Chocolate And Fennel Seed Mini-Cakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup ground almonds
• 1 tablespoon dry-toasted and ground fennel seeds
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (eg, sunflower, canola)
• 1/2 cup yogurt, well-stirred and lumps removed
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Cream Cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 deg C and grease 4-5 small ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking tray (or cake tins). Fill the tray/tins with boiling water till the water level is about 1/4-inch high.
2. In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, almonds, fennel, baking powder and salt. Mix them well with a fork.
3. In a bigger bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt and vanilla till the sugar dissolves.
4. Add the flour mix into the egg mixture (dry into wet) and fold in till just combined. Do not overwork the batter.
5. Fill the ramekins about 2/3rds of the way (the batter will rise) and bake for 35-45 minutes or till toothpicks inserted into the centers come out very slightly greasy (not coated in wet batter). I usually start checking after the cakes have baked for 30 minutes.
6. Cool the cakes in the ramekins for 15 minutes before placing them on a cooling rack.
7. Top each mini-cake with large knobs, or classier quenelles, of cream cheese.

flour, cocoa powder, ground almonds, salt, eggs, vegetable oil, yogurt, caster sugar, vanilla, cream cheese

Taken from food52.com/recipes/16117-chocolate-and-fennel-seed-mini-cakes (may not work)