Mini almond cakes with blueberry syrup
I made these mini almond cakes for a special occasion, but I come back to them whenever I want something special. They are small, easy to share, and perfect for guests or an anniversary. I love that you get many pieces from one tray, so I can put them on a platter without worrying about running out.
Quick Info
Total time: Approximately 2 hours (without cooling)
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Baking time: 25-30 minutes
Servings: 60 mini almond cakes (depends on how small you cut them)
Difficulty: Medium
Occasion: Holiday dessert or for cake platters
Ingredients
Base:
6 eggs
150 g sugar
30 ml water
30 ml oil
20 g cocoa
8 tablespoons flour
Syrup:
400 ml water
100 g sugar
2 packets chocolate cappuccino
1 vial rum essence
Cream:
3 egg yolks
150 g powdered sugar
400 g butter (minimum 65% fat)
3 tablespoons cocoa
Glaze:
1 jar blueberry syrup (400 g)
Preparation method
1. Prepare the base
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat them until stiff. Gradually add the sugar and continue mixing until you achieve a firm meringue. Incorporate the water, then continue mixing to firm it up even more.
In another bowl, beat the yolks with the oil until their volume visibly increases. Pour them over the egg whites and gently fold in with a spatula to avoid losing air.
Mix the flour with the cocoa, then sift them directly into the mixture. Incorporate the mixture with wide, upward motions until no traces of flour remain.
Line a 35x25 cm tray with baking paper. Pour in the mixture and level it out. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the base cool completely in the tray, then remove it and cut it in half lengthwise. If you want it to be easier to handle, first cut the base in half in the middle, then each piece in thickness.
2. Prepare the syrup
Put the water and sugar on the heat and bring to a boil. Add the cappuccino packets and mix well until dissolved. Turn off the heat, add the rum essence, and let the syrup cool completely.
3. Cocoa butter cream
Mix the soft butter with the powdered sugar at high speed until very fine and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, then the cocoa.
If you don't want raw egg yolks, put them together with the cocoa and a teaspoon of milk in a double boiler and mix until thickened, then let cool and incorporate into the butter.
Save some cream for decoration.
4. Syrup glaze
To use the syrup for glazing, place the jar in a pot of water and heat over low heat until the syrup becomes liquid and runny.
5. Assembly
Place the first layer of base on a platter and soak it well with syrup. Spread the cream over the entire surface (save some for decoration at the end). Place the second layer of base on top and soak it the same way.
Cut the base into small pieces, about 60 if you want mini almond cakes that are bite-sized. Coat each piece with the warm syrup glaze. Let the glaze set, then decorate each mini almond cake with a bit of the reserved cream.
Why I make the recipe often
I love them because you get many pieces from one tray, they are easy to share, and they keep well in the fridge. The recipe is not complicated if you take your time. Plus, you don’t have to stress about complicated decorations; the syrup does all the work for glazing.
Tips and variations
Tips
Use butter with at least 65% fat, otherwise, the cream won't have the right texture.
Let the base cool completely before cutting, otherwise it may crumble.
Don’t add too much syrup, so the cake doesn’t get too soggy.
Substitutions
If you can't find blueberry syrup, you can use raspberry or sour cherry syrup, just make sure it's a bit tangy.
You can add another flavor to the syrup, but rum is the classic choice.
Variations
You can make the cake as classic almond cakes by cutting it into larger pieces.
If you don’t want cream with raw egg yolks, use the double boiler version (as mentioned above).
Serving ideas
They can be placed on a platter in small papers or directly on the tray. For occasions with many guests, you can make even smaller portions. They are suitable for festive tables or with coffee.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can the base be made a day in advance?
Yes, no problem. Just keep it covered at room temperature.
2. What if I can't find chocolate cappuccino for the syrup?
You can use any instant cappuccino or, if needed, even cocoa with a bit of instant coffee.
3. Does the butter need to be at room temperature?
Yes, otherwise it won’t whip well with the sugar.
4. How do I know if the syrup is liquid enough for glazing?
It should flow easily from a spoon without being too watery.
5. What if I don’t have a vial of rum essence?
You can use food-grade rum to taste, but don’t add too much at once.
Nutritional values
Approximately, one mini almond cake has about 90-100 kcal. For 100 g: about 350 kcal, with 25 g carbohydrates, 5-6 g protein, 22-23 g fat. These are approximate values and depend a lot on how you cut the portions and the exact ingredients used.
Storage and reheating
They should be kept in the fridge in a covered container for up to 5 days. If left longer, the base starts to get too soggy. They do not need reheating. They can also be stored in the fridge overnight after glazing. For serving, it’s good to take them out 10-15 minutes in advance, so they aren’t too hard.
