Mini treats for Valentine’s Day are often looked forward to – mainly because of its ‘sweet’ side. It may mean a box of chocolates, a gift of tea cakes that have been cut into heart shapes, or even a piece of candy taped to a Valentine card.
For the Country Boy, nothing short of a Chocolate Cake is going to work. Unfortunately, we are at the age where we don’t need a whole cake sitting in the house. And since I am not a big cake eater (I know, I know – I am going to be in trouble with many of you for that statement!), that means just one huge cake for him.
Instead of indulging him with a big cake, I have started making him what we are now calling mini treats for Valentine’s Day. These are cakes which have been baked in smaller sizes.
Pan Sizes for Mini Treats for Valentine’s Day
My preference is to use 6” cake pans. There are two blessings in a cake this size: 1) He can still have his cake and eat the entire thing without overdosing on sweets, and 2) I can make at least 2, if not 3 cakes at one time.
This means using two layers for the Mini treats for Valentine’s Day and freezing the others for later. And around here, a Chocolate Cake isn’t just good for Valentine’s Day. It also helps to get me out of the doghouse when I am in trouble and sweetens the deal when I want him to build yet another project. Keeping extra layers in the freezer come in real handy!
Your mini treats for Valentine’s Day don’t have to be chocolate. You can use your favorite cake recipe and still create a mini version.
And it doesn’t have to be a layer cake. Bundt cake pans come mini versions, from 3” to 7” sizes. If cheesecakes might be the preferred mini treats for Valentine’s Day, springform pans also come in in different sizes. For a layer cake I recommend the 6” pan.
You can also take it a step further, and purchase heart-shaped pans for mini treats for Valentine’s Day. Here are a few choices:
Just so you know, all of my miniature baking pans came from sets designed for children and are old. Although I did a search to see if they were still available, most of the baking sets for children these days are made of plastic and won’t hold up to oven temperatures. I don’t advise using these for mini treats for Valentine’s Day, unless you are absolutely certain they are designed to be used in a hot oven.
Mini treats for Valentine’s Day are also perfect for other things. Here are some ways you can share:
- Add one as dessert when you are taking a meal to a sick neighbor
- Use them as contributions to a Bake Sale
- Birthday Gifts
- ‘Just Because you are Special to Me’ gifts
- Include a Valentine’s Day Coupon with your mini treat
Do you like the idea of making mini treats for Valentine’s Day? Then it’s time to get in the kitchen! And while you are at it, if you need a good bribe for someone, this may just be the way to get what you want!
As I said, mini treats for Valentine’s Day can be made using your own favorite cake mix. But just in case chocolate is a good choice for you, here is Mom’s Chocolate Cake Recipe. It’s the one I use and is perfect!
Mom’s Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
Cake:
- 2 cups Sugar
- ½ cup Butter
- 2 Eggs
- ½ c. Buttermilk
- 3 Heaping Tablespoons Cocoa
- 1 t. Vanilla
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 t. Soda
- 1 t. Baking Powder
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 cup Boiling Water
- Chocolate Frosting:
- ¼ cup Shortening, melted
- ¼ t. Salt
- ½ c. Cocoa
- 1/3 cup Milk
- 1-1/2 t. Vanilla
- 3-1/2 cups Sifted Confectioners’ Sugar
Directions:
Cake: Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time. Add buttermilk. Add cocoa, vanilla, blending well. Mix in dry ingredients. Add water. Grease, flour and line with waxed paper two 9” cake pans (or six 6” cake pans). Divide batter equally among pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely.
Frosting: Combine shortening, cocoa and salt. Add milk and Vanilla. Stir in sugar in three parts, mixing until smooth and creamy after each addition. Add more sugar to thicken, or milk to thin frosting for spreading consistency.
Note: For 6” pans, you only need to use the traditional 2 layers for each cake, unless yours is like the Country Boy and REALLY loves his/her Mini treats for Valentine’s Day!
