Treat you and yours to these delicious Raspberry Valentine's Day Bundt Cakes! Moist mini chocolate bundt cakes are topped with a luscious layer of homemade raspberry chocolate buttercream.
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Mini raspberry bundt cakes
Bundt cakes are one of my go-to desserts no matter the occasion because they’re simple, moist, and flavorful. They don’t need any fancy decoration either, but cream cheese frosting or glaze never hurts when you want to take the bundt cake eating experience to an entirely different level.
These Raspberry Valentine's Day Bundt Cakes are special because they’re easy to bake and oh-so festive.They're great to serve at special occasions, like a bridal shower, mother's day brunch, or as an alternative for birthday cakes! Imagine rich, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake topped with a fluffy chocolate raspberry buttercream frosting, raspberries, and a nostalgic candy heart! Adorable, right?
They’re the perfect addition to your Valentine’s Day dessert table, along with other Valentine's day dessert recipes like dark chocolate and raspberry macarons and cherry chocolate mini cakes. Still, these tasty cakes are great year-round.
Ingredient notes
This chocolate bundt cake recipe is fantastic as is, but the homemade raspberry chocolate buttercream frosting is an added bonus! They’re both easy to make using baking staples, like:
- Flour - All purpose flour is the best for achieving this fluffy, tender crumb. If you need the cakes to be gluten free, try replacing the AP flour with a gluten free 1:1 flour blend.
- Brown sugar - The added molasses in brown sugar adds a sweeter, more caramel-like flavor to the cake. You can sub granulated sugar, but the taste and texture will be somewhat different.
- Cocoa powder - Because cocoa powder is the star of this cake, it’s essential for you to use a good one. Go with a dutch-processed cocoa powder for the richest flavor!
- Buttermilk - This adds a subtle, pleasant tang to bundt cakes as well as a rich, buttery mouth-feel. Want to make your own buttermilk from scratch? Check out my guide for making homemade buttermilk or vegan buttermilk!
- Vanilla bean paste - Intensifies the decadent flavors. You can also use vanilla extract.
- Chocolate - I used melted milk chocolate to add in a layer of sweet and gooey chocolatey goodness. Feel free to use semi-sweet or dark instead.
- Coffee - Coffee (or espresso) intensifies the flavor of chocolate while keeping the cake super soft and tender. You won’t taste the coffee, but you’ll definitely taste the chocolate!
- Raspberry chocolate buttercream - You’ll need butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and chocolate for the homemade frosting. I like using Raspberry Valrhona Chocolate.
- Garnish - Fresh, tart raspberries, freeze-dried raspberry powder, lemon zest and conversation hearts are the perfect toppings on this Valentine’s Day dessert. Add a touch of melted white chocolate, raspberry puree or ice cream if you want to kick it up a notch!
How to make mini raspberry bundt cakes
Follow these step-by-step instructions to make this extra special dessert (head to the recipe card for more details!).
Step 1: Combine dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
Step 2: Combine wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla bean paste together until smooth.
Step 3: Mix dry and wet mixture. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture and stir to combine with a whisk or an electric mixer. Stir in the melted dark chocolate.
Step 4: Transfer the batter and bake. Pour the batter into greased mini prepared bundt pan and bake. When they’re done, let the cake cool in their molds for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 5: Make the frosting. Beat the butter in a bowl until smooth. Mix in half of the powdered sugar. To finish, add the rest of the sugar, vanilla bean paste, and melted raspberry chocolate and beat until the frosting is thick and fluffy.
Step 6: Decorate cakes. Pipe or spread the frosting on top of the cooled cakes and top with a raspberry and a conversation heart once the cake has completely cooled for best results. Serve and enjoy!
Looking to create delicious and homemade garnishes to elevate your creations? Try adding Sugared Flowers, Candied Rose Petals, Dried Orange Slices or Sugared berries!
Tips and tricks
- Work with room temperature ingredients - Set all of the refrigerated ingredients out beforehand to bring them to room temperature. This makes them so much easier to work with and allows for even baking and a cohesive mixing process!
- Grease your bundt pans really well - Unmolding bundt cakes in one piece can be challenging if the mini bundt cake pans aren't greased well. Be sure to coat every nook and cranny of the prepared pan in butter or non-stick baking spray.
- Check for doneness with a toothpick - Your cakes are finished when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean or with some dry crumbs attached.
Toppings and garnish variations
Adapt this recipe for any holiday or occasion by using different toppings and garnishes. Check out the list below for some more ways to decorate your mini chocolate cakes:
- Ganache - Drizzle a smooth chocolate ganache or glaze over each cake. The dark chocolate ganache on this holiday tart would be perfect.
