I love baking something delicious, yummy, and EASY for the holidays. These MINI VALENTINES CAKES fit the bill!
These cakes may look hard but let me tell you they are soo easy! Using a chocolate pound cake recipe and a fun pan you can whip these up in no time at all!
I was given this ceramic mini bundt cake pan for a wedding gift and I have always loved it. But honestly, I have also been a little afraid to use it. I was always so afraid that the cakes would not release from the pan easily and I would be left with a pile of cake chunks! LOL!
But here is the secret! Using a pan release that has flour in it is (cooking spray with flour in it)the best thing to make sure the cakes come out of the pans, also let the cakes cool for no more than 15 minutes before removing them from the pan. I have learned this the hard way and it works with everything from bundt cakes to muffins! I use a spray form I hate greasing and flouring pans and this method has worked for me time and time again!
Now let’s talk about the chocolate hearts! These take a little practice but all in all they are pretty simple to make! I have a great tutorial with a template here with more info on how to make the pretty chocolate hearts! Once the chocolate hearts are made they are simply gently pushed into a dollop of frosting on the top!
If you don’t have a mini bundt cake pan you can make these in a cupcake pan without the liners! To decorate the cakes I simply melted white and chocolate candy melts in piping bags and drizzled around the top edge of the cakes. In the middle is a yummy dollop of a simple buttercream frosting! I used a piping bag but since the chocolate hearts are pushed into the frosting you could just put a dollop of frosting on the top, it doesn’t have to be fancy! I let the frosting harden just a bit before adding the chocolate hearts, just let it sit out for about an hour then add the hearts!
I also started with a cake mix for the chocolate pound cakes! I am all about easy!!
Ingredients
- 18.2 oz box Chocolate Cake Mix
- 3.9 oz small box chocolate instant pudding dry
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup chocolate milk you can substitute water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini bunt pan or cupcake pan with cooking spray that has flour in it or grease and flour the pans. Set aside.
- Place cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, chocolate milk, vanilla and eggs in large mixing bowl. blend with an electric mixer on low speed for one minute. Stop the mixer and with a spatula scrape down the sides of bowl. Resume mixing with mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until batter is thick and well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl if needed.
- Pour batter in prepared pans (if using cupcake pans this will make 24 small cakes) filling each well 2/3rds full. (If making mini bundt cakes using 4 wells this will make 8-10 cakes and will have to bake multiple batches.)
- Bake for 20-25 minutes for mini bundts and 12-15 for cupcakes. Cakes are done when cakes start to pull from sides of pan and springs back when lightly touched. Or when a knife or cake tester inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean when removed.
- Allow cakes to cool approx 10-15 minuets then remove from pans by inverting over a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
To Decorate:
- Melt white and dark chocolate candy melts in piping bags. When candy is melted cut a small amount of the tip off the bag and drizzle melted candy over edges of cake. Allow candy to harden then place about a tablespoon of frosting in middle of cake and allow to harden for about an hour. While frosting is hardening make chocolate hearts. Allow chocolate hearts to harden then carefully place hearts in frosting. Make sure to push the hearts carefully. Do not push from the top of the heart grasp the heart at the bottom point and insert into frosting!
Nutrition
Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
If your looking for more Valentines recipes you might like these!
Leave a Reply