I made this cake some time ago but hadn’t shared it yet. With summer winding down, I wanted to post the recipe while fresh berries are still available. This mini white chocolate berry drip cake is small, charming and perfect when you want cake for just a couple of people.
I baked mine in a large clean food tin that once held spinach; the tin should be about 10 cm (4 in) wide and fairly deep. If you prefer, you can use a small straight-sided cake tin of the same dimensions. Because the cake is so small it uses just one egg white and makes enough to serve 2–4 people — ideal if you want to avoid leftovers or simply enjoy a tiny, pretty celebration cake.
The cake is a moist vanilla sponge made using the reverse creaming method, filled and coated with whipped white chocolate ganache, and finished with a pale pink white chocolate drip and fresh berries. It’s easy to assemble and looks delightful on a small plate or cake stand. I’ve made a few other mini cakes before, and these tiny versions are always among my favourites because none of the cake goes to waste and each is perfectly proportioned for a small treat.
Mini White Chocolate Berry Drip Cake
Author: Domestic Gothess
Ingredients
Cake
- 55 g (⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp) plain flour
- 4 g (1 ½ tsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 65 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
- 25 g (2 Tbsp) softened butter
- 50 ml (3 Tbsp + 1 tsp) full-fat milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
- 1 large egg white
Whipped White Chocolate Ganache
- 100 g (3.5 oz) white chocolate, chopped
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp) double cream
White Chocolate Drip and Decoration
- 25 g (1 oz) white chocolate, chopped
- 1 ½ Tbsp double cream
- drop of pink gel food colouring
- selection of fresh berries to fill and to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4. Grease a 10 cm (4 in) deep tin or a clean food tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
- Sift together the plain flour, cornflour and baking powder. Stir in the salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the softened butter and beat on low speed with an electric mixer until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture has a fine, sandy texture.
- In a small jug, whisk half of the milk with the vanilla extract and lemon juice. In another jug, whisk the egg white with the remaining milk.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and gradually add the vanilla-milk mixture, beating for about a minute until combined. Then add the egg white mixture slowly a little at a time, beating for a couple of minutes and scraping the bowl occasionally. The batter may look slightly curdled — that’s fine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin on a wire rack until just warm, then turn it out onto the wire rack and cool completely.
- To make the whipped white chocolate ganache, place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until just boiling, pour it over the chocolate and leave for a minute. Stir gently until smooth. Chill the ganache in the fridge until cold but not fully set.
- Whisk the cooled ganache with an electric mixer until thick and spreadable but not stiff. Be careful not to overwhip.
- Trim the top of the cake to level it, then carefully slice the cake horizontally in half. Place the bottom layer on a small serving plate or cake stand and spread some whipped ganache over it. Press some fresh berries into the ganache, then place the top layer on.
- Spread the remaining whipped ganache over the top and sides of the assembled cake. Chill the cake in the fridge while you prepare the drip.
- For the drip, place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and heat the cream until just boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Add a drop of pink gel food colouring and mix until you reach the desired shade. Allow the drip mixture to cool and thicken slightly so it is pourable but not too runny.
- Using a spoon, carefully pour the pink white chocolate ganache around the edges to create drips and then fill the centre. Return the cake to the fridge for 10 minutes to set slightly. Top with fresh berries and serve. The cake is best eaten the day it is assembled; keep refrigerated.
