These cardamom spiced chocolate cakes are soft and moist with a rich, chocolate flavor, bits of chocolate mixed throughout the batter, and they’re topped with a sweet and tart pomegranate frosting that makes these Cardamom and Pomegranate Chocolate Cakes absolutely impossible to resist. Not to mention, mini cakes are just adorable.
These cakes. They are just too cute to resist. There’s just something about a mini loaf, or about a cupcake, that makes the perfect canvas for playing around with piping. No two ever look the same when I’m making them because it’s just so much fun to play around with different tips and combinations–something that can be a bit daunting with a full sized cake. Plus, I always find that when I’m making a large cake it’s almost always for someone’s birthday and there’s pressure to make it look nice. If I want to share these mini cakes, I can keep the ones I don’t like as much for myself.
Enough about how adorable these are though. It’s more about taste than looks after all, isn’t it? These cakes are so soft and delicious with a dark, rich chocolate flavor. Spiced with cardamom, there’s a slight citrusy floral note that just pairs so well with the sweet and tart bite of pomegranate in the frosting. I even added a few pieces of roasted and salted pistachios on the top for a bit of texture and nutty flavor that just complements these cakes so well. The pistachios are optional if you don’t have them on hand.
This recipe can also easily be converted to a cupcake recipe and will yield about 2 dozen cupcakes. They bake for a slightly shorter time–18-21 minutes.
To make the pomegranate frosting, I use pomegranate juice that has been reduced down into a thick syrup. This gives an extra punch of flavor without adding too must liquid to the frosting recipe, which means you don’t need to overcompensate for how wet it is by adding more powdered sugar. Frostings have a tendency to be over-sweet, but I love how the pomegranate adds a bit of tartness to this so that the sweetness of the frosting balances perfectly with the rich, dark chocolate, floral flavors in the cake.
This is a great little cake to have while you curl up with a coffee and a good book (or movie) and take some time to wind down and treat yourself.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20-23 minutes |
| Servings |
mini loaf cakes
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- 250 grams self-rising flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 125 mL vegetable oil
- 175 mL freshly brewed coffee
- 100 grams Dutch-process coca powder
- 150 grams dark chocolate melted
- 250 grams light brown sugar
- 4 eggs large, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 150 mL sour cream room temperature
- 100 grams dark or semisweet chocolate chips
- 180 mL pomegranate juice (2-3 Tbsp reduced pomegranate juice)
- 170 grams unsalted butter softened
- 600 grams powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3-4 Tbsp milk
Ingredients
Cardamom Chocolate Cakes
Pomegranate Frosting
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- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease/spray a mini loaf pan and set aside.
- Sift the self-rising flour, salt, cardamom, baking powder, and baking soda into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix the dry ingredients on low until blended.
- Add the vegetable oil and mix until the dry ingredients are fully coated. You'll have what looks like a thick paste.
- In a small bowl or a large measuring cup, whisk/stir together the fresh brewed coffee and the cocoa powder until combined. You will have a thick liquid. Add the coffee and cocoa powder mix to the bowl of the mixer along with the melted dark chocolate and beat at a low to medium speed. Add the light brown sugar and beat on medium-high until combined.
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the four eggs and the vanilla extract. Add a little of the eggs and a little of the sour cream to the mixing bowl. Beat until combined. Continue to add the eggs and sour cream a little at a time until the batter is completely combined; scrape down the sides as needed. Add in the chocolate chips and mix on low until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Fill each cavity of the mini loaf pan about 3/4 of the way full--I usually use 2 large ice cream scoops or a 2 large spoonfuls. Once filled, gently tap the baking pan on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. (If making cupcakes, fill each well with one large scoop of batter)*
- Bake on the center rack for 20-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs. Allow to cool in the pan about 3 minutes and then gently tip the cakes out of the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small saucepan, bring the pomegranate juice to a boil. Lower to a simmer and leave to bubble for 8-10 minutes, until the juice has reduced to half. You should have a thick syrup--if you take a spatula or a spoon to give the juice a stir, it should coat the bottom of the pan and stick to the spatula. Remove the syrup from the heat and leave to cool. You should have 1 1/2-2 Tbsp remaining.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the softened butter until smooth, about 3-5 minutes on high.
- Add the powdered sugar in a little at a time (I usually do this in 4 steps). Mix on low until the sugar begins to combine with the butter, then turn the mixer up to high. After the second addition of powdered sugar, add in the reduced pomegranate juice and the salt. Beat until fully combined. Add in the rest of the powdered sugar a little at a time, starting on low and increasing the speed to high as the sugar begins to incorporate. If your buttercream is a bit stiff, add in the milk 1 Tbsp at a time until you have a smooth and pipe-able consistency.
- Pipe or spread the frosting over the top of the cardamom chocolate cakes and enjoy!
*This recipe will also make 24 cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tray with cupcake liners. Fill each liner 3/4 of the way full, about one large scoop or 2-3 Tbsp each. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 18-21 minutes until the cupcakes are domed. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with just a couple of crumbs and the tops should be firm and spring back when touched.