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This Chocolate Cake for Two the perfect small batch dessert. This cake is perfectly moist, chocolate flavor with the most decadent crumb. On top, are piped out roses, topped with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.
I’m a lover girl, certified Libra for life so obviously I love Valentine’s Day. I love to express love in forms of food all the time. Whether it’s for my boyfriend or friends for Galentine’s Day, I love to whip up Lasagna for Two, Pasta alla Vodka and for dessert this chocolate cake for two.
How to Make Chocolate Cake for Two
- This cake (minus the frosting), is a one-bowl chocolate cake. Blessed!
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. We have the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and instant espresso powder.
- Pour in the buttermilk, warm water, eggs, olive oil and mix.
- This cake batter will be super runny. It might be alarmingly runny but don’t worry–that’s what ensures it to be oh so good!
- Bake it! I baked this cake in two 6-inch pans. You can also bake this in a 8×8-inch pan or a 9×9-inch pan.
- When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, remove them from the oven.
- You want to cool the cake in the pans for 5 to 7 minutes. Then invert them onto cooling racks and let them come to room temperature until you smother on the frosting!
Recipe Tip
To Make this Cake Ahead:
- You can freeze these cake layers up to 3 months ahead. Bake the cakes, allow them to come to room temperature and then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
- The frosting can be made up to 3 months ahead. Make the frosting, transfer to a freezer-safe container and transfer to freezer.
- To keep in the fridge: make the cake layers up to 2 days ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Frosting can also be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.ย
Recipe FAQs
Can I use another pan?
Yes, you bake it in a 8×8-inch cake pan, like my Mini Chocolate Sheet Cake. You can also double it and bake it in a 9×13-inch cake pan to make my One Bowl Chocolate Sheet Cake.
f you tried thisย Chocolate Cake For Two recipeย or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟ย star ratingย and let me know how it went in the 📝ย commentsย below. Thanks for visiting!
Chocolate Cake For Two Recipe
This Chocolate Cake for Two the perfect small batch dessert. This cake is perfectly moist, chocolate-y with the most decadent crumb. On top, are piped out roses, topped with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup baking cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon, buttermilk
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon, warm water
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 ounces dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Flakey sea salt, for topping
Instructions
To Make the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 6-inch cake pans. This batter is sticky so I also lined the bottoms with parchment. I highly recommend this. You donโt want to bake the whole thing up and have it stick. Set the pans aside. See below for link in the *notes* on baking cake layers flat. I do this every single time and itโs SO helpful.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand-up mixer (with the paddle attachment), add the all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined. Next, crack in the egg, pour in the buttermilk, warm water, olive oil and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth, about 1 minute. The batter will be thinner than cake batter that youโre probably used toโthatโs ok!
- Divide the cake batter amongst the two cake pans and transfer to the oven to bake for 27 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Clean out the bowl you used to make the cake and dry it thoroughly. While the cake is cooling, use it to make the frosting.
To Make the Frosting:
- Add all of the ingredients to the the cleaned large bowl or the bowl of the stand-up mixer (with the paddle attachment), add the butter, powdered sugar, melted chocolate, cream or milk and vanilla extract. Beat until thoroughly combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix one last time, just to ensure everything is combined.
To Decorate the Cake:
- Add a few tablespoons of frosting to the center of one of the rounds of cake. Smooth it around, until it reaches the edges. Add a pinch of salt all around. Place the second layer on top. Since I was going for a โnaked cakeโ look, I added more frosting to the seam of the two cakes and smoothed it all around. Neat is not the goal!
- Add the remaining frosting to piping bag with a star tip attached. In the center of the top layer of cake, pipe out a rose by starting in the center and going all the way around twice. Complete the cake by adding smaller roses around the center rose. Donโt be shy to practice on a piece of parchment first and then simply add the frosting back to the piping bagโno waste!
- Top the cake with a sprinkling of flaked sea salt.
Notes
Baking Flat Layer Cakes:ย
How to Bake Flat Layer Cakesย
To Make this Cake Ahead:
- You can freeze these cake layers up to 3 months ahead. Bake the cakes, allow them to come to room temperature and then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
- The frosting can be made up to 3 months ahead. Make the frosting, transfer to a freezer-safe container and transfer to freezer.
- To keep in the fridge: make the cake layers up to 2 days ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Frosting can also be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.ย
Nutrition
Calories: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 760IU | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this Recipe? Please Rate & comment below!
This cake was fabulous! Moist and delicious. Thank you for a recipe thatโs just enough for a small family! Definitely will make again and again.
Thank you for this perfect recipe! I will try it this weekend)
Could you please tell how many gram one cup is?
This cake! Decadently delicious!
I only have a 6 inch cheese cake pan would that work? Also I would have to bake it one at a time since I only
Have one pan. Also it says cake for 2 but it says 6 servings?can you explain please
Thank you
hmm that could work but i would recommend baking each layer separately vs. one single layer. i think you’ll find that the outside of the cake will be kinda dry compared to the center.
Iโm baking this for my friendโs birthday, I only have one 6โ pan, how do I reserve the second batch of batter so I can reuse the same pan.
you can just keep it in the prep bowl while the single cake layer bakes up. and then when the cake is mostly cool, invert it onto a cooling rack, clean the baking pan and fill it up! it’s not the most ideal situation but it should be fine.
I tried this recipe out, and followed everything pretty exactly. The final product looked beautiful but the cake itself was a little dry. Suggestions?
Excited to make other tiny cakes! This really is a perfect size for 2-4.
I received 6 inch cake pans for Mother’s day this year and couldn’t wait to try them. Been trying to eat healthier, but I will splurge once a month and this cake was my splurge. I didn’t have espresso powder, so I used regular coffee and I skipped the sea salt as I didn’t have any of it.
This cake is awesome! I love it! And so did my 4.5 year old granddaughter. Mine wasn’t as pretty as yours, but I tried. Lol.
Definitely going to keep this recipe. Thank you sooo much!
Can I use 6×2 round cake pans?
that should work!
Thank you. Making this cake with whipped cream strawberry frosting for Easter.
This cake is beautiful! Iโm thinking about making it for a birthday. Any chance you could provide a link to the type of flaked salt you referenced?
Thanks!
I used Maldon but any flaky sea salt will do ๐
Where do you buy your dutch cocoa powder and espresso powder?
You can find them at any regular grocery store!
Can you use regular cocoa powder and espresso?