If you’re ever craving ultra-rich, moist, delicious chocolate cake but don’t really need a huge pan of it—this recipe is for you! Made using a 9″ by 9″ pan, this chocolate snack cake is the perfect size for (you guessed it!) snacking on after dinner or before dinner…or any time of day. Instant pudding and a couple dollops of sour cream make this cake extra moist, while cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips add rich chocolate flavor.
This cake is also eggless, an added bonus if that matters to you. Instead, vinegar and baking soda interact, creating a leavening effect similar to that of an egg in the cake. (You really won’t miss the egg at all—I promise.)
I top this simple cake off with a chocolate peanut butter ganache, which is also incredibly easy to make. You can either drizzle the warm ganache over the cake or wait a bit for it to cool before whipping it into a more frosting-like consistency and spreading it on the cake. Either way, it’s a perfect topping for this already perfect cake!
Chocolate Snack Cake Ingredient Notes:
Cocoa. Unsweetened cocoa powder adds a deep, rich, chocolatey flavor to this cake—shop my favorite cocoa powder from Ghirardelli on Amazon. The quality of the cocoa powder used will affect the cake’s richness and depth of flavor. I highly recommend Ghirardelli cocoa powders!
Should you use Dutch process or natural cocoa powder? Usually, recipes call for a particular cocoa powder variety because one may work better than the other with the leavening agent(s) used. More specifically, recipes utilizing baking soda (like this one) typically call for natural cocoa powder. However, for this cake, the white vinegar provides the acid required for a chemical reaction to take place. So, Dutch Process cocoa powder will still work even though it has a neutral pH.
So—to summarize—feel free to use either natural or Dutch process cocoa powder (just make sure whichever one you choose is unsweetened).
White Vinegar and Baking Soda (No Eggs!): As mentioned earlier, there are no eggs required for this cake. Instead, white vinegar reacts with baking soda to create a leavening effect that mimics that of an egg in the cake.
Oil. While I prefer avocado oil, feel free to use your preferred neutral oil.
Sour Cream. Sour cream adds an extra boost of moisture to this cake. I add 2 heaping tablespoons—and it really does make a difference!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache Notes:
Chocolate Chips. I use a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips for this ganache. However, you can use all of one or the other, or mix in your favorite variety.
Peanut Butter: Needless to say, creamy peanut butter works best for this ganache because we’re looking for a smooth, spreadable/pourable texture.
Mini Heart Snack Cakes
Looking to make this delicious cake even cuter? Cut hearts (or other shapes) out of this cake and then add your favorite toppings to make mini chocolate snack cakes. These little hearts are a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day!
Shop this heart cookie cutter set on Amazon, perfect for cutting out mini snack cakes.
Topping Ideas for This Chocolate Snack Cake:
- Best Ever Homemade Whipped Cream: Requiring only 3 ingredients and less than 5 minutes to make, this homemade whipped cream is the perfect topping for this snack cake.
- Ganache: The chocolate peanut butter ganache I top the cake with can either be drizzled on while still gooey and melty, or you can whip it and create a lighter, frosting-like consistency that can be spread across the cake.
- Your Favorite Frosting: Peanut butter or chocolate frosting would both work perfectly on this cake. Add some chocolate sprinkles on top for even more pizzazz!
- A Dusting of Powdered Sugar: Sprinkle on some powdered sugar using a shaker like this one (shop on Amazon). Just make sure the cake is completely cool before adding any powdered sugar.
Read on for the recipe for this easy chocolate snack cake with chocolate peanut butter ganache. Then, make sure you leave a rating and review once you’ve tried it for yourself!
My Favorite Easy Chocolate Snack Cake With Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
Equipment (Shop on Amazon)
- Pyrex Measuring Cups (I use the 2-cup one for this recipe)
Ingredients
Chocolate Snack Cake
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (either Dutch process or natural)
- ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp instant chocolate pudding
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp instant coffee
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ cup avocado oil or other neutral oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 heaping tbsp sour cream
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (See Note 1 below)
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, mini chocolate chips, instant chocolate pudding, baking soda, instant coffee, and salt until there are no visible lumps of flour or cocoa powder. Set aside.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup white granulated sugar, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, 2 tbsp instant chocolate pudding, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp instant coffee, ½ tsp salt
- In a 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together the milk, avocado oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, and sour cream.1 cup milk, ⅓ cup avocado oil, 1 tbsp white vinegar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 heaping tbsp sour cream
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Whisk until well combined with no lumps.
- Spray a 9" x 9" cake pan with baking spray. Pour the cake batter into the pan and smooth it into an even layer using a spatula. Tap the pan on the counter a couple times to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Bake on the center rack of your oven at 350°F for 22-24 minutes. Test if the cake is done by sticking a toothpick in the center. It should come out clean or with a couple moist crumbs stuck to it when the cake is completely baked. Do not overbake!
- Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes before topping it with a ganache, traditional frosting, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
- Put all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir well.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup milk chocolate chips, ¼ cup milk, ¼ cup heavy cream, 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- Continue to microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring well in between, until the mixture is very smooth.
- Option 1: While the cake is still slightly warm from the oven, pour the ganache on it and spread it into an even layer.
- Option 2: Allow the ganache to cool for about 5-10 minutes, or until it starts to thicken. Then, whip it using a hand mixer until it reaches a slightly lighter, more frosting-like consistency. Use an offset spatula to spread it on the snack cake.
Notes from the Happy To Be Here Kitchen
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2 Responses
So good!!! It was a big hit with my family, even had a request to make this for a birthday cake. Great recipe.
I’m so glad to hear you and your family liked the cake! Thank you.