Spiced Rum Easter Chocolate Cakes – We Should Cocoa #67
Easter is fast approaching and as it gets ever nearer, my thoughts turn to chocolate, although to be fair, my thoughts are rarely far from this exquisite food of the gods. Over the years I’ve made many Easter chocolate cakes, some more child friendly than others. These ones, containing rather a lot of rum are definitely of the adult variety.
This month’s We Should Cocoa is all about eggs. Lindsey over at Lancashire Food is hosting and given that Easter falls in March this year, she thought eggs were an apt theme. Of course they are. There are various theories about the origins of Easter. Some say it’s from the Babylonian goddess of procreation, Ishtar, some the pagan and/ or Saxon goddess of fertility, Oestre. Then of course there is Pesach, the Jewish Passover and we mustn’t forget the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whether you’re Pagan, Jewish, Christian or of some other persuasion, there’s no doubt that Easter is a celebration of new life and the eggs that abound at this time of year are a fitting representation.
I wanted my Easter chocolate cakes to acknowledge some of the spices and flavours associated with Easter, specifically hot cross buns. I used my hot choc buns for inspiration and included raisins, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg & orange, but with a cheeky little addition of rum. Duck eggs were included in the recipe and mini chocolate eggs of various kinds were used to decorate the finished cakes. I particularly like the crack appearing in the yellow egg on the left hand side of the picture above – perhaps a chick is just about to emerge.
- 30g raisins
- 4 tbsp dark or spiced rum
- 125g unsalted butter
- 125g dark muscovado (I used jaggery)
- 2 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 75g wholemeal flour
- 75g plain white flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 25g cocoa powder
- a good grating of nutmeg (I used 1 drop of Holy Lama spice extracts)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon (I used 1 drop of Holy Lama spice extracts)
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp grated orange zest (I used dried orange powder)
- 75g dark chocolate (I used 72%) - chopped
- 2 tbsp dark or spiced rum
- 10g butter
- 24 mini chocolate eggs to decorate or 12 mini creme eggs - halved.
- Place the raisins in a covered jar and add the rum. Leave to soak for as long as possible (24hrs or more is best).
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the orange zest.
- Beat in the eggs, one by one, adding a little of the flour to prevent curdling if necessary.
- Sift in the flours, baking powder and spices and stir gently to combine.
- Gently stir in the rum and raisins.
- Divide the mixture between 48 mini silicone muffin moulds or tins lined with cases.
- Bake in the middle of the oven at 180℃ for 15-20 minutes until the cakes are well risen and firm to the touch.
- Allow to cool in the moulds for a couple of minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
- Chocolate Rum Glaze
- Melt the chocolate together with the rum gently in a bowl over hot water.
- Stir until combined, then add the butter. Remove from the heat and stir until you have a shiny glaze.
- Spoon over the top of the cakes and allow to run down the sides.
- Top each with a mini Easter egg or halved mini creme egg, then leave to set.
- Best if raisins are soaked for 24 hours or more,
- Makes 24 mini cakes or 12 cupcakes.
Other recipes for Easter chocolate cakes you might like
- Amaretto Easter cupcakes via Tin and Thyme
- Chocolate fudge mini bundts via Casa Costello
- Easter bunny cupcakes via Eats Amazing
- Easter nest chocolate tarts via Emily’s Recipes and Reviews
- Easter nest cupcakes via Tin and Thyme
- Hidden Easter egg cupcakes via Utterly Scrummy Food for Families
- Surprise Easter egg cupcakes via Tin and Thyme
As mentioned above, We Should Cocoa is being hosted over at Lancashire Food this month and the theme is eggs.
Simply Eggcellent over at Belleau Kitchen is also celebrating Easter eggs this month.
It’s all about Easter over at Tea Time Treats with The Hedge Comber and Lavender and Lovage.
I’m also sending my Easter chocolate cakes to Treat Petite with Baking Explorer and Cakeyboi where the theme is also Easter.
And last but by no means least, these Easter chocolate cakes go to Maison Cupcake and Casa Costello for Bake of the Week.
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This beauty was white yesterday morning. I knew it was going to turn, but it still seems like a miracle. It’s the first cobaea we’ve grown in several years and this is it’s first bloom.
Crumbling cliffs adding interest to CT’s birthday walk. Fabulous day for it. Sand martins seem to love it.
Our Monthly Chocolate Challenge
Dom
18th March 2016
oh my word these are simply adorable! I can’t stop looking at their cuteness and I LOVE that they’re really quite simple little buns but that rum makes them super-special… also love that they look small enough to pop more than one in the mouth at a time! Thanks so much for linking to Simply Eggcellent x
Choclette
18th March 2016
Haha Dom, I now have an image of you with bulging hamster cheeks and I can’t stop laughing. Glad you like them 😀
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
18th March 2016
My husband loves rum and chocolate cake, so this sounds like something he wouldn’t be able to resist.
