Dessert

Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Mini Cakes Recipe

Name: Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Mini Cakes Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 3/4 cup brown rice flour (110 grams); 1/2 cup quinoa flour (60 grams); 1/4 cup arrowroot (30 grams); 1/4 cup cacao powder (30 grams); 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; Pinch of sea salt; 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); 1 cup cranberries (100 grams); 1/4 cup orange juice (60 ml); Little orange zest; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; Small cinnamon stick (optional); 1 tablespoon chia seeds; 3.5-ounce dark vegan chocolate (100 grams); 1/4 cup rice milk (60 ml); 1 tablespoon maple syrup; Fresh or dried cranberries for decoration

ByLily Monroe December 8, 2025December 8, 2025

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Introduction

These Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Mini Cakes are a festive and delicious treat perfect for the holiday season. Vegan and naturally sweetened, they combine rich chocolate with tangy cranberry jam for a delightful bite-sized dessert. Easy to make and beautifully decorated, they’re sure to impress your guests.

The image shows small, round chocolate cakes placed on a metal cooling rack over a white marbled surface. Each cake has two layers of dark brown chocolate sponge with a bright red filling in the middle. The top layer is covered with thick, glossy dark chocolate ganache that drips down the sides. A green holly leaf and a shiny red cherry-like berry decorate the top of each cake. Some extra red berries are scattered around on the white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

3/4 cup brown rice flour (110 grams)
1/2 cup quinoa flour (60 grams)
1/4 cup arrowroot (30 grams)
1/4 cup cacao powder (30 grams)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of sea salt
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
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
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Small cinnamon stick (optional)
1 tablespoon chia seeds

Coating:

3.5-ounce dark vegan chocolate (100 grams)
1/4 cup rice milk (60 ml)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Fresh or dried cranberries

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a 9″ x 9″ baking tin with baking paper.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, quinoa flour, arrowroot, cacao powder, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Set aside.
Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk maple syrup, olive oil, aquafaba, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, and rice milk until well combined.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is well combined and pourable but not too thin.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before carefully lifting the cake out of the tin.
Step 7: Using a 2″ round cutter, cut out 11-12 mini cake shapes from the cooled cake.
Step 8: Make the cranberry chia jam: In a pot, combine cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, orange zest, and cinnamon stick. Heat gently for about 10 minutes until cranberries burst and soften. Remove the cinnamon stick, mash the mixture until smooth, stir in chia seeds, and let cool before refrigerating.
Step 9: Sandwich two mini cakes together with a generous dollop of the cranberry jam.
Step 10: Finely chop the dark chocolate and place in a small bowl. Gently heat the rice milk until just boiling, pour it over the chocolate, and stir until smooth. Stir in maple syrup.
Step 11: Pour the chocolate ganache over each sandwich cake, smoothing the edges to drip slightly.
Step 12: Decorate with fresh or dried cranberries and let the chocolate set before serving.

Tips & Variations

For a moister cake, replace some rice milk with 1/2 cup cranberry puree and adjust maple syrup to 1/2 cup, omitting chia seeds in the jam.
If you want greenery for decoration, a small sprig of rosemary works beautifully and is edible.
Use aquafaba (chickpea water) as an excellent vegan egg substitute that helps the cakes rise and adds moisture.

Storage

Store the mini cakes covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow them to come to room temperature or gently warm before serving for best flavor. The cakes can also be frozen before coating; thaw fully, then add the chocolate coating before serving.

How to Serve

The image shows small chocolate cakes with two dark brown sponge layers, separated by a bright red jam filling. Each cake is covered with thick, glossy dark chocolate ganache that drips down the sides. On top, there are shiny red cranberries and green holly leaves with pointed edges as decoration. The cakes are placed on a metal cooling rack over a white marbled surface with a white lace cloth and extra cranberries around. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make these cakes gluten-free?

Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free due to the use of brown rice flour, quinoa flour, and arrowroot instead of wheat flour. Just ensure all your ingredients are certified gluten-free if needed.

What is aquafaba and can I substitute it?

Aquafaba is the liquid from canned chickpeas that mimics egg whites when whipped or used in baking. You can substitute it with 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce or a flax egg, but aquafaba provides the best texture and rise.