These mini chocolate Valentine’s cakes are rich, moist and very chocolatey. A whipped dark chocolate ganache makes the recipe extra lush. Their small elegant bite-size makes them easy to eat and with no inhibiting cases to dispose of, these cupcakes are the perfect finger food.
Astonishingly, this blog is five years old today. To celebrate, rather than a St Valentine’s Day Massacre, I’ve engineered something all together more festive.
Chocolate Log Blog Is Five
The simple truth is, that despite the many, many things I’ve baked and prepared over the past five years, I’ve hardly scratched the surface of chocolate cookery. This is a good thing, I reckon, because, unlike Valentine’s Day ephemera, chocolate will never ever lose its appeal. Drawing on the collective brilliance of contributors to We Should Cocoa, the many excellent food blogs and chocolate cookbooks, my own creations and adaptations, there is not a chance that I will run out of things to make in the next five or even fifty years.
Another year on and I and my Chocolate Log Blog have notched up a few more achievements. As well as making it into the top twenty of Wikio’s gastronomy blogs I’m also in Cision’s top ten UK confectionery and baking blogs. I was chuffed to bits to reach #3 in the Foodies100 Top Twenty UK Food Blogs for 2013. Not only that I was also in their Top Twenty Food Bloggers on Twitter too.
I didn’t think things could get any better, but it turned out they absolutely did. The January edition of Cornwall Today featured Chocolate Log Blog as one of the best five Cornish blogs. Wow and I didn’t even bribe them with cake. You can see the article on the author’s site at Saffron Bunny.
I also had another recipe published, this time in the Plymouth Herald. Maybe not quite as prestigious as the Clandestine Cake Club Cookbook, but still very pleasing.
Two big events stood out: I baked an astonishing number of things both for a grand party and a market stall. It was a lot of hard work, but very satisfying to see it all disappear with complimentary comments all round.
I continue to attend Cornwall Clandestine Cake Club whenever I’m able and try to take part in as many blog challenges as I can. This past year has seen a prodigious proliferation of these, so I’m amazed to have done as many as I have.
Living in remote Cornwall, I don’t get out very often, but I did manage to make it up to Cheltenham to meet some of my food blogging chums in June last year. We’ve also had a few events down in this part of the world where I’ve got to meet-up with bloggers old and new. The trip to Riverford was a particularly good one and the chocolate workshop with Nicky Grant was a real pleasure.
Cornwall has food festivals aplenty, but scattered as they are, I don’t get to many of them. Having heard from Fiona of London Unattached just how good the Boscastle one was, I made it there last year for the first time. She was right, it was a great festival with plenty to see and do and the setting is lovely. I had the added bonus of meeting up with her as well as Nat from the HungryHinny.
Thanks go, as always, to you my readers and fellow food bloggers. I would most certainly not have had the fortitude to have continued without your support, participation and comments.
As an extra chocolatey treat, I have picked ten super scrumptious chocolatey posts from other UK bloggers to hopefully inspire you over at Foodies 100 – Ten at Ten: the chocolate edition.
Mini Chocolate Valentine’s Cakes
So to celebrate Chocolate Log Blog’s Birthday as well as Valentine’s Day and give CT something to munch on (he has offered both me and my blog invaluable support after all), I have made these little chocolate Valentine’s cakes. Dark and lush as befits this day of love.
The cake recipe I adapted from one in Treat Petite by Fiona Pearce. Here’s my review of this newly published book, in case you fancy a gander. The whipped dark chocolate ganache, however, I made up myself from some leftover chocolate sauce I’d made for another recipe (soon to be appearing on the blog).
The cakes are rich, moist and very chocolatey. The small elegant bite-sized cakes are easy to eat and with no inhibiting cases to dispose of make for perfect finger food. CT has given them his seal of approval by downing several in quick succession and declaring them better than any bunch of roses.
