cake for two

This Chocolate Cake for Two is perfect for Valentine&#x27;s Day. This cake is perfectly moist, chocolate-y with the most decadent crumb. On top, are piped out roses, topped with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.

Chocolate Cake For Two Recipe

all-purpose flour

white granulated sugar

baking cocoa powder

espresso powder

baking soda

baking powder

salt

buttermilk

warm water

olive oil

vanilla extract

unsalted butter (at room temperature)

sugar

chocolate chocolate

heavy cream

Flaked sea salt (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 6-inch cake pans. This batter is sticky so I also lined the bottoms with parchment. I highly recommend this. You don’t want to bake the whole thing up and have it stick. Set the pans aside. See below for link in the *notes* on baking cake layers flat. I do this every single time and it’s SO helpful.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand-up mixer (with the paddle attachment), add the all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined. Next, crack in the egg, pour in the buttermilk, warm water, olive oil and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth, about 1 minute. The batter will be thinner than cake batter that you’re probably used to—that’s ok!

Divide the cake batter amongst the two cake pans and transfer to the oven to bake for 27 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Clean out the bowl you used to make the cake and dry it thoroughly. While the cake is cooling, use it to make the frosting.

To Make the Cake:

Add all of the ingredients to the the cleaned large bowl or the bowl of the stand-up mixer (with the paddle attachment), add the butter, powdered sugar, melted chocolate, cream or milk and vanilla extract. Beat until thoroughly combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix one last time, just to ensure everything is combined.

To Make the Frosting:

Add a few tablespoons of frosting to the center of one of the rounds of cake. Smooth it around, until it reaches the edges. Add a pinch of salt all around. Place the second layer on top. Since I was going for a “naked cake” look, I added more frosting to the seam of the two cakes and smoothed it all around. Neat is not the goal! Add the remaining frosting to piping bag with a star tip attached. In the center of the top layer of cake, pipe out a rose by starting in the center and going all the way around twice. Complete the cake by adding smaller roses around the center rose. Don’t be shy to practice on a piece of parchment first and then simply add the frosting back to the piping bag—no waste!

Top the cake with a sprinkling of flaked sea salt.

To Decorate the Cake:

This Mini Boston Cream Pie has all of the decadent goodness of the classic cake, and is perfect just for two!  Boston Cream Pie is actually a cake made with two moist and spongy cake layers that sandwich a creamy vanilla pastry cream.  And topping it off is a silky chocolate ganache!

Mini Boston Cream Pie

whole milk (2% will also work)

maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)

corn starch

egg yolk (room temperature)

vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

unsalted butter

unsalted butter, room temperature

granulated sugar

milk, room temperature (any milk fat)

sour cream, room temperature

egg, room temperature

corn syrup

Make the pastry cream first - even the night before.  In a small mixing bowl add the egg yolk, cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the milk.  Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved.

In a small saucepan add the remaining milk, heavy cream, and maple syrup (or sweetener of choice).  Heat over medium heat until small bubbles start to appear along the sides of the saucepan.  Do not boil.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Then very slowly drizzle in about half of the heated milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan - whisking constantly - and return to medium heat.   Cook the cream until it starts to thicken and bubble - about 3 - 5 minutes.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Add in the butter and vanilla and whisk until the butter melts.

Strain the pudding over a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl.  Cover the pudding with plastic wrap – with the wrap directly touching the top of the pudding.  This will keep a skin from forming on the top of the pudding.  Refrigerate until ready to assemble the cake.

Pastry Cream

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line the bottom of the cake pans with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. Lightly grease and flour the pans. Note – I like to use the Pam Baking Spray With Flour.

