Mini Chocolate Sheet Cake is made in an eighth sheet pan and has a small batch chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. This easy chocolate cake recipe is fast to make and always a crowd pleaser!
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Mini Chocolate Sheet Cake
Hi hi! Just popping in to share the recipe for this mini chocolate cake with you. This is another in the series of mini sheet cakes I have been making - so far I have made this tiramisu cake, brown butter carrot cake and mini funfetti cake, and I have a few more up my sleeve!
This easy chocolate cake recipe comes together super quickly and bakes in an eighth sheet pan for a mini chocolate sheet cake. It is topped with a smooth and silky small batch chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. This cake is super versatile - you can mix and match flavours however you like!
How to make Chocolate Cake
This mini chocolate cake is super easy to make - you just combine the dry ingredients, combine the wet ingredients, then mix them together and transfer to your cake pan.
The ingredient list is made up of the usual chocolate cake suspects - flour, sugar, milk, cocoa, baking powder, and oil for moisture. I much prefer an oil based chocolate cake over a butter one, as I find that the texture is much nicer and the cake doesn't dry out.
This recipe is baked at 325°f / 160°f as opposed to the standard 350°f / 180°c you usually see in baking recipes. When I was testing it, I found that baking at a higher temperature caused the cake to have a larger dome in the middle, which isn't ideal if you are making a sheet cake. Ideally you want it to bake up nice and flat.
After playing around with all the variables (bake temp, leavening agent, sugar, etc), I found that reducing the baking temperature was the most effective way to prevent this.
This is why it is so important to make sure that your oven is calibrated / that you have a thermometer in there. Some recipes aren't too sensitive, but for others it will make a huge difference.
Baking in an Eighth sheet pan
I made this mini funfetti cake in an eighth sheet pan, which is half the size of a quarter sheet pan. They are super fun to bake in - I own a bunch. I love them for small batches of bread rolls, or also for mini sheet cakes such as this recipe. They line perfectly with quarter sheet pan sized parchment (one of my favourite things), and are just so, so cute. I use them all the time for toasting nuts or baking up a single cookie.
If you can't get hold of an eighth sheet pan, this mini funfetti cake will also work perfectly made in a 9"x5" (23x13cm) loaf pan. You will just need to watch the bake time!
What is Dutch Process Cocoa and why is it important?
Dutch cocoa and regular aren't necessarily interchangeable due to the nature of them. Regular cocoa is acidic whereas dutch process cocoa has been put through an alkalising process, which means that it reacts differently in baking.
Regular, acidic cocoa powder will react more strongly with baking soda (which is basic), so the cake will behave differently. This is important to note when baking, especially when swapping in Dutch cocoa for a recipe which calls for regular cocoa - it may affect the rise.
I have only tested this mini chocolate cake recipe with dutch cocoa. It uses both baking powder and soda so you are welcome to try regular cocoa, I just don't know how you would get on. It is certainly worth tracking down Dutch cocoa if you can - I love the intensity and richness it gives to chocolate cake.
How to make Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
I topped this mini chocolate cake with a small batch Swiss meringue buttercream. I often make a larger batch of my Swiss Meringue Buttercream in a stand mixer, but this small batch can easily be made with a hand mixer. It is my preferred way to make small batch frosting, as the stand mixer bowl is often too big to reach the buttercream.
This mini chocolate cake is also a great way to use up any leftover frosting that you may have frozen. To freeze frosting, just pop it into an airtight container then freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or on the counter, then whip until light and fluffy and you are good to go.
Chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream is just vanilla buttercream with melted chocolate and a tiny bit of cocoa powder for flavour added in. I love chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream - the chocolate cuts through the butter, and it is rich without being too sweet.
Swiss meringue buttercream is easy to make by hand, here is how I do it:
- Combine the egg whites and sugar in a bowl, then place over a double boiler. This helps to dissolve the sugar, and it also brings the egg whites to a food safe temperature.
- Remove from the double boiler and whip the egg whites until thick. Usually you would look for a stiff peak, but as there is only a small quantity this can be hard to gauge. Swiss meringue buttercream you can get away with not having super stiff peaks, so look for something that holds somewhat of a peak.
- Add half of the butter, and mix to incorporate. Add the remainder of the butter and keep whipping. The mixture may look split but just keep mixing and it will come together. Continue to whip until light and fluffy.
- Fold in the cooled chocolate and cocoa and mix until combined. Your buttercream is now ready to use.