Just in time to make these and as a wonderful Valentine’s gift, I received a lovely bundle of chocolate goodies and hearts from Dr Oetker, including some heart-shaped marshmallows which were fun.
Fancy decorating has never been my strong point. For this special occasion, however, I thought I’d pull out the stops and pipe the ganache on top of the cakes, using my new Lékué silicone decomax (review to follow in an upcoming post).
Other Valentine’s Day Recipes You Might Like
- Chocolate peanut butter ice cream sundae
- Coffee biscuits sandwiched with whipped coffee chocolate ganache
- Mexican chocolate pudding with chilli & lime mango
- Triple chocolate layer cake
- Valentine’s chocolate heart cakes
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these chocolate Valentine’s cakes, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Or why not join the conversation in our Healthy Vegetarian Whole Food Recipes Facebook Group?
If you’d like more cupcake recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Chocolate Valentine’s Cakes. PIN IT.
Chocolate Valentine’s Cakes – The Recipe
Chocolate Valentine’s Cakes
Ingredients
Cakes
- 60 g dark chocolate (I used 70%)
- 160 ml strong black coffee
- 90 g unsalted butter softened
- 225 g dark brown sugar (I used muscovado sugar)
- 2 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 100 g flour (I used half wholemeal spelt and half white)
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 40 g ground almonds
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- 150 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 115 g dark chocolate (I used 85%)
- 1 ½ tbsp maple syrup*
- 2 tbsp strong black coffee
Instructions
Cakes
- Melt the chocolate in a pan over a low heat with the coffee. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat.60 g dark chocolate, 160 ml strong black coffee
- Cream the butter together with the sugar until pale and fluffy.90 g unsalted butter, 225 g dark brown sugar
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time.2 large eggs
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and ground almonds and stir until everything is just incorporated.100 g flour, ¾ tsp baking powder, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 40 g ground almonds
- Spoon into 24 mini cupcake moulds filling them to about ¾ full. Spoon the rest into 8 mini cupcake moulds or 4 full-sized ones.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for about 15 minutes until well risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the moulds for a couple of minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- Melt the chocolate in the cream and maple syrup in a small pan over a gently heat. As soon as the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat and give a good stir.150 ml double cream (heavy cream), 115 g dark chocolate, 1 ½ tbsp maple syrup*
- Leave in the fridge to set.
- As soon as it’s set, use electric beaters to whip it up with the cooled coffee until it’s light and moussy.2 tbsp strong black coffee
- Use a knife or spoon to spread the ganache over the cooled cakes. Alternatively pipe it on instead.
- Decorate with the hearts of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sharing these mini chocolate valentine’s cakes with Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary for her Valentine’s Day baking inspiration blog hop.
Chocolate is quite rightly the theme for this month’s Tea Time Treats over at Lavender and Lovage. This is a monthly event to load a tea table with more goodies than it can possible manage. Karen’s partner in crime is Jane over at The Hedgecombers.
I’m submitting these mini cakes to the No Waste Food Challenge as I had some leftover chocolate sauce that needed using up. It would, er, obviously, have gone to waste if I hadn’t used it up in this recipe 😉 Normally hosted at Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary, this month Fiona of London Unattached is taking the reigns.
I’m also submitting these cupcakes to Credit Crunch Munch for the same reason as above. It just so happens that I omitted the cupcake cases and saved a few pennies by so doing. I was really quite pleased with their naked appearance.
Elizabeth says
Congratulations on your fantastic achievements over the last year – you must be so proud! 🙂 Thank you for linking up with the No waste food challenge xx
London Unattached Food says
oh and I just noticed you’ve entered it for the No Waste Food Challenge! Thanks;) a worthy use of your leftover chocolate sauce (especially as I’d probably have eaten it!) – and happy birthday from me too!
Nayna Kanabar says
Happy 5th Birthday wishing you lots more happy blogging years. Please do send this post to Lets cook sweet treats for valentine event at simply.food.
