Mini Tuxedo Cakes For Two

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow… But that’s all good, because today I have the weeks chocolate pièce de résistance! Mini Tuxedo Cakes For Two. If this doesn’t take your Valentines Day over the top, honestly, you’re just sunk. Sunk I tell you. 

We’ve got two layers of dark chocolate cake here. An inner layer of vanilla whipped cream. Then the whole darn thing is frosted with mocha ganache, because omg you guys, I am now totally addicted to mocha ganache. Those dipped strawberries from Wednesday? I’m not even going to tell you how many I ate in a sitting. Let’s just say it was worse then Monday’s ultra decadent brownies.

It has been a dangerous week for chocolate my friends. It’s actually a really good think Valentine’s Day is tomorrow because I’m going to need to work on some lighter healthier fare next week. Meanwhile, enjoy and Happy Valentines Day! 

Mini Tuxedo Cakes For Two – Yields two mini cakes. 

Cake:

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon coco
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 and 1/2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped coarsely (I used Ghirardelli 86% dark)
• 2 tablespoons of butter, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1 egg yolk from a large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 

Filling:

• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 

Ganache:

• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350* and place the oven rack in the top center position. Grease two cups of a jumbo muffin pan well with canola oil or butter and set aside. 

2. In a small bowl combine all dry ingredients: flour, sugar, coco, baking powder, and salt. Mix well to evenly distribute the ingredients. In a second small bowl add the egg yolk and measure out the vanilla, and yogurt. Mix together well. Set both bowls aside near your workspace. 

3. In a medium sized mixing bowl place the coarsely chopped chocolate and the butter pieces. Pour the boiling water over the butter and chocolate and mix until the chocolate and butter have melted and combined. Pour in the bowl of dry ingredients, and the bowl of additional wet ingredients. Mix until a smooth runny batter is formed. 

4. Distribute the batter evenly between the two prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes away clean. Allow to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Run a knife gently around the edges of the cups and gently remove the cakes from the pan. Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack. When the cakes are fully cool slice in half using either a very sharp knife or thread.

Filling:

1. Add the whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla to a medium sized mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or wire whisk to beat until still peaked whipped cream is formed, 5-12 minutes. Refrigerate the whipped cream until ready to fill the cake. 

2.  To fill:

• Use a rubber spatula to brush a thick (think about 3/4 to and inch thick) even layer of whipped cream on the bottom layer of cake.
• Gently set the top layer on the whipped cream and press gently.
• Use the spatula to add additional whipped cream to any holes that are left in the whipped cream layer when viewing the cake from the side.
• Run the spatula around the outside of the cake to remove any whipped cream that has fallen out from between the two layers, and ensure the filling layer sits flush with the cake layers.

Ganache: 

1. Over a double boiler, melt together chocolate, espresso powder, and cream. Stir frequently, until well combined. 

2. To frost the cakes:

• Allow the ganache to cool slightly before frosting to prevent the whipped cream layer from melting.
• The ganache should be thick, but still pour smoothly.
• Pour about 1/4 of the ganache on the top center of the cake.
• Use a rubber spatula to move the ganache gently to the edges of the cake. Allow the ganache to run down the sides of the cake.
• Run the spatula along the outside of the cake to spread the ganache. Some of the whipped cream from the filling may mix in with the ganache as you spread. This is ok.
• Pour the ganache a second time again using about 1/4 of the ganache, again coax the dance over the edges of the cake using the spatula.
• Use the spatula to brush the ganache evenly around the side of the cake. This should cover any whipped cream that has mixed in with the first layer of ganache. 

3.  After frosting chill the cakes for at least 30 minutes to allow the ganache to set.