Salted caramel mini cake

Ingredients (makes ~12 mini cakes)

• 150 g all-purpose flour, 25 g cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder (sifted)
• 150 g sugar, 115 g softened butter, 3 Tbsp neutral oil, pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 60 ml strong coffee

For the ganache

• 120 ml double cream, 100 g chopped chocolate, 1 tsp vanilla

Salted Caramel Sauce

• 100 g golden caster sugar, 60 ml cream, 25 g butter, pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Prep & dry mix: Preheat oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan). Grease mini cake molds (~12). Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder.
2. Wet mix: Cream sugar, butter, oil & salt until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla and coffee.
3. Combine: Fold in dry mix gently until just combined.
4. Bake: Fill molds ~½ full; bake ~12–15 min. Cool slightly, unmold.
5. Ganache: Heat cream & vanilla to simmer, pour over chocolate, let sit, stir until glossy, chill, then whip until light. Pipe onto cakes.
6. Salted caramel: Melt sugar on low-medium heat until amber. Remove from heat, add cream (careful—it bubbles), return to heat briefly, add butter and salt, stir smooth.
7. Finish: Drizzle caramel over cakes and/or ganache.