why I blog in the first place. Perhaps one day I will take over the world with cake, but for now, the main reason that I blog is because it makes me happy. Baking cakes makes me happy, eating them makes me even happier, sharing them with you makes me the happiest, and if I’m not happy blogging then there’s no point. Cake should never be the cause of so much stress.

Most people know that it’s important to take a step back every once in a while and do something good for yourself, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. The last couple of holiday seasons have been all about to do lists for me, and I don’t want another one to go by in a stress frenzy. So today, when I should probably be posting something holiday themed, I am making myself some cake. A mini yellow cake with malted chocolate frosting and crunchy sprinkles. There’s just something about this combo that reminds me of childhood birthdays, and I can’t not be happy when eating it. Since mini cakes are my most favoritest thing ever, I made a 4-inch layer cake just big enough for two.

Mini Yellow Cake
Mini Yellow Cake
Mini Yellow Cake

I tried this recipe with both all purpose and cake flour, and I liked the lighter and fluffier cake flour version better. All purpose flour will work if you’re in a pinch, although you’ll end up with a slightly more dense cake and you’ll need to reduce the amount of flour by one tablespoon. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, add a drop of vinegar to the milk and let it sit for a couple of minutes. The frosting recipe makes more than enough, but I like to have plenty on hand because since I like a smooth finish to my cakes. If you don’t plan to do a crumb coat and pipe a border, you can cut the frosting recipe in half. I also like the flavor of a little bit of malt powder in my chocolate frosting, but if you’re not a fan, you can leave it out.

Mini Yellow Cake

What dessert makes you happy?

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Mini One Bowl Yellow Cake with Malted Chocolate Frosting

Yield: One 2 layer 4-inch cake

Ingredients

    For the Yellow Cake:
  • 1/2 cup plus one tablespoon (65 grams) cake flour
  • 1/3 cup (65 grams) sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into pieces
  • 3 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • For the Malted Chocolate Frosting:
  • 8 tablespoons (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
  • 1 cup (115 grams) confectioner's sugar
  • 1 tablespoon malted milk powder
  • 1/2 cup (85 grams) good quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream
  • Sprinkles or nonpareils for topping

Instructions

    For the Yellow Cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
  2. Grease 2 4-inch cake pans and line them with parchment paper.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Add the butter and 2 tablespoons of the milk, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute.
  5. Add the egg, vanilla, and remaining milk and beat on medium for an additional 30 seconds.
  6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for an additional 20 seconds, until the mixture looks smooth and satiny.
  7. Divide the batter between the 2 pans and bake for 17-20 minutes.
  8. Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes.
  9. Turn the cakes out of the pan and cool completely.
    10. For the Malted Chocolate Frosting:
  10. With an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium high until light and creamy.
  11. Add the confectioner's sugar and malt powder and beat on low until combined.
  12. Beat on medium high for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  13. Add in the melted chocolate and beat until combined, working quickly so the chocolate doesn't start to solidify.
  14. Add the vanilla extract, salt, and milk and beat until combined.
  15. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on low until no more streaks of butter remain.
  16. To Assemble the Cake:
  17. Place one layer of the cake on a 4-inch cake board or plate.
  18. With an offset spatula, spread half a cup of frosting on top.
  19. Place the second layer on top, and then place the cake on a turntable.
  20. Apply a thin layer of the chocolate frosting on the sides and the top of the cake to lock in the crumbs.
  21. Let the frosting set up in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
  22. Apply the remainder of the frosting to the sides and top of the cake and use the leftover frosting to pipe a border if you wish.
  23. Top with sprinkles.
https://cakemerchant.com/2014/11/15/yellow-buttermilk-cake-malted-milk-chocolate-frosting/

Comments

  1. I am so with you!! I agree with everything you said about the holidays and I remember when I first started blogging, thinking I *should* make this and that to follow the the season but then realizing that some of the things weren’t even what I wanted to eat so why was I doing that when my blog is recreational! I stopped following any “rules” and I now just make what my family & I crave, which is typically chocolate…that’s what makes me most happy. Funny enough, I just made a small yellow cake with chocolate frosting. It was an American Test Kitchen recipe and oh so amazing. I love your malted frosting! My husband loves it and I find it enhances a lot of chocolate recipes without being really discernible.

    Reply

    • We’re mini yellow cake twins this week! I totally agree with your husband. The malt flavor isn’t that noticeable, but just gives the chocolate a little more depth.

      Reply

  4. I love the idea of the small 2-person cake. No one, at least not me, thinks of making a small cake. I don’t bake cakes because I don’t want to have to eat the whole thing!

    Reply

  5. Yup, I’m totally with you. I always end up stressed out during the holidays and that’s so not the point of this time of the year! It should be to enjoy life!

    This cake looks delicious – and yes, dessert definitely makes me happy!! 🙂

    Reply

  7. I agree! “Cake should never be the cause of so much stress!” Which is why I had to leave the bakery business and stop making wedding cakes. The stress killed me and cake making no longer became my source of joy.

    Beautiful cake! Thanks for reminding me that I need to step by once in a while 🙂

    Reply

  8. Natasha, I know exactly how you feel, both about the holidays and about blogging. I’m always stressing myself out, thinking that I NEED to do A, B, and C. But why? Because everyone else is doing it? Because I need to compete? No no no no no. I should be old ‘n wise enough to do the things that truly matter, the things that make me happy. That’s exactly why I started blogging too – because it made me happy. It’s easy to lose sight of that in the daily rat race. I’m so glad you reminded yourself and took a bit of a breather. This cake is absolutely lovely, as all your cakes are. I think when you said the 4 inch cake is the perfect size for two, you really meant for one, right 😉

    Reply

  10. Such an adorable cake! Loving the addition of malted flavors to the frosting. 🙂 I agree, the holidays should be enjoyed–particularly with cake and desserts and such. The food is probably why I am such a huge fan of this season.

    Reply

  12. Awwesome.!!! such you really have a very impressive talent. I really liked this good cake. Chocolate i gueess. Looks sos much yummy to me.

    Thanks!!

    Reply

  13. I just found your blog and YAY for mini cakes!
    In my house it’s just me and my dad and i don’t eat large quantities of food (not even cakes for more that i love ’em!) and this recipe is just PERFECT! Thanks so much for sharing it!

    Reply

  14. I was so thrilled to find your small cake recipe, we live on a farm and I love to use as much of my own ingredients as possible, this was just right for our lunch table served with strawberries and cream

    Reply

  15. This was perfect- I made this last night. My roommates bday is the day before thanksgiving so I wanted to make a cake to acknowledge her birthday that wouldn’t leave us with leftovers. I made it in one piece in a roughly 5-6 inch wide enamel pie dish. The only way I deviated from the instructions was to cream the butter and sugar before combining. In one piece this took about 30 minutes in the oven.

    Topped with sprinkles and a quick chocolate glaze made from melted bittersweet chocolate, butter, vanilla, water, and powdered sugar.

    Reply

  16. What depth of pan do you recommend/use for this recipe? and is it the same depth as the cake size from “Teeny Tiny Chocolate Cake for One”?

    Reply

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