Choclette
18th March 2016
Thanks Dannii, I do like to make cakes that are hard to resist – it’s my inner evil genie 😉
Katie Bryson
18th March 2016
Oh what adorable little cakes! Loving all the flavours you’ve put in them too… love spiced bakes 🙂
Choclette
18th March 2016
Thanks Katie. Spiced bakes have the added benefit of making the house smell wonderful whilst they’re baking.
Henk Kooiman
18th March 2016
They look lovely ! I am not a fan of fiddly decorations, but this is just right. Not sure whether I am going to make them though. The list of things I’d like to make for Easter is already too long. But we’ll see (I am sure they taste good !) Still no duck eggs to be found here, but now and then goose eggs are on offer and these are great for baking too.
Choclette
18th March 2016
Oh yes goose eggs are wonderful. It must be coming up to goose egg season now. Mind you, you need to be making a big cake if you’re going to use one.
Chris @thinlyspread
18th March 2016
Oh. Now. These look more than a bit moreish! I think I would be hamsters like Dom!
Choclette
18th March 2016
Oh Chris, you never would, you are far too refined.
Lancashire Food
18th March 2016
They look smashing and I’m with you, it looks like a little chick is just about to emerge from the egg. Rum and spices a great combination
Choclette
18th March 2016
Thanks Linzi, glad you could see it too.
Helen at Casa Costello
18th March 2016
Ooo aren’t these just too cute? I bet they have a lovely warmth to them from the rum too – Once again, I NEED to do more baking with rum. Thanks so much for mentioning my Choc Fudge Bundts & for joining in with #BakeoftheWeek x
Choclette
19th March 2016
Thanks Helen. These cakes are not for the faint hearted, but they really are delicious.
sue|theviewfromgreatisland
18th March 2016
Oh I’m a spiced rum girl — these are calling my name!
Choclette
19th March 2016
Haha Sue. I don’t do much in the way of drinking alcohol, but I do like to bake with it.
Kat
19th March 2016
Loving a cheeky bit of rum at Easter time! The cakes look adorable, thank you for entering them into Treat Petite.
Choclette
19th March 2016
Thanks Kat, you’ve got to be cheeky from time to time 😉
Dzoli
19th March 2016
Great idea, Somanz things in one morish cake!
Choclette
19th March 2016
Thanks Dzoli, they are delicious indeed 🙂
Nayna Kanabar
19th March 2016
These look so adorable and perfect Easter treats to serve and gift.
Choclette
19th March 2016
Thanks very much Nayna. I think they would indeed make nice gifts, but they didn’t hang around long enough to make it out of the house 😉
Heidi Roberts
19th March 2016
Those little cakes are so cute and with rum and chocolate they are getting my attention!!
Choclette
19th March 2016
Thanks Heidi. One of the many wonderful things about chocolate is that it pairs well with so many flavours.
the caked crusader
20th March 2016
Chocolate and rum is such a lovely combo – I like a tot in my hot chocolate!
Choclette
21st March 2016
Haha, do you indeed CC. I think I might just have to try that.
Kate - gluten free alchemist
20th March 2016
Food of the gods indeed! I would love to throw some rum at my cakes, but I fear Miss GF may just leave home as a consequence….. If I wasn’t gluten free I would have some of these sent over immediately! They look so cute and sound ultra delicious Choclette!
Choclette
21st March 2016
Thanks Kate, but you’re right. These cakes are not for Miss GF 😉
Janice
21st March 2016
What a gorgeous combination, rum and chocolate! Love these little bites, just enough to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Choclette
22nd March 2016
I’m a big fan of mini cakes, If only I could stop at one though.
Jacqueline Meldrum
21st March 2016
Those look great Choclette. If only I could reach in ……………
Choclette
22nd March 2016
Haha, there’s a lot to be said for eating with our eyes only. I’d be bigger than my house if I tucked into everything that tempts me on blogs.
Sarah Maison Cupcake
22nd March 2016
These look incredibly more-ish! Thanks for joining in with #BAKEoftheWEEK !
Choclette
22nd March 2016
Thanks Sarah. I can attest they are way too moreish 😉
Sus // roughmeasures.com
22nd March 2016
You had me at rum Choclette! Love these 🙂
Choclette
24th March 2016
Thanks Sus, it’s a powerful but delectable combination 🙂
Jenn
23rd March 2016
My mind is always on chocolate! And these are so cute!
Choclette
24th March 2016
Thanks Jenn. My mind is rarely away from chocolate too 😉
Sammie
25th March 2016
These look so delicious and incorporating hot cross bun spices, absolutely genius idea. I would have to leave out the orange (allergic) but would love to try these. Love their biddy size, perfect for munching more than one . Happy Easter to you.
Choclette
25th March 2016
Thanks Sammie. I’m a big fan of mini cakes, probably so I don’t feel greedy having a second one 😉 I just heard of someone else who was allergic to citrus – how very annoying for you.