Chocolate “Cutie Cake” for Two is a 4-inch round two layer cake filled and frosted with Raspberry Buttercream. So what is a Cutie Cake? A cute little cake that will serve 2-4 guests or enough for just a little bit of sweet dessert after dinner. When you don’t want a lot of cake this little Cutie Cake for Two will satisfy your sweet tooth. Everyone who makes and eats these cakes love em.

How to Make a Chocolate “Cutie Cake”

Cutie Cakes also known as lunch box cakes, bento, or small batch baking begin with a 4-inch cake. Whether you like square, round or shaped they are always serve 2-4 guests. This recipe features one 4-inch round cake, cut in half horizontally, spread with raspberry buttercream between the layers and outside of cake. The cute little Valentine sprinkles from Sugar Pop.com features, tiny little edible love note envelopes with a confetti mix of hot pink, bright red, flashy gold, and beaming white sprinkles. 

Equipment needed for this cake includes, 3-4-inch round cake pans, parchment paper rounds and cake boards, piping bag and tip # 6 B, baking sheet, sprinkles.

1.Preheat oven to 350 °F. Position oven rack in center of oven. Lightly spray 3-4″ round cake pans with cooking spray, line bottom with 4″ parchment rounds, place cake pans on large flat baking sheet.

2.In medium microwave safe mixing bowl, add chocolate chips, coffee or hot water, vegetable oil and cocoa powder. Whisk until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.

3.Add to the chocolate mixture; sugar, egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and blended.

4.Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt to cake batter. Gently whisk or use rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients.

5. Divide batter evenly between each 3-4-inch cake pans. Bake cakes on baking sheet at 350° F for 22-25 minutes. Check for doneness with a bounce back on cake when finger touched in center or use a toothpick inserted into center and it comes out with a few moist cooked crumbs. Chocolate can over-bake so be sure to check it at 22 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool.

Note: If you just want to frost and decorate one 4″ cake, wrap the other 2 cakes in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag for up to 3 months. Instructions are for frosting one 4″ cake.

Make the Raspberry Buttercream- Makes enough for one 4″ layer cake

1.In large bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment (a hand mixer works great too with beater attachments) cream together softened butter at medium speed for 3 minutes before adding confectioner’s sugar. Scrape down sides and bottom of mixing bowl and off beater if necessary.

2. Add jam to butter, beat on medium low speed to blend. Add confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, milk and food gel drops. Beat on low speed until full combined and smooth. If you see air bubble, take a rubber spatula and push the frosting against the mixing bowl to remove, keep doing this until bubbles are gone. (bubbles means the frosting was mixed at a higher speed whipping air into the mixture). Beat mixture for 2-3 minutes for a medium smooth consistency, great for piping and frosting cakes.

Assembly

1.Chill one 4″ cake in freezer for 10 minutes, this will help slice the cake horizontally for layers. Place one layer on a 4″ round cake board using a small swipe of buttercream on the board and cake bottom to stick to the round cake board. Frost top of cake layer with buttercream, add second layer. With a thin coat of buttercream, crumb coat the cake. Cool cake in freezer 15  or refrigerate 30 minutes to chill before final buttercream coat to set the frosting.

2.With remaining buttercream using an off set spatula frost and smooth sides and top of cake. To get a smooth finish, dip the off- set spatula in warm water, dry spatula and allow the warm blade smooth sides of cake and top.

3. Fill disposable piping bag with buttercream and tip 6 B, no need for a coupler is using this large tip. however use a coupler for smaller tip # 32. Pipe shell design around outer edge of cake. Sprinkle with decorative sprinkles.  For bottom sides of cake, pour a small handful of sprinkles in your dominate hand, and gently press the sprinkles to the sides of the cake all around. I used Cupids Arrow Sprinkle Mix from Sprinklepop.com.

Tip: Use a large baking sheet to catch the runaway sprinkles when pressing on sides of cake. Place a small glass about 3″ in diameter on the baking sheet, place the cake on top of the glass. Sprinkle away!

7. Serve cake on a pretty 6″ cake stand or as desired.

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Other Ideas You Might Like to Try:

Vanilla Hazelnut Swirl Love Note Cupcakes