Decadent Chocolate Snack Cake

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This Decadent Chocolate Snack Cake is a deeply chocolate cake that is simplicity itself. In fact, it doesn't even require a mixer. There is the basic version, the marshmallow cream topped version and the one finished with caramel. Take your pick!

Prep Time1 45

Cook Time30

Course: Cake

Cuisine: American

Keyword: caramel, chocolate cake, Marshmallow Cream, Snack Cake

Servings: servings

Calories: 624kcal

Author: Helen S. Fletcher

Equipment

9x9" baking pan
Thermometer

Ingredients

Caramel

1 cup water
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250 grams)
1/2 cup clear corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (90 grams)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Decadent Chocolate Cake

1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (210 grams)
1 cup Dutch cocoa (85 grams)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 1/3 cups brown sugar (265 grams)
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream (225 grams)
1 cup chocolate chunks (150 grams)

Marshmallow Cream

3 tablespoons water
2/3 cup clear corn syrup
1/3 + 1 cup + tablespoon granulated sugar (75 grams)
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla

Instructions

Caramel

Place the water,sugar, and corn syrup in a 3 quart sauce pan. Stir over heat until the sugar is dissolved completely. Bring to a hard boil.
Either wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water or put a lid on the pan for 3 to 4 minutes. Boil, without disturbing until the syrup is a dark, medium brown.
Off heat, immediately add the butter and stir until it is melted. Mix the cream and vanilla and stir it into the pan. If some of t he cream lumps up, don't worry. Return it to medium high heat and bring it to a boil again. Boil to 232°F on a thermometer.
When it is done, transfer it to a bowl or a storage container and let it cool to room temperature.
It can be stored at room temperature for a couple of days or, for longer storage, refrigerate almost indefinitely. Microwave briefly to use it.
Yield: About 2 cups.

Decadent Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the bottom of a 9x9" square pan with parchment paper. Spray the paper and sides of the pan with a non-stick-baking-spray.
In a very small bowl, combine the vanilla and instant coffee. Stir to dissolve coffee and set aside.
Sift the flour into a large bowl.
Sift the cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt on top of the flour. Whisk together to mix well.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, sour cream and coffee mixture.
Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon or fold together with a rubber spatula just until everything is mixed well. Do not over mix.
Distribute the chocolate chunks evenly over the top.
Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a tester comes out with just a bit of crumbs on it. Do not over bake.
Cool in the pan and then turn it out onto a cake board or serving dish.

Marshmallow Cream

In a small saucepan, bring the water, corn syrup and 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar to a boil. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Continue to boil hard until a thermometer reaches 246°F.
In the meantime, place the egg whites, remaining sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When the temperature of the sugar syrup reaches 230° start beating the egg whites on high to the soft peak stage.
If the egg whites reach temperature before the syrup is done, reduce the speed of the mixer to low and keep beating. Do not turn off the mixer.
When the syrup comes to temperature, raise or lower the speed of the mixer to medium and slowly drizzle it into the egg whites, keeping it between the side of the pan and the whisk. Increase the speed of the mixer to high and beat until very thick and lukewarm.

Finishing

Place the marshmallow cream into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" plain tip. Pipe the meringue on a diagonal covering the entire cake.
If using the caramel, heat about 1/2 cup in the microwave until fairly liquid. Heavily drizzle the caramel in the opposite direction of the marshmallow.
The cake can be stored for several days at room temperature, covered.

Notes

There is always an abundance of photos to guide you in the post above.

As always, I recommend using a scale for accuracy and consistency. Flour, in particular, is difficult to measure by volume. For my recipes, I use 140 grams per cup of unsifted all-purpose, bread or whole wheat flour and 125 grams of cake flour. Others may use different weights so use whatever they suggest.

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Make sure to pay attention to the degrees specified in the caramel and marshmallow cream. Over cooking either one will alter its texture.

Don't over mix the cake batter. Use a spoon or rubber spatula and just mix until everything is combined.

Use the chunk chocolate for the best finish to the top the cake.

When making the syrup for the marshmallows, use a saucepan that holds about 6 cups. The mixture rises up as it boils. However, do not use a larger pan or the ingredients will spread out too much making it difficult to use the thermometer.

Do not under beat the marshmallow cream or it will not hold its shape.

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