Happy Fall! Kind of kooky time for me to be sharing a perfectly springy dessert, but this past weekend I did some desserts for a very special woman celebrating her 60th birthday. Kathy, my father-in-law’s wife and my close friend, is very passionate about all things garden. Her family threw her a huge surprise party, and I knew immediately that I would have to explore some sweet garden-themed treats. These potted treats were one of the the ones I was most excited about.
For a very brief moment, I thought I actually invented this concept–what a brilliant cakethrough! See, I worked at an incredible restaurant in my twenties (so 16 years ago–ouch) where fresh bread was baked and served in full-size terracotta pots alongside whipped butters in an array of flavours. As I remembered this, it dawned on me that it would work for cake too! And it would be darn cute . . . then I realized that it’s been done before (by some woman named Martha, among others). Oh well, that wasn’t going to stop me. I knew Kathy (and hopefully guests) would love them. And I was relieved to see how simple Martha’s version with the mint sprig was, because it was the perfect solution to my needing something a little less time-consuming.
The potted cakes in these photos are actually the new & improved version since the weekend. There were a few things I wanted to change before I shared the recipe with you, taste-wise, so the girls and I grew a dozen yesterday. So what exactly is a Potted Espresso & Salted Caramel Mud Cake? It’s a double dose of cupcake batter baked in the pot, but just not quite all the way, then brushed with espresso syrup for starters. Not baking all the way creates a gooey chocolate (slightly muddy) centre and a convenient concave middle perfect for filling with oozing salted caramel, toffee bits and dark chocolate, slightly-salted glaze. Then we cover them with chocolate cookie crumbs and Chocolate Pebbles , then top them with small mint sprigs.
The inspiration for the flavour combination was lingering in my mind since I made these cupcakes, and I think the textures and taste are exactly what you would want a spoonful of earth to taste like (okay, that was weird). And don’t let the dry-dirt top fool you–underneath there is a rich, deep, gooey, crunchy, caramel-y and possibly religious experience. And cute all the while.
You can even cakelet-this-up by skipping the elegant mint sprig and espresso and burying a few gummy worms, a toasted marshmallow and chocolate pebbles (they taste like m&m’s) below the surface. Maybe add a bright green fondant sprout, or pipe a few cheery flowers on top. Wow, that sounds pretty awesome actually. Let’s add that to the week’s bake list!
So here’s the recipe just as I did these, but don’t be alarmed by all of the steps and ingredients. Truthfully, these are so easy to do and pretty straight-forward. If you really want to make these on the fly, they’d be pretty great with even the chocolate cakes with your favourite chocolate frosting under all of those crumbs & pebbles. Either way, play around and have fun with it–it’s almost impossible to not smile when you look around and see a roomful of adults eating dirt out of mini flower pots.
Good luck & enjoy!
- 3/4 cup flour
Sweetapolita’s Notes:
- Each potted mini cake is the equivalent to 2 chocolate cupcakes, so can be either 1 or 2 servings.
- For a fun serving idea, tie 1 or 2 wooden forks to the side of each pot using rustic twine.
- For a simpler (and quicker) version, you can simply bake the potted cakes and top with your favourite chocolate frosting or glaze, and then finish off with the cookie crumbs, pebbles and mint.
- For a super-fun kids’ version, hide a few gummy worms in the cake, stuff a toasted marshmallow inside and finish with bright green fondant “sprouts” in place of the mint (or even piped buttercream flowers).
- Be careful to not add too much chocolate glaze–if there’s too much glaze pressed against the inside edges of the pots, the oil in the butter will start to leave marks on the outside of the pots.
- For a garden-themed party, serve these cakes on round iron plant stands (they look like cake plates with wheels), or place them in a tray filled with more chocolate pebbles.
- For a garden-themed party, serve these cakes on round iron plant stands (they look like cake plates with wheels), or place them in a tray filled with more chocolate pebbles.
can this be made like a regular cake?
It definitely can, Lindsay. The recipe given will give you two 8-inch round cake layers. You may want to double the caramel and glaze, though. Hope that that helps!
Oh my gosh, adorable! I am so using this idea! Do the cakes stick to the pots on the sides? Is it worth trying to line the sides of the pots with parchment as well, or does it scoop out okay? I imagine that the terra cotta would mostly absorb the oil you brush up the sides, no? Thank you so much for posting this, the it looks just fantastic!
By oiling the sides and dusting with cocoa powder as written above the cakes won’t stick to the sides. Same as when you make chocolate fondants in ramekins :)
Thanks, Katie! When the sides are brushed lightly with oil and dusted with cocoa powder, the cakes don’t stick. They actually come out quite nicely. Served with a fork or spoon it works well, and the cake comes away from the sides. I hope this helps!