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
Happy birthday. And what a fab way to celebrate.
Choclette says
Thanks Manjirik. Cakes look cute in wraps, but they look quite cute out of them too I reckon.
ManjiriK - sliceoffme says
Happy Bloggy Bday ! Those cute mini cakes look delicious and yay to no paper wraps around them !
Alison says
Happy fifth blog birthday and what gorgeous cakes
Choclette says
Thank you Alison 🙂
London Unattached Travel Blog says
I’m fascinated by the Lékué silicone decomax – and resisting the temptation to look in too much detail at the cakes!!!
Choclette says
So far, I’ve been quite impressed by the decomax. I’ve not really got on well with piping bags which I find really messy and difficult to use, but time will tell.
Baking Addict says
Happy 5th blog birthday!! Wow what an achievement and what a brilliant year it has been for your blog. It was an absolute pleasure to meet you in Cheltenham and I hope we will have another opportunity in the future. The cakes look absolutely delightful and perfect for the occasion! Here’s to many more years of chocolatey goodness!
Choclette says
Thanks Ros. I hope we do manage to meet up again and indeed may the chocolate years roll 😉
Jane Sarchet says
Twit Twoo & Happy Birthday!
Janie x
Choclette says
Thanks Jane 🙂
Choclette says
Thanks Heidi
Kate@whatkatebaked says
Five years!! That’s huge number of delicious chocolatey treats! Here’s to the next five years…
Choclette says
Haha Kate, best not to think about quite how much I’ve consumed over the years – eek!
Sylvia F. says
Happy 5th birthdays Chocolate Log Blog! Choclette I wish you many, many more fab years of blogging 🙂
Choclette says
Thank you very much Sylvia 🙂
David Shams says
Congratulations Choclette with 5th Blog Anniversary! That’s a fantastic achievement! 🙂 Wish you success and prosperity in the next 5 years 🙂
Choclette says
Thanks David, that’s very kind of you 🙂
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Happy Blog Birthday. Do pass a cake C!
Choclette says
Thanks Jac. There are plenty of cakes to go around. Or at least there were – oops!
Katie says
Happy blog anniversary!
These look fabulous and whipped ganache sounds divine. Love the cute size too.
Choclette says
Thanks Katie, the whipped ganache is something I discovered last year and it’s a real winner.
Javelin Warrior says
Happy birthday, Choclette! 5 years of chocolate is quite the accomplishment and it’s been so much fun following along for part of those 5. And now here’s to the next chocolatey five!
Choclette says
Thanks JW, both for your comment and support over the years 🙂
Jo says
Happy Blog Birthday Choclette! 5 years is a fantastic achievement. I always love stopping by to see your chocolate creations. Your mini cupcakes look like the perfect way to celebrate.
Choclette says
Thanks Jo. I’ve really enjoyed you stopping by, please do continue 🙂
Camilla @FabFood4All says
Happy Anniversary, five years is a wonderful achievement:-) I’m really hungry for your chocolate cakes now too – thank you for entering them into Credit Crunch Munch – now where’s that cocoa?
Choclette says
Thanks Camilla – the astonishing thing is that they have all disappeared!
Johanna GGG says
valentines day is so right for your anniversary – it is just an excuse to eat lots of chocolate, right?
glad you are still going strong – congratulations on the blogiversary and all the great achievements – and love your little cakes – they are just gorgeous
Choclette says
Haha Johanna, there is method in my madness 😉 Thank you for this and all the other wonderful comments you’ve left on my blog, they are so much appreciated.
Kath says
Happy blog birthday Choc, I look forward to the next five years of chocolate adventures. x
Choclette says
Thanks Kath – bit worried that the next five years will fly by even faster than these ones have :-/
Hannah Hearsey says
Very happy fifth birthday! Lovely little cakes too!
Choclette says
Thank you Hannah 🙂
Angie Schneider says
Happy Blogiversary! These chocolate cupcakes look wonderfully delicious and perfect for any celebration!
