If you’re craving chocolate but don’t want to make a big dessert, try this fantastic 6-Inch Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting!
I’ve developed a mild obsession with my 6-inch cake pan. It’s just the right size to make a simple, beautiful dessert to feed just a few. And that’s what we have here with this fantastic Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting.
The cake itself is a version of a chocolate cake I’ve made many times. It’s made with cocoa powder for a lovely chocolate flavor. Be sure to use a good quality cocoa powder for the best flavor. Add to that the marshmallow frosting on top, and you’ve got a wonderful cake for chocolate lovers!
Let’s talk a little bit more about this frosting. It’s such an easy frosting to make, and one of my all-time favorites. It’s fluffy and surprisingly not overly sweet. Plus, it pairs so well with this chocolate cake! You can, of course, use a different frosting if you like. Try the chocolate frosting from my 6-inch yellow cake if you want an all-out chocolate experience.
I like to add some chocolate sprinkles on top of the cake to dress it up a bit and to add even more chocolate. You can skip the garnish or go with another topping like chocolate curls or nuts. It’s also easy to add some seasonal sprinkles to make it more festive for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or most any occasion.
This cake will give you 4 generous servings or 6 smaller ones. It’s such a lovely way to end a special dinner for just a few. If you’re planning a small-scale celebration, then this is just the kind of cake to make it even better!
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
6-Inch Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting
This delicious cake is just enough for a few of your favorite chocolate lovers!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (75ml) buttermilk
For the frosting:
- 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (36g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (28g) marshmallow creme
- chocolate sprinkles, for garnish
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (or use a baking spray with flour) a 6-inch round cake pan. Line with parchment paper. Grease the paper.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix well.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 portions, alternating with 2 portions of the buttermilk. Mix just until combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and spread evenly. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then transfer the cake from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and marshmallow creme until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Top with chocolate sprinkles.
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19 Comments on “6-Inch Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting”
Please forgive me, I know this post is about the 6” pan, but any possibility you might have this particular recipe for both cake & frosting for use in a more common size pan? It just sounds so wonderful!! (Sorry again)
Hi, Lorr. You should be able to double it for a 9-inch round pan or quadruple for a 9×13 or two 9-inch rounds.
Fantastic! Thank you so much!! Can’t wait to give it a go
Just curious if you recommend regular or Dutch process cocoa powder? I see both baking powder and baking soda although quantity of b. Powder is more. Does that mean Dutch process cocoa is preferred? Thanks. I live these small size recipes.
Hi, Mary. I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder.
I love small batch desserts! Thanks…would love to see more recipes like this!
Just curious, how can I make a vamilla cake this size?
Try this one: 6-Inch Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Do you recommend a 6” x 2” pan or a 6” x 3” pan!
My pans are 6″x 2″.
Can I use regular marshmallows for the frosting by melting them and then adding them to the recipe? Cause marshmallow creme isn’t available where I stay. If yes, what adjustments should I make to the recipe?
Marshmallows aren’t quite the same as marshmallow fluff, but they are similar so it might work well enough using an equivalent amount. You can also make your own marshmallow fluff. Do a quick google search for a recipe for that, and you’ll find several options.
Ok I will check that out. Btw if I do use marshmallows should I lessen the amount of sugar?
Marshmallow creme has sugar, too, so you probably wouldn’t need to adjust.
Ok. Thank you so much
Hi Jennifer, made this cake for my granddaughter’s Birthday this morning and it looks much smaller than yours. It only measures one and a quarter inches (without the topping) and I followed the ingredients and method exactly. Any ideas? I would appreciate your comments ……and many thanks for the metric measurements, essential here in the UK.
Hi, Jan. If you didn’t change anything at all about the recipe, my first guess would be that your baking powder and/or baking soda weren’t effective. I’ve had brand new containers of those just not work for me. Here’s some more info: How to Test Baking Powder and Baking Soda for Freshness. If that’s not the issue, then I’d look at the type of pan you used, the accuracy of your oven’s temperature, and the chance of over-mixing the batter.
Hi Jennifer – both powders passed the test (both new and stored properly) so I don’t k ow what the problem was. Cake tin is fine, oven new and bakes well and I’m sure I didn’t overmix so I don’t know what the problem was. Having said all that the cake tasted ok. Could you tell me how deep it should be, I!m going to give it another go.
Many thanks for your time.
I haven’t measured the height of it, but I’d guess that it’s about 2 to 2 & 1/2 inches tall.