Chocolate Snack Cake

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Inside: The ingredients that make Grandma’s small chocolate cake recipe so satisfying and the irresistible boiled icing that takes this chocolate snack cake to the next level.

This chocolate snack cake is moist, rich and very chocolatey–it’s not too sweet, but the thin maple glaze triggers your flavor receptors like a jackhammer. I reach for this small chocolate cake recipe for a fuss-free treat everyone loves.

A slice of chocolate cake on a black plate.

This old-fashioned chocolate snack cake is a recipe from my husband’s grandmother, Marie. I never got to know her, but I’ve known my husband long enough that this recipe means a lot to him. From the first bite, it triggers nostalgic memories for him.

For me, it evokes pure child-like pleasure. This single-layer chocolate cake with a thin sheen of maple glaze is both indulgent and restrained.

Indulgent because it’s so rich–restrained because it’s a small chocolate cake recipe, made in an 8×8″ baking dish—makes a single layer—enough to satisfy a few sweet tooths without having leftovers that last for days.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

It has a deep chocolate flavor that’s indulgent without being saccharine sweet.
You mix the batter in a single bowl, so there’s less cleanup.
It’s the perfect small chocolate cake recipe for a family dessert or after school snack.
The boiled maple glaze is off-the-charts delicious.
It’s grandma’s recipe, so you know it’s good.

Ingredients:

Sugar–plain granulated sugar works best. Don’t substitute brown sugar.
Shortening–a.k.a. Crisco. Theoretically, you could use softened butter, but Crisco is what our grandmothers used, and for this snack cake, I pay homage to their recipe.
Buttermilk has a double role as a leavener, reacting with baking soda and keeping the cake moist and tender.
Baking Soda–so the cake will rise – but it only works when in the presence of an acid (buttermilk).
Eggs–makes the crumb tender.
Flour–I use unbleached all-purpose flour. King Arthur’s is my favorite brand.
Cocoa Powder–I used Hershey’s plain cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed cocoa.
Salt–I use iodized salt for baking because it’s finer and mixes and dissolves more evenly than kosher or sea salt.
Vanilla Extract–I use Penzey’s Double strength vanilla, but use what you have.
Hot Coffee–Adding coffee to the batter gives this chocolate snack cake a deeper chocolatey flavor.
Brown Sugar–for the maple glaze.
Evaporated Milk–this is canned milk that’s been reduced and is more concentrated than regular milk.
Maple Syrup–Use pure maple syrup instead of maple-flavored syrup. You can also augment with ¼ teaspoon of maple extract for more intense maple flavoring.
Powdered Sugar-to thicken and sweeten the glaze.

Step-by-step instructions:

Cream the shortening and sugar together.

Using a hand mixer, beat together the sugar and shortening in a large bowl.

2. Measure out the buttermilk in a glass measuring cup and add the baking soda. Stir well to combine (the mixture will rise to about ¾ cup volume. Add the buttermilk mixture to the sugar and beat until blended. (The mixture will look slightly curdled).

3. Beat the eggs into the batter until combined, then add the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Beat just until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the batter.

Adding vanilla and hot coffee to the chocolate snack cake batter.

4. Add the vanilla and the hot coffee to the thick chocolate cake batter.

5. Pour the cake batter into a greased 8″ square baking dish and bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (I usually start poking at the 40-minute mark).

6. Start the maple glaze after the cake comes out of the oven to cool. Combine the shortening, brown sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla, salt and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

7. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the powdered sugar using a hand mixer on medium to high speed until the glaze is smooth.

Pouring glaze over the chocolate snack cake.

8. Immediately pour the maple glaze over the chocolate snack cake and use an offset spatula to smooth it evenly over the top.

9. Let the glaze set before slicing (it won’t take long).

Pro-Tips:

I recommend using a glass baking dish for this recipe, as it doesn’t conduct heat as well and acts as an insulator. Therefore, the chocolate snack cake stays moist and tender. If you use a metal pan, start testing for doneness at 40 minutes and don’t overtake.
When making the maple glaze, boil the mixture until the sugar dissolves, but don’t go beyond that; otherwise, the sugars will recrystallize and give the glaze a grainy texture.
The glaze sets very quickly, so it’s important to wait until the cake is baked and is cooling before making the glaze. Pour the glaze over the top and immediately spread it before it hardens.
If the boiled icing hardens before you can glaze the dessert, add another 1-2 teaspoons of evaporated milk and whisk it over medium-high heat for a few seconds. It will become pourable.

Variations:

Swap the glaze for this classic cream cheese frosting or this not-too-sweet ermine frosting.
Skip the glaze altogether and garnish the single-layer chocolate cake with powdered sugar, a squirt of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.
For a fudgier flavor, swap the glaze for chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream.
Add mini chocolate chips to the batter. To ensure they don’t sink to the bottom of the dessert, toss ½ cup of mini chips with a teaspoon of flour to coat, and fold the chips into the batter before baking.

Storage:

Keep the chocolate snack cake lightly wrapped with plastic at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Avoid refrigerating the dessert, as it can dry out the crumb.

FAQs

What’s the difference between a cake and a snack cake?

Snack cakes are usually small one-layer cakes made in an 8″ or 9″ baking pan and are usually served in the pan they’re baked in and can be enjoyed with or without frosting. Regular cakes are garnished with buttercream or other types of frosting and usually displayed on a pedestal or special dessert plate to serve.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, this recipe is easily doubled. If you do, bake it in a 9×13″ baking dish (glass if available) or 2 – 8×8″ square or round pans. You’ll want to double (if not triple) the maple glaze recipe.

More easy snack cake recipes:

Serving a slice of the small chocolate cake recipe on a black plate.

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