Description
Perfect chocolate gingerbread mini cakes celebrate winter’s warmth with rich spices and deep cocoa notes. Delicate crumbs melt effortlessly, inviting you to savor each delightful bite of holiday comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup (113 g/4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (170 g) molasses
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (120 ml/4 fl oz) buttermilk
- ½ cup (120 ml/4 fl oz) hot water
- 1 ½ cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (60 ml) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp corn syrup or honey (optional, for shine)
- ½ cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsps (30 g/1 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp salt
- Powdered sugar
- Crystallized ginger slices (optional)
- Holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and thoroughly grease mini bundt pan or cake molds with butter and flour to ensure easy release.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a mixing bowl until perfectly blended and lump-free.
- Wet Mixture: Cream butter and brown sugar using electric mixer until fluffy, then incorporate molasses and egg, blending until smooth and uniform.
- Batter Assembly: Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, gently folding in hot water until achieving a silky, thin batter consistency.
- Baking Process: Fill cake molds three-quarters full and bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick that should emerge clean.
- Cooling Stage: Rest cakes in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely at room temperature.
- Chocolate Glaze: Melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave-safe bowl, stirring between intervals until completely smooth and glossy.
- Finishing Touches: Optional – stir corn syrup or honey into melted chocolate for enhanced shine, then drizzle generously over cooled cakes.
- Presentation: Garnish with powdered sugar, crystallized ginger, or decorative sprinkles, then arrange on serving platter for an elegant display.
Notes
- Prevent Sticking Carefully: Thoroughly grease and flour pan, ensuring every crevice is coated to avoid cake breakage during removal.
- Control Moisture Levels: Add hot water gradually to achieve silky batter consistency, preventing dry or overly dense mini cakes.
- Optimize Baking Precision: Check doneness using toothpick test, removing from oven exactly at 18-20 minutes to maintain soft, moist texture.
- Enhance Glaze Technique: Melt chocolate slowly in microwave with 30-second intervals, stirring between sessions to create smooth, glossy finish without burning.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg