Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Mini Cakes Recipe
These Chocolate Cranberry Christmas Mini Cakes are a delightful gluten-free and vegan treat perfect for the holiday season. Featuring a rich, moist chocolate base made with brown rice and quinoa flours, they are layered with a tangy cranberry chia jam and coated in smooth dark chocolate, then decorated with fresh cranberries for a festive touch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 11-12 mini cakes (approximately 5 servings) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Holiday
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Cake:
- 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)
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 for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Tin: Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line a 9″ x 9″ baking tin with baking paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, quinoa flour, arrowroot, cacao powder, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, olive oil, aquafaba, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and rice milk until well combined.
- Combine Mixtures: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix gently until fully combined. The batter should be pourable but not too thin.
- Pour and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and smooth the top evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a cocktail stick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Cut Shapes: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely before carefully lifting it out of the tin. Place it on a flat surface, then use a 2″ round cutter to cut out 11-12 mini cake shapes.
- Prepare Cranberry Jam: In a pot, combine cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, and the cinnamon stick. Gently heat for about 10 minutes until the cranberries have popped and softened. Remove the cinnamon stick, then mash the mixture with a fork until smooth. Stir in chia seeds and let cool before refrigerating to set.
- Assemble Cakes: Sandwich two cake rounds together with a generous dollop of the cranberry chia jam.
- Make Chocolate Coating: Finely chop the dark vegan chocolate and place it into a small bowl. Heat the rice milk until it reaches boiling point, then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Stir continuously until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Stir in maple syrup.
- Coat and Decorate: Pour the chocolate coating gently over each mini cake, smoothing it to drip over the edges. Decorate the tops with fresh or dried cranberries. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Notes
- For a moister version, substitute 120 ml (1/2 cup) of maple syrup, 80 ml (1/3 cup) rice milk, and add 120 ml (1/2 cup) cranberry puree (made by blending the same cranberry jam mixture without chia seeds) instead of using chia seeds.
- The holly leaf used in photos is decorative and not edible; for a safe festive garnish, use a small sprig of rosemary.
- Use high-quality dark vegan chocolate for best coating and flavor.
- Ensure cranberry jam is fully set before assembling for easier handling.
Keywords: Chocolate cranberry mini cakes, vegan Christmas dessert, gluten-free holiday treats, vegan chocolate cakes, cranberry chia jam
