Dark Chocolate Cherry Mini Cakes
Dark Chocolate Cherry Mini Cakes | Sinfully good but are in mini form so they won’t hurt your waistline. Usually when I plan desserts for a party I make everything in mini form. That way my guests can sample everyone of my Valentine’s Days Desserts! Plus, they are easy to hold (no fork or plate required).
Have you seen the recently newly released filled morsels from Nestlé? WOW! I love the cherry filled ones! Starting with a cake mix is the perfect way to help with the task of creating a dessert table. You know….80% homemade 20% semi homemade? To make these Dark Chocolate Cherry Mini Cakes I started with a dark chocolate cake mix, added chopped dried sour cherries and some of the Nestlé cherry filled delights. I do have a tip on how to increase the chocolate flavor even more. Adding instant espresso coffee powder to the cake batter! Yep, coffee deepens the chocolate flavor of the cake mix without adding any coffee flavor. Believe me when I say “NO COFFEE FLAVOR”. I am not a coffee drinker so my taste buds are very sensitive to coffee.
Are you ready to create a not only tasty treat but fun to eat treat? Let’s get started and check below for more mini treat ideas!
Dark Chocolate Cherry Mini Cakes
Ingredients
For the Mini Cakes:
- 1 (15.25 ounce) dark chocolate cake mix
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 c vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder
- 1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
- 1 cup Nestle Delightfuls cherry filled morsels
For the Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 (11.5 or 12 ounce) bag semi sweet chocolate chips
Optional:
- sprinkles
Instructions
For the Mini Cakes:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray a mini cake pan with non stick cooking spray.
- To a medium mixing bowl add the cake mix, water, oil, eggs and espresso powder.
- Blend until smooth.
- Stir in the cherries and cherry filled morsels.
- Fill each mini cake well three-fourths full.
- Bake 15 minutes.
- Let cool in pan 10 minute, take out of pan onto a cooling rack and cool completely before adding ganache.
For the Ganache:
- In a medium microwave safe bowl add the cream and chips.
- Microwaved 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- Stir until creamy.
- Refrigerate 10 minutes.
- Drizzle over cooled cakes and add sprinkles.
Notes
This recipe is from Lady Behind The Curtain
MORE MINI TREAT RECIPES
1. SUGAR COOKIE LEMON TARTS 2. MINI CINNAMON ROLLS 3. RED VELVET MINI BITES
These are so cute, Sheryl! I love the ganache!
So pretty and perfect for Valentine’s Day! 🙂
They are soooo cute, I love mini treats Sheryl!!
Very creative – looks yummy. Are those little mini bundt cake pans?? I have some of those and if it’s okay to use those I am going to make these today!!
Yes Donna, I did use a pan with mini bundt cakes.
So these are about the size of a cupcake? Looks delicious!
Hi MB, Yes, I would say they come close to the size of a regular size cupcake.
How many does it make?
Hi Diane, The recipe makes 30 cakes.
Hello I am trying to make this for my boyfriend for his birthday but I can’t find the cherry filled morsels anywhere what can I substitute it with?
Hi Kaylie,
How about adding some maraschino cherries and mini or regular size chocolate chips? I recommend cutting the cherries into chunks and drying them with a paper towel before adding them to the batter.