Snack Cake Sheet Cake
MAKES
one 9 x 13 inch / 23 x 33 cm sheet cake
TAKES
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total: 1 hour 55 minutes
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
Inspired by the moist chocolate cake + fluffy cream filling that makes up all my favorite snack cakes. This recipe keeps it simple by starting with a sheet cake, but still manages to boast a creamy filling - with no torteing or layering required. Instead, the cake is visually divided into 12 even slices, and the center of each slice is hollowed out to make room for cream filling. Best of all, this makes the cake easy to slice, because you’re only cutting through cake + glaze - the filling is nicely hidden inside!
INGREDIENTS
Black Cocoa Chocolate Cake
105 g / 1 ¼ cups black cocoa powder (see headnote)
230 g / 1 cup boiling water
345 g / 1 ½ cups buttermilk
170 g / 3 large eggs, at room temperature
230 g / 1 cup vegetable oil
545 g / 2 ¾ cups granulated sugar
15 g / 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
360 g / 3 cups all purpose flour
8 g / 2 teaspoons baking powder
6 g / 1 teaspoon baking soda
4 g / 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Cream Filling
226 g / 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
226 g / 2 cups powdered sugar
2 g / ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
369 g / 13 ounces marshmallow creme
15 g / 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Fudge Glaze
176 g / ¾ cup heavy cream
56 g / 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
85 g / ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
226 g / 8 ounces finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 g / ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Make This Recipe With Me:
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C with an oven rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch / 23 x 33 cm cake pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan in both directions with parchment paper, allowing any excess to hang over the side (to help you unmold the cake later). Lightly grease the parchment paper.
2. Place the cocoa powder in a large heat-safe bowl. Pour the water or coffee over the cocoa powder, and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk and whisk the mixture until smooth and evenly combined.
3. Add the eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla, and whisk well to combine and is smooth.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together to evenly combine. Add the dry ingredients to the cocoa mixture, whisking well to combine. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl well to ensure everything is even and homogenous.
5. Pour the prepared cake batter into the pan, and spread into an even layer. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35-40 minutes. Cool the cake completely in the pan.
6. Make the filling: in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the butter on high speed until visibly lightened in color, 2-3 minutes.
7. Scrape the bowl well, and add the powdered sugar in 2-3 additions, whipping on low speed until incorporated. Scrape the bowl well. Raise the speed to high, and whip until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
8. Scrape the bowl well, then add the marshmallow creme and vanilla and mix on low speed until the mixture comes together. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag, and cut a ½ inch / 1 cm opening cut from the tip.
9. Use a serrated knife to visually score the surface of the cake into 12 even squares. Use a 1 ½ inch / 4 cm round cookie cutter to cut a round of cake out of the center of each slice - the goal is to get about ⅔ of the way into the cake so there’s plenty of filling. As you work, break each round of cake in half (you’ll only be putting half back on top, so you can enjoy the rest as a lil chef snack).
10. Pipe the filling into the center of each cake, all the way to the top edge of the cavity. Press the saved portion of the cake on top and press down firmly. Squeeze any of the remaining filling out of the bag, and use a spatula to spread it into an even layer over the surface (it will be thin, but it will help seal the surface of the cake.
11. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours (and up to 24 hours). Prepare the glaze: in a small pot, heat the heavy cream, butter, and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring frequently with a silicone spatula until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved.
12. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat to medium low and boil for 2 minutes more.
13. Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the chocolate and salt. Stir well until the mixture is fully melted and smooth. If needed, continue to warm gently over low heat until completely melted and smooth.
14. Remove the pot from the heat and cool for 10 minutes. Stir the fudge after cooling, and remove the cake from the refrigerator. Pour the cooled glaze over the surface of the cake, and use an offset spatula to gently spread it into an even layer.
15. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator, and chill for at least 2 hours until the glaze is set (and up to overnight.
16. To serve, run a small offset spatula around the outer edge of the cake to help release it from the pan. Use the excess parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and peel away the parchment paper. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
✻ HAVE YOU BAKED IT?
Tag @emcdowell on Instagram or use #happybaking. I’d love to see your bakes!
