Mini Vegan Malteser Fudge Cake (Gluten-Free)

The cutest Mini Vegan Malteser Fudge Cake with chocolate buttercream frosting and a surprise chocolate filling, this cake is a small showstopper perfect for 4-6 people.

I love mini cakes and usually go for the 6-inch cake but this time round, I wanted to make a small cake we could easily eat in one day without leftovers. The 4-inch cake was the answer and fortunately, I have three of them, so after a bit of maths, I knew that this size was going to be perfect. Converting cake tins and sizes can be tricky, but I “cheated” and worked out the area of my square 6-inch tin is about the same as the area of three 4-inch circle tins, meaning I could simply adapt my favourite Chocolate Banana Bread Peanut Butter Brownies. So, if you want to make this cake as one square sheet cake, use the 6-inch cake and bake for a little longer (as in the method for the brownies).

Why will I love this cake?

This Mini Vegan Malteser Fudge Cake is a special one and I made it to celebrate my younger brother’s birthday this year as he used to love a Malteser cake when he was younger. This mini cake is:

• Rich, chocolatey and fudgy like a brownie
• Dense and decadent but not overpowering
• Packed with a gooey chocolate middle
• Spread with luscious chocolate buttercream
• Easy to make in a few steps
• Naturally vegan and easily gluten-free
• Perfect for 4 to 6 slices of cake
• A real showstopper

If you already love this Mini Vegan Malteser Fudge Cake then read ahead for the recipe card. First, let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.

What ingredients do I need?

As this is adapted from my fudge brownie recipe, the ingredients are similar:

• Applesauce: this is instead of mashed banana although both can be used. The apple/banana acts as a binder in the batter and adds natural sweetness and moisture keeping this cake fudgy.
• Plant-based milk: any milk will work here like oat, almond or coconut (from a carton).
• Lemon juice: this curdles the buttermilk making a homemade buttermilk which binds the cake batter (acting like an egg).
• Coconut sugar: for sweetness. I like coconut sugar as it’s richer in colour and flavour than other sugars but you can also use white or golden caster sugar or light brown sugar, too.
• Thick dairy-free yoghurt: make sure this is as thick as you can find for the best batter and cake. I like the Cocos Organic yoghurt which is also packed with simple ingredients. You can try dairy-free Greek-style yoghurts, too.
• Chocolate nut butter: or you can use chocolate spread or regular peanut or other nut butter. I love the Chocolate Peanut Butter from Manilife here, but choose your favourite. Ideally, this is smooth and runny.
• Vanilla essence: for flavour.
• Plain or GF flour: this brownie cake doesn’t need a lot of flour but I like to use plain or GF plain flour (with xanthan gum) for the lightest texture.
• Oat flour: for some added wholegrain goodness. Simply blend your oats into a fine flour-like texture and make sure they are gluten-free, if needed.
• Cocoa powder: or you can use cacao powder in this batter.
• Bicarbonate of soda: for a slight rise, but remember these are brownie-style sponges.
• Salt: for flavour.

As for the frosting, this is seriously my favourite and is dangerously good:

• Vegan butter: always make sure to soften your butter by leaving it at room temperature for an hour or so. This ensures the buttercream is as light and whipped as possible.
• Cocoa powder: or cacao powder as above. This makes the buttercream really chocolatey.
• Icing sugar: for texture and sweetness.
• Aquafaba or plant milk: to create a really smooth and creamy texture. I prefer aquafaba (the water from a tin of chickpeas, which you can then use in curries, cookie dough and sandwich fillers) as it behaves like egg white when whipped, leading to the lightest buttercream.

To decorate, this Mini Vegan Malteser Fudge Cake would not be complete without:

• Vegan Malteser chocolates: I use the delicious ones from Doisy and Dam and they are so good. You can use other chocolates on top, too, or leave it plain.
• More chocolate nut butter: or chocolate spread or nut butter as above, for inside the cake layers.

How do I make this showstopper cake?

The method is simple, just plan ahead so the cakes can cool down:

• Whisk together all the wet ingredients: for the cake batters till smooth.
• Add in the dry ingredients: and whisk to a thick batter.
• Equally divide the mix between three 4-inch cake tins: and smooth over the top.
• Bake for 19 to 22 minutes: until cooked through and an inserted skewer comes out mainly clean but some specks are OK (if the skewer is clean the cakes are over-baked and will dry out).
• Allow to cool: firstly in the tins and then on a wire rack. Then pop them in the fridge till ready to use.
• Whip up the buttercream: till light and airy.
• Place one cake on a small plate: and spread over the buttercream.
• Add a spoon of chocolate nut butter: for the filling and sandwich with a second cake.
• Repeat with more buttercream and nut butter: and top with the third cake.
• Spread the buttercream all over the mini cake: until swirled and gorgeous.
• Decorate with crushed and whole Malteser chocolates: and then chill the cake to allow the cakes to set.
• Slice and enjoy: with tea, coffee and ice-cold dairy-free milk.

How long will this cake last?

This cake lasted less than 2 hours once I’d finished decorating and photographing it, but it can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can wrap up and freeze the cooled sponges for up to 1 month. Allow to thaw and decorate as above.

Is this Mini Vegan Malteser Fudge Cake gluten-free and nut-free?

Yes this cake is gluten-free when using GF flour for the cake and checking that your oats (for the oat flour) are certified gluten-free. To make this cake nut-free, opt for nut-free chocolate spread or seed butter like tahini in the sponges and then again for the cake filling, too.

I don’t have 4-inch cake tins, what can I do?

I suggest making this in one square 6-inch cake tin (using my Chocolate Banana Bread Peanut Butter Brownies as guidance for timings) and then spreading with a layer of chocolate spread/nut butter as the filling and then spreading on the chocolate buttercream. You could make this as a two-tier 6-inch cake but it would be much thinner and will need less baking time.

I love this cake, what else can I make?

I hope you are going to love making and eating this Mini Vegan Malteser Fudge Cake and for more ideas, how about my:

• Coffee Cookie Dough Cake
• White Chocolate Blueberry Blondie Cake
• Vegan Oreo Banana Bread
• Vegan Banana bread Tiramisu
• Orange and Rhubarb Loaf Cake

I look forward to hearing what you think of this Mini Vegan Malteser Fudge Cake so please let me know in the comments below. If you do make this mini cake, I’d love to see so please tag me in your creations. I’m I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With mini Malteser love x