Choclette says
Thank you Angie 🙂
Morgan @ Peaches, Please! says
Happy fifth blog birthday!
Choclette says
Thank you Morgan
Sarah Trivuncic says
What a fantastically chocolatey post and well done for reaching 5 years. You must have started just before me, my blog 5 years will be in July. Doesn’t it seem so long ago now?
Choclette says
Thanks Sarah. Yes, I think I remember yours starting up. I had no idea when I started that there even was such a thing as a food blog – so naive.
Susie @ Fold in the Flour says
Congratulations Choclette, that’s an amazing achievement. I’ve really enjoyed reading along over the last few years, and I’m looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us in the next few. 🙂 x
Choclette says
Thanks very much Susie. I’m looking forward to what’s in store too – such an adventure 😉
Karen S Booth says
A big fat chocolaty happy birthday and what a year you have had, all well deserved and it was great to see you in Cheltenham last year for our smutty meet up! Thanks for adding these to Tea Time Treats and now pass me over a plate of those chocolate cakes! Karen xxx
Choclette says
Yay Karen, chocolate rules OK! Lovely to meet up with you in June – hope we can manage it again. Cornwall???
Janice Pattie says
Happy blog anniversary. It was certainly a highlight of my year to meet you in Cheltenham, glad to hear you have plenty more to share with us.
Choclette says
Thanks Janet, really enjoyed that meet up and wish we could do it more often.
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
Happy Blog Birthday! I cannot believe it has been 5 years!
Thanks for sending to CCM too, better for the environment too not to use paper cases.
Choclette says
Thanks Helen, where does the time go? Very true about the environmental waste too, though in the greater scheme of things just acquiring less stuff is probably the best thing we can do.
belleau kitchen says
congratulations darling, 5 years is the most incredible achievement… and gorgeous looking cakes too xx
Choclette says
Yay Dom, thank you – really needed you all here to help eat these gorgeous cakes 🙂
Angela @ My Golden Pear says
A great achievement and very well deserved. Looking forward to lots more chocolate deliciousness. Thanks for taking part in Credit Crunch Munch 🙂
Choclette says
Thanks Angela – have loads of bakes lined up but am running out of people to eat them 😉
vohnmcg.com says
Happy happy blogiversary! Very well done you for keeping your great blog going for so long! Vohn x
Choclette says
Thanks Vohn, it’s hard to know where the time goes, but looking back it does seem like a long time.
Tina Anand says
Happy Blog Birthday! You’ve achieved so much in five years. I am always amazed how you are so creative with chocolate, both in savoury and sweet dishes. I look forward to seeing many more posts and hopefully a blossoming friendship too 🙂
Choclette says
Thank you Tina, that’s very kind. Likewise 🙂
Torviewtoronto says
delicious dessert happy valentines
Choclette says
Thank you 🙂
Christian Halfmann says
Congratulations to your 5th blog anniversary. That is quite some time. I would love to read from this blog the next coming 50 years, too. Yes, that’s the good thing with food, including chocolate, you can always try something new.
I would say, when it comes to getting out, I am even worse, I don’t get anywhere at all (kind of), not even to the Cornwall Clandestine Cake Club (which I would love to try at least once).
Whatsoever, continue to enjoy your chocolate.
Choclette says
Well here’s to the next 50 years then Chris 🙂 Would love you get to one of our CCCC events – do let me know if that’s ever a possibility.
GG says
Five years, wow! Congratulations. A fabulous blog and all your hard work is really paying off. GG
Choclette says
Thank you GG, I hope so 🙂
laura@howtocookgoodfood says
A very happy 5th birthday to your brilliant blog. You have done so well this last year and long may it continue. Chocolate will always be a part of mine and your lives and many others too I imagine!
Choclette says
Thank you for your lovely comment Laura. I suspect you’re right – chocolate isn’t going to disappear.