Description
Indulge in these delightful Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Mini Cakes, a perfect festive treat that is vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free. These rich, moist mini cakes are infused with cacao powder and studded with a tangy cranberry chia jam, then coated in a smooth dark vegan chocolate glaze. They make a beautiful and tasty addition to holiday celebrations or any time you crave a special chocolaty dessert with a festive twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown rice flour (110 grams)
- 1/2 cup quinoa flour (60 grams)
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder (30 grams)
- 1/4 cup cacao powder (30 grams)
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (80 ml)
- 1/3 cup olive oil (80 ml)
- 1/4 cup aquafaba (60 ml)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup rice milk (120 ml)
Cranberry Chia Jam
- 1 cup cranberries (100 grams)
- 1/4 cup orange juice (60 ml)
- Little orange zest (from one small orange)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Small cinnamon stick (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Coating
- 3.5 ounces dark vegan chocolate (100 grams)
- 1/4 cup rice milk (60 ml)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Fresh or dried cranberries for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9″ x 9″ baking tin with baking paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, quinoa flour, arrowroot powder, cacao powder, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and a pinch of sea salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate smaller bowl, thoroughly whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, aquafaba, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and rice milk until fully combined.
- Make Batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients bowl and stir until the batter is well combined and has a pourable but not too thin consistency.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and smooth the top evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until a cocktail stick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Cut: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the tin before carefully removing it. Place the cake on a flat surface and use a 2″ round cutter to cut out 11-12 mini cake shapes.
- Prepare Cranberry Jam: Place cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, orange zest, and the cinnamon stick in a small pot. Gently heat for about 10 minutes until the cranberries have burst and are soft. Remove the cinnamon stick, mash the cranberries with a fork, stir in chia seeds, and let the jam cool before refrigerating to set.
- Assemble Cakes: Sandwich two mini cakes together with a generous dollop of the cranberry chia jam.
- Make Chocolate Coating: Finely chop the dark vegan chocolate and place it in a small bowl. Gently bring rice milk to just boiling point and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts completely and the mixture is smooth. Stir in maple syrup.
- Coat and Decorate: Pour the chocolate glaze over each sandwich cake, smoothing it so it drips over the edges. Decorate with fresh or dried cranberries. Allow the coating to set before serving.
Notes
- For a moister cake variant, substitute 1/3 cup maple syrup and 1/3 cup rice milk with 1/2 cup cranberry puree (prepared by blending the cranberry jam without chia seeds) and omit the chia seeds.
- The holly leaf shown in photos is for decorative purposes only and is not edible. A small sprig of rosemary makes a lovely green garnish alternative.
- Ensure the aquafaba (chickpea water) is whipped lightly if needed to incorporate air for better texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini cake (approx. 60 grams)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