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, add the milk, sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until thoroughly combined.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar. Use a hand-held mixer on medium speed and cream the butter and sugar together until they are light and fluffy. Add half of the milk mixture and continue to mix on medium-low speed until combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the top of the wet batter in the bowl. Beat on low speed until no flour streaks remain. Add the remaining milk mixture and continue to beat on low until just combined and smooth. Note – I recommend sifting the dry ingredients into the batter to avoid unnecessary clumps of flour.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 23 – 25 minutes, or until the cakes are golden, slightly pulling away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool the cakes in the pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then gently invert the cake pans onto the wire rack to release the cakes. Carefully peel away the parchment paper (if it stuck to the bottom of the cakes), and flip the cakes back over to cool on the wire rack completely.

Yellow Cake

Make the ganache while the cakes are cooling.  In a small bowl, add the chocolate chips and vanilla extract.

In a liquid measuring cup (microwave-safe), heat the cream for about 20-30 seconds - until it is warm, but do not let it bowl over.  Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 2-3 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.

Add the corn syrup (this makes the ganache shiny) and whisk until the ganache is smooth and fully mixed.  Set aside at room temperature to allow the ganache to thicken slightly and until ready to assemble the cake.

Chocolate Ganache

Set one of the cakes on a cake platter or plate.  Smooth the pastry cream on top of the cake all the way to the edges.  Set the second cake on top.  Stir the ganache again so it is nice and smooth, and pour onto the top of the cake in the center.  Using a spoon or offset spatula, smooth out the ganache to the edges of the cake, allowing some to drizzle down the sides.

The cake is best enjoyed the day it is baked.  Enjoy!

Assembling the Cake

Small lemon cake recipe with easy lemon curd filling.

Lemon Cake Recipe

unsalted butter, softened

lemon,

flour

lemon juice

lemon (~1 teaspoon)

unsalted butter, melted

heavy whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a...

Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 6” round cake pan.

In a medium bowl, beat together with an...

In a medium bowl, beat together with an electric mixer the butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Beat very well, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the egg and beat until well combined,...

Add the egg and beat until well combined, about 15 seconds.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour,...

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add half of this to the batter and beat lightly.

Stir in half of the buttermilk and continue...

Stir in half of the buttermilk and continue beating. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat, then stir in the remaining buttermilk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

Scrap the batter into the pan, smoothing the...

Scrap the batter into the pan, smoothing the top and bake for 37-39 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack in the...

Let cool on a wire rack in the pan. Carefully remove the cake from the pan once it has cooled and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the lemon curd: In a microwave-safe...

Meanwhile, make the lemon curd: In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients very well. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stop, stir, and then microwave another minute. Stir the lemon curd after 2 minutes, and then place it back in the microwave for a final 30 seconds. After 2 minutes and 30 seconds, begin testing the lemon curd by quickly dipping a spoon into it, and running your finger through it. If the line holds, the lemon curd is done. If the curd runs and fills the line you just made, try another 30 seconds in the microwave and test again. The curd will thicken considerably as it cools.

Strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into...

Strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl, and set aside.

When ready to assemble, slice the cake in...

When ready to assemble, slice the cake in half horizontally. Do this on a flat surface and cut slowly to ensure both cake layers are even. Flip the cake layers over so that the bottom is now the top so that you have a flat surface to frost the cake.

Place one half of the cake on a...

Place one half of the cake on a cake stand or desired serving plate. Top with the lemon curd. Spread it almost to the edge.

Top with the remaining cake layer. In a...

Top with the remaining cake layer. In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar together until whipped and slightly stiff—do not over-beat. Frost the cake with this mixture. Slice and serve.

If you're not serving immediately, refrigerate the cake,...

If you're not serving immediately, refrigerate the cake, but then let it sit at room temp for about 15 minutes before serving.

Top 3 cake for two recipes from across the web

The most viewed cake for two recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Chocolate Cake For Two Recipe

Mini Boston Cream Pie

Lemon Cake Recipe

Top 3 cake for two recipes from across the web

The most viewed cake for two recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Chocolate Cake For Two Recipe

Mini Boston Cream Pie

Lemon Cake Recipe

The most viewed cake for two recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine