The mini beauties above, also called dump cake, are a knock out really – eggless & dairy free they are leavened by the chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar. Interestingly, the recipe originated in war times when there was shortage of eggs, milk and butter but it’s spot on in terms of being light, moist and airy compared to the rich and dense chocolate cakes.
While the source for the recipe is coutesy Baking Bites , the glaze the cake is not vegan and is based on hershey’s Perfect Chocolate Frosting Recipe.
Mini Cocoa Bundt Cake with a satiny chocolate glaze (Eggless & Dairy Free)
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Yummy Indulgence till the last bite.
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour - 280 grams
- Cocoa Powder - 60 grams
- Granulated Sugar - 200 grams
- Brown Sugar - 100 grams
- Baking Soda - 1 tsp
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Water 235 ml
- Sunflower Oil - 120 to 125 ml
- Apple Cider Vinegar - 1 tbsp (15 ml)
- vanilla Extract - 1 tsp
For the glaze( I eyeballed the ingredients, so the quantity is just approximation)
- Butter - 75 grams
- Cocoa Powder - 50 grams
- Powdered Sugar - 150 grams - to taste
- Milk - as required
- Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F/175 C. Grease and flour a 9-inch bundt pan / mini bundt tray.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder.
- Whisk in sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Pour in water, oil, vanilla extract and vinegar, whisking thoroughly/beating on a low-medium speed, but quickly, until the batter comes together and is quite smooth.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when gently pressed.
- Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake as cooled, top with any glaze.
- To make the glaze , melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk as required beating it to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.
Notes
- You can use white vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar In place of sunflower oil you can use any vegetable oil Pour the batter in to the pan/loaf/tin immediately without resting it ; also the cake rises very quickly after setting them in the pan/tray/tin/loaf, so take care to pour the batter in to an adequate tin and only pour a little more than half of what the container can hold The cake stays fresh even after refrigeration.
- Take care to place them in a well sealed box.
- I left 2 of the mini cakes with the glazing on, in a covered stainless steel container; it tasted as fresh as new the next day.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini bundt
- Calories: 420
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does this cake rise without eggs, milk, or butter?
The cake uses a wartime leavening technique: baking soda reacts with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) to produce carbon dioxide, which makes the batter rise without any eggs or dairy. The article notes the recipe originated when eggs, milk, and butter were scarce, and the chemical reaction replaces what those ingredients would normally contribute.
Why must you pour the batter into the pan immediately without resting it?
The notes warn specifically to pour the batter into the pan right away without any resting time — the vinegar and baking soda begin reacting as soon as they combine, and the CO2 gas starts escaping immediately. Waiting too long before baking means the leavening has already spent itself and the cake will not rise properly.
Is the chocolate glaze vegan like the cake itself?
No. The article explicitly notes that while the cake base is eggless and dairy-free, the glaze is not vegan — it is made with 75 g butter and milk. If you need the whole recipe to be vegan, substitute a dairy-free butter and plant milk in the glaze, or use a simple powdered sugar glaze instead.
How long does this cake stay fresh?
The notes say the cake stays fresh even after refrigeration, and the author confirms that a mini cake stored with glazing in a covered stainless steel container tasted as fresh as new the next day. Store in a well-sealed container to maintain moisture.
oh tht’s great carol; let me know how the cake turned out ; cheers
This is the perfect dessert for late Sunday afternoon. I’ll just pour cup of warn green tea and enjoy my weekend. Thank for sharing :)
thx sarti; cheers
You’ve inspired me to make this cake for a board meeting this evening. Thanks. Chocolate makes any meeting more productive.