I made these mini almond cakes for a special occasion, but I come back to them whenever I want something special. They are small, easy to share, and perfect for guests or an anniversary. I love that you get many pieces from one tray, so I can put them on a platter without worrying about running out.
Quick Info
Total time: Approximately 2 hours (without cooling)
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Baking time: 25-30 minutes
Servings: 60 mini almond cakes (depends on how small you cut them)
Difficulty: Medium
Occasion: Holiday dessert or for cake platters
Ingredients
Base:
6 eggs
150 g sugar
30 ml water
30 ml oil
20 g cocoa
8 tablespoons flour
Syrup:
400 ml water
100 g sugar
2 packets chocolate cappuccino
1 vial rum essence
Cream:
3 egg yolks
150 g powdered sugar
400 g butter (minimum 65% fat)
3 tablespoons cocoa
Glaze:
1 jar blueberry syrup (400 g)
Preparation method
1. Prepare the base
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat them until stiff. Gradually add the sugar and continue mixing until you achieve a firm meringue. Incorporate the water, then continue mixing to firm it up even more.
In another bowl, beat the yolks with the oil until their volume visibly increases. Pour them over the egg whites and gently fold in with a spatula to avoid losing air.
Mix the flour with the cocoa, then sift them directly into the mixture. Incorporate the mixture with wide, upward motions until no traces of flour remain.
Line a 35x25 cm tray with baking paper. Pour in the mixture and level it out. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the base cool completely in the tray, then remove it and cut it in half lengthwise. If you want it to be easier to handle, first cut the base in half in the middle, then each piece in thickness.
2. Prepare the syrup
Put the water and sugar on the heat and bring to a boil. Add the cappuccino packets and mix well until dissolved. Turn off the heat, add the rum essence, and let the syrup cool completely.
3. Cocoa butter cream
Mix the soft butter with the powdered sugar at high speed until very fine and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, then the cocoa.
If you don't want raw egg yolks, put them together with the cocoa and a teaspoon of milk in a double boiler and mix until thickened, then let cool and incorporate into the butter.
Save some cream for decoration.
4. Syrup glaze
To use the syrup for glazing, place the jar in a pot of water and heat over low heat until the syrup becomes liquid and runny.
5. Assembly
Place the first layer of base on a platter and soak it well with syrup. Spread the cream over the entire surface (save some for decoration at the end). Place the second layer of base on top and soak it the same way.
Cut the base into small pieces, about 60 if you want mini almond cakes that are bite-sized. Coat each piece with the warm syrup glaze. Let the glaze set, then decorate each mini almond cake with a bit of the reserved cream.
Why I make the recipe often
I love them because you get many pieces from one tray, they are easy to share, and they keep well in the fridge. The recipe is not complicated if you take your time. Plus, you don’t have to stress about complicated decorations; the syrup does all the work for glazing.
Tips and variations
Tips
Use butter with at least 65% fat, otherwise, the cream won't have the right texture.
Let the base cool completely before cutting, otherwise it may crumble.
Don’t add too much syrup, so the cake doesn’t get too soggy.
Substitutions
If you can't find blueberry syrup, you can use raspberry or sour cherry syrup, just make sure it's a bit tangy.
You can add another flavor to the syrup, but rum is the classic choice.
Variations
You can make the cake as classic almond cakes by cutting it into larger pieces.
If you don’t want cream with raw egg yolks, use the double boiler version (as mentioned above).
Serving ideas
They can be placed on a platter in small papers or directly on the tray. For occasions with many guests, you can make even smaller portions. They are suitable for festive tables or with coffee.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can the base be made a day in advance?
Yes, no problem. Just keep it covered at room temperature.
2. What if I can't find chocolate cappuccino for the syrup?
You can use any instant cappuccino or, if needed, even cocoa with a bit of instant coffee.
3. Does the butter need to be at room temperature?
Yes, otherwise it won’t whip well with the sugar.
4. How do I know if the syrup is liquid enough for glazing?
It should flow easily from a spoon without being too watery.
5. What if I don’t have a vial of rum essence?
You can use food-grade rum to taste, but don’t add too much at once.
Nutritional values
Approximately, one mini almond cake has about 90-100 kcal. For 100 g: about 350 kcal, with 25 g carbohydrates, 5-6 g protein, 22-23 g fat. These are approximate values and depend a lot on how you cut the portions and the exact ingredients used.
Storage and reheating
They should be kept in the fridge in a covered container for up to 5 days. If left longer, the base starts to get too soggy. They do not need reheating. They can also be stored in the fridge overnight after glazing. For serving, it’s good to take them out 10-15 minutes in advance, so they aren’t too hard.