This gluten free mini chocolate cake is perfect for one or two people to share. It is deliciously moist and as a bonus this mini gluten free chocolate cake is quick to whip up. It takes inspiration from the hit tv series Squid Game. This show got many viewers hooked leaving many of us with a lasting impression long after you finished watching it. The show is a survival game in order to win a big amount of money to pay of debt. Episode two seems to be the most popular where contestants need to cut out shapes from Korean honeycomb known as Dalgona candy.
Dalgona Candy
Dalgona candy is made by heating and melting a small amount of sugar in a metal ladle and then adding a tiny bit of baking soda which is then poured out and shapes are stamped into the candy. This is very popular among children on Korean streets and parks.
Mini Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
I decided to pair this delicious candy with a delicious chocolate cake as caramelised sugar just goes so well with chocolate. This gluten free cake is small in size and perfect for two to three servings. This recipe is easy peasy to quickly make by hand making it perfect to whip up when you feel for a delicious dessert but are also short on time. This recipe makes two mini cakes, so halve the amounts if you want to make only one.
Decorating this Mini Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
I used a standard American buttercream for this mini gluten free chocolate cake as it is easy and quick for this small cake. I added some caramel sauce drip to the cake because it looked so perfect with the Dalgona candy topping. Feel free to decorate this cake however you would like! I cut the baked layer into three thin layers adding a small amount of buttercream in-between, but you are welcome to decorate the baked cake as is!
A note on ingredients for this Small Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Cornstarch
If you can’t have corn you can try substituting with more of my gluten free all-purpose flour blend or use arrowroot starch or flour instead.
Dutch Cocoa Powder
If you are unable to find Dutch-processed cocoa powder or are out, you can substitute it with natural unsweetened cocoa powder. This may make the cake a little less of a rich chocolate flavour, but works perfectly as a substitute.
Butter
Substitute the melted butter with canola or any other neutral flavour vegetable oil.
Yoghurt
The yoghurt can easily be substituted with whole milk, buttermilk or a dairy-free alternative.
Eggs
I have not tested this recipe with an egg substitute but since it used only one egg white I do believe that using an egg substitute will work perfectly well. My favourite egg substitute is using Aquafaba (brine from chickpeas). In this recipe, replace two tablespoons of aquafaba for one egg white.
A note on making Dalgona Candy
It may take you two or three tries to get this candy right and get the hang of the consistency. Melt the sugar and let caramelise until an amber colour is achieved, then add your small amount of baking soda and stir quickly until dissolved. The baking soda will react with the hot sugar to aerate the candy, which is similar to a honeycomb but with less air in the candy.
Traditionally, the candy is left to cool slightly before it is pressed down and then stamped. I didn’t do this step as the candy was just perfect after I poured it out onto parchment paper. If you wish to do this, make sure the top is no longer sticky but also not set and press down with a flat surface (lightly oiled to avoid sticking).
You then stamp the candy with any shape you want, but it is important that the candy is set slightly (but not completely) and not sticky anymore so that you can stamp without the sugar being pulled back out when lifting the stamp.
Storage of this small gluten free chocolate cake
This cake keeps well at room temperature for about 3 days or up to 5 days in the refrigerator. This cake will freeze well, however, you would want to freeze it without the Dalgona candy.
If you’ve tried this recipe, remember to comment below and let me know how it went.
Love,
Mini Gluten Free Chocolate Cake with Dalgona Candy (Squid Game)
Ingredients
Dalgona Candy
- 2 Tbsp Caster Sugar Or Granulated Sugar
- Pinch Baking Soda
- Cooking Spray
Mini Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
- 40 g Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Link to recipe in Notes
- 5 g Cornstarch (Or more Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour)
- 100 g Caster Sugar Or Granulated Sugar
- 15 g Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder Or Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- ½ tsp Instant Coffee
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- Pinch Salt
- 56 g Oil (¼ Cup) Or Melted and Cooled Butter
- 1 Large Egg White
- ¼ Cup Plain Yoghurt
Buttercream
- 120 g Unsalted Butter
- 100 g Icing Sugar
- 3/4 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 – 1 tsp Milk As required for desired consistency
Instructions
Dalgona Candy
- Line a baking sheet or heat proof surface with parchment paper.
- Using a ladle or a small saucepan, add the sugar to it and then place over a medium flame to start melting the sugar. Stir until fully melted, controlling the heat as necessary to avoid burning the sugar.
- Once your sugar is fully melted and amber in colour, remove from heat and add a pinch of baking soda and stir until the mixture is slightly aerated.
- Pour the mixture in two circles onto your prepared parchment paper. If you want to press the candy down, spray the flat side of a metal bowl, spatula or measuring cup with cooking spray and press the candy down to about 0.5cm (about ¼ inch) thickness.
- Make sure your candy isn't too soft and is slightly set then use a cookie cutter and stamp your desired shape before allowing to cool.
Mini Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C (325°F) for a fan-forced oven.
- Mix together your dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking powder and salt) and whisk to combine well.
- Mix the oil, egg white and yoghurt together in a small bowl.
- Add a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add your wet ingredients in the middle and whisk until just combined.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pans and bake for about 18minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or the sides of the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan.
- Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes before turning out onto a wired rack to cool.
- If you baked thicker layers cut the layers in half with a serrated knife rotating as you cut to ensure you cut the layers evenly. If you used a larger pan, cut out rounds from the layers and stack to make two mini cakes.
Buttercream
- Whip your butter until fluffy. Whip until almost white if you require a white buttercream.
- Add your icing sugar (powdered sugar) and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Add milk if required and add 1/4 tsp at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Stack and frost your cakes with a straight knife or offset spatula and top with your Dalgona candy.
