Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cake Recipes Mini Chocolate-Coconut Cakes 3.8 (33) Add your rating & review By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 29, 2020 Rate Print Share Prep Time: 1 hr Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Yield: 20 Using sphere-shaped molds creates the look of snowballs, but these cakes can also be made in standard muffin tins. Ingredients For the Cakes Vegetable oil cooking spray 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup almond flour 1 ½ cups sugar ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda ¾ teaspoon baking powder Coarse salt ⅓ cup vegetable oil ¾ cup sour cream ¾ cup warm water 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk For Almond Syrup ¼ cup water ¼ cup sugar ½ teaspoon pure almond extract For the Frosting ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar ⅓ cup water 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 3 large egg whites, room temperature ½ teaspoons pure almond extract Gel-paste food coloring in red or pink 2 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut Directions Make the cakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat two 6-compartment nonstick sphere-shaped silicone molds with cooking spray, and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Sift flours, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat in oil, sour cream, warm water, egg, and egg yolk with mixer on low speed. Continue to beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Working in batches, divide batter among molds (3 tablespoons each). Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into center of each comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cakes cool in molds set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of each cake to remove from molds. Let cakes cool completely on rack. Meanwhile, make almond syrup: Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Stir in almond extract. Brush cakes all over with warm almond syrup. Let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the frosting: Bring 3/4 cup sugar, the water, and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until a candy thermometer reaches 230 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk egg whites to soft peaks with a mixer on medium-high speed. Whisk in remaining tablespoon sugar. Once syrup reaches 230 degrees, immediately pour it down sides of bowl in a slow, steady stream with the mixer on medium-low speed. Raise speed to medium-high. Beat until cooled and stiff, but not dry, peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add almond extract and 1 drop food coloring. Continue to beat for 1 minute. Frost cakes using a small offset spatula, then coat each with coconut. Johnny Miller Cook's Notes Unfrosted cakes can be stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. Frosted cakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day. Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, December 2011 Rate It Print