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small chocolate cake with whipped ganache
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Small Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache

This small, 6-inch, two-layer, chocolate cake is made from scratch, and it's rich, moist, fudgy, and fluffy. Frost with easy whipped chocolate ganache for a decadent dessert.
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword 6 inch layer cake, layer cake, mini layer cake, small layer cake
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

6 INCH CHOCOLATE CAKE INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract or paste
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp salt

WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE INGREDIENTS

  • 2/3 cup heavy cream, heated
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or paste

Instructions

CHOCOLATE CAKE PREP INSTRUCTIONS

  • Whisk together the boiling water and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Set aside and let cool completely.
  • Spray two 6-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350F.

WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE PREP INSTRUCTIONS

  • Heat the cream and ½ tsp salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until boiling.
  • Pour chocolate chips into a medium bowl.
  • Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate chips. Use a spoon or spatula to ensure all chips are completely covered by the cream, then let mixture sit undisturbed for one minute.
  • Use a rubber spatula to slowly stir the cream and chocolate chips together into a smooth, shiny ganache. This will take a few minutes.
  • Once smooth, stir in the ½ tsp vanilla extract.
  • Cover ganache with plastic wrap and place bowl in the fridge until mixture is thick and has cooled, about an hour.

CHOCOLATE CAKE BAKING INSTRUCTIONS

  • Use a hand mixer to cream together the ½ cup butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time, until all ingredients are combined.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, flour, and salt until combined.
  • Alternate beating the flour mixture and the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until you have a smooth chocolate cake batter.
  • Divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake cake layers at 350F for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.
  • Remove cake layers from oven and place pans on cooling rack. Let cake cool in tins for 15 minutes, then run a dull knife around the edges of the pan to release the cake from the sides.
  • Turn out the layers onto the cooling racks and let cool completely before frosting.

WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE – FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Using a stand mixer or hand mixer with a whisk attachment, pour the cooled ganache into a large bowl. Whip the ganache on medium speed. Keep whipping the ganache until it’s light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  • Frost completely cool cake as desired with whipped chocolate ganache.

Notes

The chocolate cake recipe is an adapted version of this recipe.