Small Chocolate Cake

Photo of a cake on a white cake stand with one slice cut and ready to serve.

5 from 7 votes

This small chocolate cake is made in a single layer 6-inch cake pan for the perfect tiny cake. It's rich, moist, luxurious and topped with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 556kcal

Author: Alison

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:

½ cup All Purpose Flour Measured Correctly*
¼ cup Cocoa Powder Unsweetened
½ cup White Granulated Sugar
½ tsp Baking Soda
¼ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Espresso Powder
⅓ cup Buttermilk or Homemade Buttermilk*
1 Large Egg
¼ cup Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
½ tsp Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

¼ cup Butter Softened*
1 cup Powdered Sugar
¼ cup Cocoa Powder Unsweetened
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tbsp Milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and spray a 6-inch round cake pan with non-stick spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
Sift all purpose flour and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and add white sugar, baking soda, salt and espresso powder. Mix together.
Add buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla and mix into a batter.
Transfer the batter to a 6-inch cake pan (sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with a circle of parchment paper along the bottom).
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for a few minutes before removing it from the pan and transferring the cake to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, prepare your frosting.
Add softened butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and milk to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat together until light and fluffy.
When the cake is completely cooled, top with the frosting and then decorate with chocolate shavings.

Notes

Measure the flour correctly. The correct way to measure flour is to use the spoon and level method. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don't scoop the flour and don't pack it into the cup. Alternatively, if you have a food scale, then click 'metric' below our list of ingredients for the correct weight in grams.
Espresso powder - is just there to bring out the chocolate flavor. Your cake won't taste like coffee at all. You can switch this for any instant coffee powder or you can omit it.
Buttermilk - can be proper store-bought buttermilk or a homemade buttermilk subsitute. To make your own buttermilk add 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring jug and then add room temperature milk up to the ⅓ cup (80ml) line. Leave it to sit for a few minutes to curdle into buttermilk.
Softened butter - if you forget to take the butter out the fridge in time to get it softened then no problem. Just cut the butter into cubes and beat it in your stand mixer for a couple of minutes to soften it before you add the rest of the ingredients for your frosting.
Cake pan sizes: this cake can also be made as a single layer 7-inch cake. Baking time is 25-30 minutes.
Make a layer cake: if you'd like to make this as a layer cake then that also works. You can make this as a two layer 6-inch cake. Baking time is 15 minutes. The frosting is enough to frost the middle, top and sides.
Make cupcakes: you can also make 6 cupcakes from this recipe. Bake for 20 minutes.
Make Ahead: You can make this cake the day before, let it cool, frost and decorate it, and then simply refrigerate it in an airtight container. Bring it up to room temperature on the counter before serving.
Storing: Any leftover cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days or covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Frosted or unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature on the counter before serving.

Nutrition