Southern Living
Hosting an afternoon tea or a ladies’ luncheon? Looking for a miniature dessert that will impress the crowd? Look no further than these Almond-Coconut Mini Cakes. Instead of baking a show-stopping cake that you’ll have to slice into messy pieces, make these miniature cakes that are mess-free and oh-so-easy to serve. Each guest will be touched to receive his or her own personal dessert—especially when it’s as gorgeous as these mini cakes.
Though they may be little, these cakes certainly don’t lack in flavor. Unlike delicate Angel Food Cakes or petit fours layered with jam, these Almond-Coconut Mini Cakes cater to the chocolate lovers. The cake gains its rich, dark chocolate color from unsweetened cocoa and an extra moist, fluffy texture from a secret ingredient: sour cream. They’re also dynamic in texture, with garnishes of flaked coconut, coarsely chopped almonds, and sweet almond glaze. What are you waiting for? These mini cakes will be the star of your next afternoon soirée.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 (6-cup) mini fluted tube pans with shortening; lightly sprinkle with cocoa. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size bowl; set aside. Mix boiling water and 1/2 cup cocoa in a separate medium-size bowl; stir in sour cream until well blended. Set aside.
Step 2
Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and 1 tsp. almond extract. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended. Alternately add flour mixture and cocoa
mixture at low speed, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in miniature chocolate morsels. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, filling each two-thirds full.
Step 3
Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife around edges. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 45 minutes).
Step 4
Make Almond Glaze: Mix 2 cups powdered sugar, 6 Tbsp. whipping cream, and 1/4 tsp. almond extract in a small bowl until smooth.
Step 5
Drizzle glaze over cakes. Place milk chocolate morsels in a zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal bag. Microwave on HIGH about 1 minute or until softened. Gently squeeze bag until chocolate is smooth; cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate over cakes.
