I’m always looking for shortcuts when I bake, and I knew that when I decided I’d make three different mini cakes for my brother’s birthday, there was no way I’d make three separate batches. That’s just too much work, and too much math when dividing a batch by three! Instead I made one base batch, then split it up into three and adjusted accordingly.
It worked perfectly.
I made chocolate cake with mint icing, vanilla cake with lemon icing and lemon cake with cream cheese icing. Here’s how I made the base batch and divided it into three separate flavours.
Single Batch Mini Cakes
Author: Squirrelly Minds
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
Base Batch
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 1⅓ cups flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
*ADDITIONS*
Vanilla Batch
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Lemon Batch
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- ¼ teaspoon yellow gel dye
Chocolate Batch
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Base Icing
- 2 cups butter
- 4 cups icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
*ADDITIONS*
Mint Icing
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ teaspoon green food colouring
Lemon Icing
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Cream Cheese Icing
- ½ cup cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 3 tin cans
- Whisk the milk and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl. Set aside for a few minutes to curdle
- Add the sugar, oil and vanilla to the milk mixture. Sift in the dry ingredients and beat until there are no large lumps left (small ones are fine)
- Evenly separate into three batches (two extra bowls) and add your additional ingredients for a vanilla, chocolate, and lemon cake
- Pour each batch into a tin can and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. When ready, transfer to a cooling rack and let it cool completely before cutting the cake into three parts
- Spread a generous amount of icing on each cake slice and layer.
Icing
- Cream the butter thoroughly using a stand mixer or hand blender. ½C at a time, add the icing sugar and keep mixing until you get your desired icing texture.
- If it becomes to stiff, mix in a tbsp of water at a time to make your icing softer.
- Separate into three batches (two bowls) and add the additional ingredients for mint, chocolate, and cream cheese icing. Mix thoroughly
Andif you want to add a little fun, top your mini cakes with this tassel garland. It just instantly turns cute into even cuter.
Happy baking!
What are your top 3 cake flavours?
These are so pretty and festive! What a smart idea to split one batch into three favors. Chocolate cake with mint frosting sounds amazing!
I avoid a multitude of dishes at any cost 😉
That looks so delicious- Well done! 🙂
Thanks Stacey!