Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes
July 4: American Independence Day
Happy 250th birthday, USA! This definitely calls for a celebration with festive foods decked out in red, white and blue! Instead of a birthday cake, Islander made mini chocolate Bundt cakes and decorated them in the national flag’s colors to share with family, friends and neighbors for a patriotic birthday party. Enjoy these basic chocolate Bundts in tiny treat sizes on USA’s Independence Day. God bless America!
Recipe
(Adapted from The Pampered Chef)
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour, all purpose
- ½ teaspoon baking power
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- ¾ – 1 cup sugar, granulated white
- ½ cup strong coffee (we used leftover Kona coffee)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup plain yogurt
Directions
Mist the wells of the mini Bundt cake pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the cocoa powder, butter and coffee. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave until the butter is melter (around 2-3 minutes). Remove from the microwave and stir well.
Add the sugar and salt and stir until well combined. Beat in the egg. Stir in the vanilla.
Add yogurt and the flour mixture and mix well. Place batter into the Bundt pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from the oven. Let cakes sit for 5 minutes in the pan before removing carefully. Cool cakes on a wire rack. Decorate as desired.
Decoration Ideas
- Ganache glaze
- Confetti sprinkles and non-pareils
- Fondant flowers
Ingredients for Ganache
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 bar (4 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate (we used Baker’s brand), coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup (optional to make the glaze shiny)
Directions
In a medium size microwave-safe bowl, place the whipping cream with the chocolate pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave at medium heat at 30-second intervals, mixing each time, until melted. Remove from the microwave and stir in corn syrup.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes to thicken slightly—check the consistency that it is still pourable over the mini Bundt cakes but not yet thickened (if the latter is the case, microwave for a few seconds until pourable and wait to thicken slightly). Spoon over the tops of the cakes and let drip down the sides. While still tacky, add confetti sprinkles and non-pareils.
For the Fondant Flowers
- Fondant (white)
- Food coloring (red and blue)
- Clear or white tube piping gel
- Edible pearls (for the fondant flower centers)
Directions
Use gloves to knead fondant with food coloring (if not using premade colors). On a clean surface dusted with powdered sugar, roll out fondant into a flat strip about 1/16-inch thick. Use small flower cutters to cut shapes.
Place each on a sponge and use the small ball fondant tool to press down the middle. Dry on a platter until ready to use. Use a little melted chocolate to stick the dried fondant flower on the glazed mini chocolate Bundt cakes. Arrange the other flowers as desired. Dot a little piping gel in the center of the flowers. Place edible pearls in the center to finish decorating.
Notes
- Fondant premade in different colors may be purchased at local grocers. We started with white fondant, pinching off a golf-ball size piece, and coloring in red and blue.
- Change up the colors of the fondant flowers and sprinkles to customize for different party theme. Islander made orange flowers and sprinkles for her high school reunion (orange and black/dark chocolate colors).
- Search our blog for other patriotic red, white and blue decorated recipes for July 4 Independence Day.
HI COOKERY 