I LOVE dark chocolate. I’m not even exaggerating when I say I eat it everyday (but only a little piece of course!).

I am also a huge fan of mini desserts. I really like sugar, so making a mini dessert erases all temptation for seconds.

I made this cake for my father on Father’s Day—and he approves!

This recipe pairs a super sweet frosting with a bitter cake, and the combination is perfect. I recommend adding the frosting about 5-10 minutes after pulling the cake out of the oven. The frosting melts and seeps into the cake. It’s glorious.

Mini German Chocolate Cake with Maple Pecan Frosting (makes one, 1 cup-sized cake or two ½ cup-sized cakes)

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 cup toasted pecans (pop them in a baking pan and bake 6-10 minutes at 350 degrees)
• 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. maple syrup
• powdered sugar (mix to desired consistency)
• Optional: shredded coconut for topping

Cake Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. dark cocoa powder
• 3 Tbsp. white flour
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2-3 tsp. coconut oil
• 3 Tbsp. skim milk
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions for the frosting

• Toast pecans by spreading out a single layer in a baking pan. Bake 6-10 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Combine all frosting ingredients except powdered sugar and mix well.
• Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Continue adding powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency.

*This recipe makes more frosting than needed for a mini cake. I saved it in the fridge and used it for future mini cakes. It’s also good to use on other dark cocoa desserts.

Directions for the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine the first five ingredients (dark cocoa powder, flour, salt, sugar, baking powder) and mix well.
• Add coconut oil, milk and vanilla extract to the mixture.
• Pour batter into a greased ramekin.
• Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean (15-16 minutes for 1-cup ramekin, 13-14 minutes for 1/2 cup ramekin).
• Sit 5-10 minutes, then apply frosting.
• Sprinkle with shredded coconut, if desired.
• Serve and eat straight out of the dish!