It took me a while to finally post this, but here it is for all you six inch cake fans -- the six inch chocolate cake version of my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I've also included the recipe for my all-time favorite chocolate sour cream frosting.
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The chocolate layer cake which I consider my favorite and from which this one is adapted calls for melted chocolate, coffee, buttermilk, oil and a cup of natural style unsweetened cocoa powder. For the six inch chocolate cake, I just halved the recipe and baked the cakes in six inch pans.
Cake Bakes at 300F
One unusual thing about this cake is that it is baked at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. It doesn't dome at all, but rather sinks a bit as it cools. If it sinks to the point you have a crater then something went wrong, but if made as directed it should only sink a tiny bit in the center.
Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting
Another good thing about this cake is the icing (or frosting -- my brain can't decide whether it wants to call it frosting or icing), which has a half cup of sour cream along with cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate. For the unsweetened chocolate I used 90% (so not quite unsweetened) Lindt and loved the results. Feel free to use whatever brand of unsweetened chocolate you can find because it will still be excellent.
Here's the recipe for a six inch chocolate cake. Let me know if you try it! I think the next cake I'll adapt to the smaller pan size is Dark Brown Sugar Chocolate Cake.
Recipe
Six Inch Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake Layers
- 1 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup hot brewed coffee
- 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
- ¾ cup plus 2 T. all-purpose flour (105 grams)
- ½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch process) (42 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅜ teaspoon salt
- 1 large large egg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup buttermilk shake well
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting
- 6 T. unsalted butter softened (84 grams)
- 4 ½ tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped (42 grams)
- ½ cup sour cream at room temp or on the warm side
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour two six-inch round cake pans.
- Combine the chocolate chips and hot coffee and stir until chips are melted, then set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir well.
- In a large measuring cup or small mixing bowl, mix together egg, oil, buttermilk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and stir until blended, then stir in the melted chocolate/coffee mixture.
- Beat for 20 seconds or until well blended.
- Divide batter between the two pans (about 12 oz in each pan if you weigh).
- Bake at 300 degrees F on center rack for about 45 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched.
- Frosting: First, melt the chocolate using the microwave. You can use your favorite method. I use the microwave and stir every 30 seconds. Let the chocolate cool slightly.
- Beat together the softened butter, cocoa powder and half of the confectioners' sugar. Add the vanilla and the remaining confectioners' sugar, scraping the side of the bowl often as you beat. Stir in the melted chocolate, then stir in the room temperature sour cream. If for some reason the icing is softer than you like or seems too soft to spread, throw the whole bowl in the refrigerator for an hour, then beat again.
Anna says
Hi Amy,
Yes, you can bake it in an 8 inch square pan. I haven't tested it in an 8 inch square pan, but in a 9 inch round pan it takes about 50 minutes at 300. My guess would be it will take around 45 to 50 minutes at 300. Good luck! If you are looking for another small size cake, here's one that I've tested twice in a loaf pan. It's really good too.https://www.cookiemadness.net/2021/01/05/saucepan-chocolate-cake/
Amy says
Hi could this be made in an 8x8 pan? If so, how long to cook?
Anna says
Glad you and your friends liked it. Thanks!!
Laura Marin says
Made all the times all my friends like it
Anna says
Thanks Mary! You are right. It said chocolate, chopped then "add the melted chocolate". I just corrected it and added the step of melting the chocolate in the microwave. Hope that helps!
Mary McC says
The chocolate for the frosting gets melted? No instructions for that bit.
Anna says
Glad to hear it! Thanks for noting the time it took you.
Lynda says
Made this cake for my friend's birthday, It turned out perfect. I did check it after 35 mins as one other person said and it was done. Thanks for the recipe.
Anna says
Katrina, congratulations to your parents on their new place! They are practically neighbors now :).
Katrina says
Mmmm! I want chocolate cake! (My dad used to wander around the house when we were teens saying that to try to get one of us to cave in and make him a cake. He'd love this. Too bad for him, my parents recently moved to Indiana! My brother lives there and they were able to make some great financial decisions as they sold their home in Idaho for a ton of money, paid cash for a home in IN--so much cheaper there! They've also paid off all other debt, cars, etc. and still have money leftover. They've never been able to do that.) Anyway, I want cake. Guess I'll stick with a bite of my 90% Lindt instead. sigh
Sue says
This is my new favorite chocolate cake! I made it yesterday for my huband’s birthday today. It’s everything I want in a chocolate cake. The frosting is excellent too.
It’s super cute and was so much fun to make. I checked mine at 35 minutes and it was done for whatever that is worth to anyone.
Thanks for pointing me in the direction of this cake Anna!
If I could give it more than five stars I would.
Sonya says
I love mini cakes!!