These look so cute. I’m definitely craving some chocolate after reading this!
Thanks, Roxy!
You never fail to surprise me time and again! These look so much like real potted plants!!
Oh, those are so totally sweet! Love!
Beautiful as always! Also happens to be my favourite flavour combination! Chocolate, coffee, caramel. Yum. However I also want to ask if it can be made into a regular cake as I don’t think I can wait to buy the pots to be able to eat them :)
Thanks, Amirah! Yep, you can definitely bake into a regular cake or cupcakes. For cupcakes, it would yield 24 standard size or two 8-inch round cake layers. I hope that helps!
How creative!
Oh my gosh, I love these and the photos!
These look so cute! I have a grandmother whose birthday is right around garden planting time. I think I’ll be growing some of these for her in the spring!
Thanks so much, Sarah!
For a moment I thought those pots were edible, too, knowing your talent to make anything out of cake. But I guess the cake is IN THE POT? It makes me very hungry.
These are beyond adorable. I can’t believe how cute they are! I’ve baked a cake in a pot before, but it was nowhere near these. And all of the flavors! It all sounds so good. The chocolate pebbles look great too. What a wonderful idea! :)
Thanks, Elizabeth!
so cute! :)
So lovely and original! xo
These are a brilliant idea! They look so cute and delicious :)
Completely in love with how cute these are and also the flavour combinations. The bitterness of the expresso must work so well with the salted caramel and rich chocolate cake. I have a few little pots going spare at the moment so I can’t wait to give these a go!
Thanks so much, Kathryn! I hope you do give them a go–they’re truly a treat! xo
Super Cute!!
so cute, now I want to go grab some pots.
These are so adorable! I love this idea for the gardener in your life! Super sweet! :)
these look so amazing! How fun!
What a great idea, as usual! Lovely results :-)
Too darn cute! A lot better than the usual ‘dirt cups’ in my opinion!
You’re so amazing Rosie! Seriously! These are the cutest!
Thanks so much for the sweet comment, Amanda!
Hi Rosie, I just wanted to say that of ALL the websites I love to follow – yours would be the most amazingly inspiring and gorgeous site that has absolutely drool-worthy food/photography! Congrats! I love your take on all of your recipes, they are simply exquisite! And, this is such a cute idea with the little pots. Well done! You are AMAZING!!!!! (And your little girl is adorable!)
Cat =’.’= from Downunder
Thank you so much for the sweet comment, Cat! xo
hi rosie
how many cupcakes would this make and how long would they make
Millie, in a standard cupcake liner this batter would make approximately 24 cupcakes and would bake at 350°F for about 18-20 minutes. Good luck!
i meant how long would they take to bake
Can I just say that your daughter is getting so big! I feel like we’re watching her grow on your blog! She’s absolutely adorable.
And now… these mud cakes are pure genius! Amazing Rosie!
Rosie, you’ve made me crave mud…that’s kinda weird.
Super cute cakes.
These are adorable. Where do I find the instant espresso powder and the chocolate pebbles?
Thanks, Nancy! In Canada you can find those chocolate pebbles at Bulk Barn, but they are also available on Amazon. Instant espresso powder is found at most grocery stores or “better” food stores. I hope that helps!
It looks sooooo yummy!!! I will give this a spin for sure:) Where do you get these pots from?
BTW: your photos are spectacular!!! You are a real PRO!!!
Thanks so much, Ann! You can find these little pots at any gardening shop or even craft shop. They are 3″ terracotta pots. Hope that helps!
Omggg! What a cute pot! Love that!
These are so adorable!! Bet the little cakelets loved em !
Your kids wear the cutest clothes! Where do u shop?
did u bake the cake pot into the oven?or u just put the cake only after bake..im just speechless to see this!its truthly wonderful!!your amazing:)..
I just made 2 1/2 dozen of these! Love them! First I made 18 for the teachers and staff at my son’s preschool. I was trying to make 2 dozen but overfilled the pots and ended up with exactly the number that I needed to take to the school. It was almost heartbreaking making these knowing that I couldn’t indulge in one immediately. So I had to make another dozen this morning and finally got to enjoy this most incredibly delicious treat! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!! Thank you!
What size pots did you use?
I used 3 1/2 inch pots for mine
i just love this ideal.Can i use just cake mix from the box.
oh… how sweet°!
Should I be concerned about lead in the clay pots? Are all clay pots food safe or should I buy at a special store? Local garden department or nursery acceptable? You can see I’m worried out giving the little cakeeaters toxic lead. Thanks for your advice. Also, you have a pretty, happy, fun, inspiring, confidence building, informative and smiles-inducing blog :-) Your clear voice makes the daunting doable. Many thanks and a big hug.