- Raspberry buttercream - Hold the chocolate and make your frosting all about the raspberries.
- Berries and whipped cream - Forget the icing and top the cakes with a dollop of whipped cream. Decorate each with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries and enjoy!
- Powdered sugar - Sifted over the tops.
- Toppings with texture - Take it up a notch with candied rose petals, shaved chocolate, chopped nuts, sprinkles, etc.
Frequently asked questions
Even if your bundt cake pan is non-stick, chances are that unmolding will still be a challenge if your pan isn’t greased. Be sure to coat every groove in the pan with butter or cooking spray.
Begin checking for doneness with a toothpick at 16 minutes. They shouldn’t take much longer than 20 minutes. Preventing the cakes from over baking will allow for a moist cake!
You can, but you’ll need to adjust the baking times accordingly. Use the list below as a starting guide:
Round cake pan: 30 to 35 minutes
Large sheet pan: 30 to 35 minutes
Loaf pan: 35 to 40 minutes
Cupcakes: 15 to 20 minutes.
Once your cakes are frosted and decorated, they’re best kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. Another option is freezing the cakes without frosting for up to 2 months and then frosting them after they’ve been thawed.
More cake recipes to try
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try the recipe for these Raspberry Valentine's Day Bundt Cakes, please leave a review or share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Raspberry Valentine's Day Bundt Cakes
Equipment
- Mini Bundt Cake Pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Mini Cakes
- ⅔ Cup (83.33 g) All-Purpose Flour
- ⅔ Cup (146.67 g) Brown Sugar
- ⅔ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ⅓ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Cup (43 g) Cocoa Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ Cup (80 g) Buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp. Grapeseed or Canola Oil
- 1 Large Egg, Room Temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
- ¼ Cup (45 g) Milk Chocolate, Melted and Cooled
- ⅓ Cup (78 g) Espresso or Coffee
Raspberry Chocolate Buttercream
- ½ cup (114 g) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 1 cups (120 g) Powdered Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup (87 g) Raspberry Valrhona Chocolate Or chocolate of your choosing, Or chocolate of your choosing - melted
Garnish
- Raspberries, freeze dried raspberry powder and conversation hearts to garnish
Instructions
- Chocolate Mini Cakes
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.⅔ Cup All-Purpose Flour, ⅔ Cup Brown Sugar, ⅔ teaspoon Baking Soda, ⅓ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ Cup Cocoa Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
- In a separate bowl whisk together the Buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla bean paste until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until fully incorporated.⅓ Cup Buttermilk, 2 Tbsp. Grapeseed or Canola Oil, 1 Large Egg, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
- Add the melted dark chocolate and coffee - then mix to combine.¼ Cup Milk Chocolate, ⅓ Cup Espresso or Coffee
- Add batter into your greased molds until ⅔ full and bake for 16-20 minutes - testing for doneness with a toothpick before removing from the oven.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack.
Raspberry Chocolate Buttercream
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.½ cup Unsalted Butter
- Add approximately half of the powdered sugar and beat again. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the rest of the powdered sugar. Continue beating for about a minute, scraping the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.1 cups Powdered Sugar
- Finally, add the vanilla paste and melted raspberry chocolate and continue beating until the frosting is thick and fluffy. Pipe or spread on top of your cooled cakes, top with a raspberry and conversation heart and enjoy!1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract, ½ cup Raspberry Valrhona Chocolate Or chocolate of your choosing, Raspberries, freeze dried raspberry powder and conversation hearts to garnish
Notes
- Work with room temperature ingredients - Set all of the refrigerated ingredients out beforehand to bring them to room temperature. This makes them so much easier to work with and allows for even baking.
- Grease your bundt pans really well - Unmolding bundt cakes in one piece can be challenging if the pan isn’t greased well. Be sure to coat every nook and cranny in butter or non-stick baking spray.
- Check for doneness with a toothpick - Your cakes are finished when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean or with some dry crumbs attached.
- How do you keep a mini bundt cake from sticking? Even if your bundt cake pan is non-stick, chances are that unmolding will still be a challenge if your pan isn’t greased. Be sure to coat every groove in the pan with butter or cooking spray.
- How long do you bake mini chocolate bundt cakes? Begin checking for doneness with a toothpick at 16 minutes. They shouldn’t take much longer than 20 minutes.
- How do you store mini bundt cakes? Once your cakes are frosted and decorated, they’re best kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. Another option is freezing the cakes without frosting for up to 2 months and then frosting them after they’ve been thawed.
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