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5.0 from 3 votes

Mini Layer Cakes

Adorable mini layer cakes are made from chocolate cupcakes ~ easy dessert for afternoon tea or kids' birthday parties!

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 10 mini cakes
Calories: 704 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup hot coffee or hot water
for the frosting
  • 1 1/2 cups butter, unsalted
  • 5 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with muffin tin liners (you will be making 10 cupcakes)
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk well.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together. When there are still a few streaks of dry flour remaining, add the hot coffee, and fold everything together until just combined.
  5. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tins.
  6. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. They will rise and spread out a bit, but this is fine.
  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a rack before proceeding.
to make the frosting
  1. Add the room temperature butter and powdered sugar to a large capacity food processor (you can also use a stand mixer) and blend until smooth. Add the sour cream, salt, and vanilla extract, and blend again until smooth.
to assemble the cakes
  1. Remove the cupcakes from their cupcake liners. Take a cupcake and place it upside down. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, trim away the excess cake, forming a cylinder.
  2. Using a serrated knife, gently cut the trimmed cake into 2 even layers. Repeat for the remaining cupcakes.
  3. Place about a tablespoon or so of frosting onto one of the cake layers, and place the second layer on top. Repeat for the remaining cakes so that you have 10 2-layer mini cakes.
  4. For this cake recipe, I recommend doing a quick "crumb coat" of frosting because the cakes are soft and moist. Using a butterknife or a small silicone spatula, frost the cakes with a thin coat of frosting. It will be a little fiddly, but do your best! Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to let them firm up.
  5. Frost the cakes with a second layer of frosting. It should be much easier this time with the crumbs "locked in" to the crumb coat. Top with sprinkles if desired.

Nutrition Information

Calories 704kcal (35%) Carbohydrates 93g (31%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 38g (58%) Saturated Fat 21g (105%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 101mg (34%) Sodium 471mg (20%) Potassium 124mg (4%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 83g (166%) Vitamin A 1.002IU (0%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 56mg (6%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10mini cakes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 704

% Daily Value*

Calories 704kcal 35%
Carbohydrates 93g 31%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 38g 58%
Saturated Fat 21g 105%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 101mg 34%
Sodium 471mg 20%
Potassium 124mg 3%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 83g 166%
Vitamin A 1.002IU 0%
Vitamin C 0.2mg 0%
Calcium 56mg 6%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.