“14 (fourteen) is a natural number following 13 and succeeded by 15,” as the dictionary so helpfully explains. That’s one earth-shaking headline for you there, right? Try as I might to find something witty to say about the figure, some pop culture reference to connect it with, there’s just nothing particularly exciting about the figure. So here we are, the day of BitterSweet‘s fourteenth blogoversary, which is little more than a blip on the radar at this point.

Growing older isn’t easy, but as they say, it sure beats the alternative. Merely surviving for so many years in a world that’s constantly evolving, rewriting the rules of the game at every stage of play, definitely calls for some sort of celebration. Rather than writing at length about my navel-gazing and self-congratulatory blogging victories over the years, I’m raising a glass to you, my dear reader, for really keeping this crazy dream alive.

Tempting as it was to just keep on writing without proper acknowledgement of the milestone, that would be like forgetting your birthday, and I just wouldn’t be so cruel. Even if it’s an unremarkable age, a relatively unimportant number, you still deserve cake.

Little cakes for a little festivity; seems to fit the bill, don’t you think? Mini bundt cakes condense all the show-stopping beauty of a full, gargantuan baked good down into manageable single serving portions. Make a batch for a party, freeze extras for later, and never worry about either running out or over-serving. We can make this revelry even more low-key by fashioning the batter into standard muffins, for those seeking that everyday sort of sweet gratification instead.

Suitably unconventional for such a quirky little blog, gluten-free sorghum flour and maca powder work in concert to create a uniquely malty, nutty, toasted cereal flavor that plain malted milk powder could never replicate. Chocolate is a natural pairing with that nostalgic scoop shop taste, which is why I doubted down, employing both rich chocolate chips and crisp, crunchy cacao nibs. Decadent enough that there’s no need to guild the lily with frosting, you get the complete package in every bite. If you had to add a bit of extra sparkle, I suppose a gentle dusting of confectioner’s sugar wouldn’t hurt, though.

Should I have something more profound to share on this 1900th post on the 14th year of BitterSweet? Perhaps. Then again, I’d like to think that it’s just one of many more birthdays to come. We’ll have plenty of other opportunities to trade wisdom on aging gracefully, and sweetly.

Yield: Makes 8 Mini Bundts or 12 Muffins

Malted Chocolate Chip Mini Bundt Cakes

Sorghum flour and maca powder work in concert to create a uniquely malty, nutty, toasted cereal flavor that pairs brilliantly with chocolate, both in the form of chips and crunchy cacao nibs. It's an everyday sort of cake that would be right at home on the dessert plate or breakfast plate, depending on your mood.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Cups Sorghum Flour
• 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Maca Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Ground Flax Seeds
• 2 Teaspoons Baking powder
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/3 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 Cup Cacao Nibs

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease either a mini bundt pan with 8 inserts or a standard muffin pan with 12 cups.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the non-dairy milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar; set aside.
3. Separately, whisk all the dry ingredients together to combine. Add the chocolate chips and cacao nibs, tossing to coat. This will help prevent them from sinking to the bottoms of the cakes in the baking process.
4. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl of dry goods, stirring with a wide spatula just to bring the batter together. Do not over-mix! It's perfectly fine to leave a few lumps remaining.
5. Divide evenly between your prepared mini bundts or muffin pan, filling each insert about 3/4 of the way to the top.
6. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes for muffins, or 35 - 30 minutes for mini bundts. They should be golden-brown all over, and a toothpick inserted into the centers should come out clean (unless you hit a gooey chocolate chip. You just don't want to see wet, raw batter on the end!)
7. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to come to room temperature.

Notes

Once cooled, the muffins or bundts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge prior to serving.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  Nordic Ware Heritage Bundtlette Cake Pan, Metallic, Silver
• 
  Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Gelatinized Maca Powder
• 
  Authentic Foods Sorghum Flour Superfine 3lbs

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 288mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 3gSugar: 17gProtein: 3g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.

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