Small cakes are ideal for small gatherings and celebrations. This one-layer 6 inch chocolate cake serves four people and is ideal for a date night, a Valentine's Day dinner, a small family birthday party, or any other occasion when you need a smaller cake. It's really delicious with chocolate ganache on top. This chocolate cake mix can also be used to make a small batch of cupcakes.

This is a 6 inch chocolate cake with one layer.

We've gotten a lot of requests for smaller versions of generally huge desserts in the last year. Many bakers have been directed to our 6 inch cakes blog post, in which I demonstrate how to turn cupcake batter into a 6 inch layer cake. But what if you don't require all three layers?

Here's how to make a one-layer, six-inch chocolate cake. This recipe was created with Valentine's Day in mind. Isn't it good to make a small cake that doesn't have a lot of leftover slices? However, having a dessert option for small groups, families, celebrations, or simply a casual at-home date night is quite useful.

Details on a Small Chocolate Cake

Flavor: This cake is sweet and deliciously chocolaty, especially when paired with a deep dark chocolate ganache (recipe included below). Before cutting into the cake, let it cool fully. After a few hours, I see that the chocolate flavour has developed.

This cake is soft, creamy, and indulgently moist if it isn't overbaked. Have you ever tried my larger chocolate layer cake with sour cream? The texture is remarkably similar. Unfrosted edges become gently crunchy (in a good way! ), giving each slice a little textural texture.

Ease: This is a fairly doable recipe for new bakers because the cake is so little and no fancy decoration is necessary. The list of ingredients is simple, and you don't even need to use a mixer. Time: This cake recipe will take a few hours to prepare. Because the cake is quite thick, it takes close to 30 minutes to bake completely. The longest period of time, on the other hand, is spent waiting for the cake to cool.

Except for a 6 inch cake pan, no extra equipment is required (affiliate link to the exact cake pans I use and love).

Directions

01.Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 6×2 inch cake pan, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the small cake seamlessly release from the pan. I usually grease it with nonstick spray.

02.Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk together in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth and combined.

03.Pour the cake batter evenly into prepared cake pan. Bake for around 27-30 minutes or until the cake is baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Avoid over-baking. Cake is thick and moist, so the center may slightly sink. That’s normal. Allow cake to cool in the pan set on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.

04.Make the chocolate ganache as the cake cools because the ganache must cool too: Place chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil– that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. With a metal spoon or small rubber spatula, very slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted.

05.Ganache will be thin, so let it cool and thicken for at least 30-60 minutes before using. Refrigerating speeds this up, but the ganache will not cool evenly. Stir it a few times as it sets in the refrigerator so it remains smooth. You can also let the ganache fully cool and thicken (takes about 2 hours). After 2 hours, you can whip the cooled ganache with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until light in color and texture, about 3-4 minutes on medium-high speed. (Whipped ganache can be spread or piped. It is pictured on the cupcakes in the post above. I used Wilton 1M piping tip.)

06.Spread ganache on cooled cake. If ganache has cooled and thickened enough (or if you whipped it), you could pipe it with a piping bag/tip. Decorate with optional garnishes, if desired. Slice and serve.

07.Cover leftover cake tightly and store at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.