FAQ for Mini Chocolate Cake
You can see a full list of all the tools I use here
I used an eighth sheet pan.
You can use a loaf pan. I use this one. If you are in NZ, this place stocks the exact ones!
Yes, you can use any frosting that you like on this cake!
Neutral oil is anything with a neutral taste - canola, vegetable, grapeseed etc.
I used confetti sprinkles to finish my mini chocolate cake - specifically these ones. I love how chunky and cute they are!
For more small batch cake recipes, check out:
Made this recipe and love it?
If you made this recipe then I would LOVE for you to leave me a review below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make it!
A note on salt and oven temperature
It is important to note the type of salt that is called for in a recipe. I use Diamond Crystal salt throughout my recipes - if you use a different sort of kosher salt or regular table salt you will need to adjust accordingly as some salt is 'saltier' than others. Morton's salt is twice as salty, so you will need half the quantity. Same goes for a regular table salt. I am working to get gram measurements throughout my recipes for salt but still getting there.
All oven temperatures are conventional unless otherwise stated. If you are baking on fan / convection, you will need to adjust the temperature. An oven thermometer is a great investment to ensure that your oven is the correct temperature.
Using the double / triple function in the recipe card
You will notice that there is a '1X' '2X' '3X' button in my recipe card. This can be used for doubling or tripling a recipe. However, please note that this only doubles the ingredient quantities in the ingredients list and NOT in the method. If there are quantities or pan sizes in the method of the recipe (for example weigh out 150g brown butter), you will need to scale this number manually. It will also not change the baking time in the recipe so you will need to adjust this yourself too. It is always a good idea to read through a recipe fully before doubling it just to check this. If you would like to scale this recipe or convert for another pan size, use my calculator!
Tools and equipment
For a list of my go-to tools and equipment, I have a post you can refer to here.
Why is this recipe in grams?
I post my recipes in grams as it is the most accurate way to bake. Cups are not only inaccurate but they vary in volume worldwide. There is no way for me to provide one cup measure that works for everyone. However, posting in weight fixes this issue. If you would like the recipe in cups you are welcome to convert it yourself via google, but please do not ask me to do it for you as I am not comfortable providing a recipe using a method that I have not tested. Baking with a scale is easy, accurate, and also makes cleanup super simple. Here is the scale that I use if you would like a recommendation! Here's to accurate baking!
Recipe For Mini Chocolate Cake
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Mini Chocolate Cake
- Author: Erin Clarkson
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Prep Time: 30 minutes -
Cook Time: 30 minutes
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Total Time: 3 hours
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Yield: 8 Servings -
Category: Cake -
Method: Baking -
Cuisine: American
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Pin RecipeDescription
Mini Chocolate Sheet Cake is made in an eighth sheet pan and has a small batch chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. This easy chocolate cake recipe is fast to make and always a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 75g All-purpose flour
- 25g Dutch Process Cocoa
- 110g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 90g whole milk, at room temperature
- 60g neutral oil
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 35g egg white (about one egg's worth, but weigh it just to check)
- 50g granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Small pinch salt
- 120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 65g dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids), melted and cooled
- 5g dutch process cocoa powder
Sprinkles to finish (optional)
Instructions
MINI CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 325°f / 160°c. Grease and line an eighth sheet pan or a 9”x5” loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, espresso powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and oil.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well to combine. Transfer to the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake for 25-28 minutes, until the center springs back when lightly pressed. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
CHOCOLATE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
- Place the egg white and sugar in a medium heat proof bowl. Place over a small pot of simmering water, ensuring that the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk the mixture until it reaches 160°f / 70°c, then remove from the heat.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg white mixture until peaks form - you may need to tilt the bowl to the side to make the mixture deep enough. You do not need to form super stiff peaks - just something that holds somewhat of a peak. Add the vanilla and salt and mix to incorporate. Add half of the butter and mix until incorporated, then add the remaining butter and continue to mix until the buttercream is smooth and silky. Add in the melted chocolate and cocoa powder, and mix to incorporate.
- Transfer the cake to a serving platter, or remove the parchment paper and return it to the pan. Add the buttercream on top and smooth as desired using an offset spatula. Add sprinkles if using. Transfer briefly to the fridge to allow the buttercream to firm up if needed. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Keywords: Chocolate cake, swiss meringue buttercream, chocolate buttercream, frosting
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