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Chocolate Snack Cake is a moist and fluffy chocolate cake made with basic pantry ingredients. It’s ready for snacking in under an hour, and it’s all mixed and baked in the same pan for easy clean up!
When a chocolate craving hits, this chocolate snack cake is my perfect vice. It’s super simple to make, using ingredients I already have on hand, and it’s so moist it doesn’t even need frosting!
This easy chocolate cake is perfect for when I don’t want to spend a lot of time whipping up a Chocolate Cream Pie or baking Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. It takes about 10 minutes to mix up in the baking dish (no bowls needed) and bakes up in about 35 minutes. I like to dust it with powdered sugar because it looks pretty, but you can add frosting or a glaze if you want.
Chocolate Snack Cake Ingredients
- Flour, baking soda, and salt – dry ingredients that provide the structure and height.
- Sugar – you can actually use brown or white sugar for this recipe. Brown sugar will give a warmer flavor and white sugar is just nice and sweet. I’ve used both with great results.
- Cocoa – Use a good quality cocoa for baking. Hershey’s is ok, but Ghirardelli is even better.
- Vegetable oil
- White vinegar – The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to aerate the cake and give it height. I promise you can’t taste it, and it plays a very important part in the recipe.
- Vanilla extract
Recipe walkthrough
How to Make Chocolate Snack Cake
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Preheat your oven to 350℉.
Mix dry ingredients. Grab an 8×8-inch baking dish and start adding the dry ingredients. Use a fork to mix them up really well. I use a fork because even a small whisk can’t get in the corners and some of the powder might be missed.
Add wet ingredients. Pour in water, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Give it a good stir, scraping the sides and corners to ensure that everything is incorporated.
Chocolate Chips. If you want to use them, sprinkle some chocolate chips on top for extra chocolate.
Bake. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. Check for doneness using a toothpick or cake tester.
Garnish. Let it cool for at least 20-30 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar (also optional).
Recipe Tips
- Storage: If you end up with leftovers, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Cool cake completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then foil and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Enhance the chocolate flavor with coffee! I know it sounds weird, but coffee actually gives the cocoa a boost and you get a richer, deeper chocolate flavor. Instead of water, use a cup of cooled coffee. You can also use milk for a smoother chocolate taste.
- Chocolate frosting (optional): Beat ½ cup softened butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and 1-2 tablespoons milk until fluffy; about 2-3 minutes. Spread over cooled cake. Note – if you add the frosting, you’ll need to refrigerate the cake when storing.
More Chocolate Recipes You’ll Love
- Hot Chocolate (Slow Cooker)
- Chocolate Ice Cream
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
- Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Chocolate Cherry Cake
- Texas Sheet Cake
- No-Bake Chocolate Lasagna
Chocolate Snack Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cup All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Brown sugar or granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup Cocoa
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Water
- ⅓ cup Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon White vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla
- ½ cup Chocolate chips (optional) milk or semi-sweet
- Powdered sugar (optional) for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Mix all of the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt) with a fork in an ungreased 8"x8" square pan.
- Stir in water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Make sure to scrape the the edges and corners to incorporate all of the dry ingredients.
- Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar, slicing and serving.
Notes
- Store leftovers, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To freeze, cool cake completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then foil and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- For a richer and deeper chocolate flavor, instead of water use a cup of cooled coffee. You can also use milk for a smoother chocolate taste.
- Chocolate frosting (optional): Beat ½ cup softened butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and 1-2 tablespoons milk until fluffy; about 2-3 minutes. Spread over cooled cake.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
I love this cake, but want to give to 2 neighbors for a snack. Do you think I can make it in 2 approx size 4×4 pans? Would you suggest the same oven temperature and maybe a shorter cooking time? Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Same baking temperature, but adjust the time a bit. I would check after about 20 minutes and see how they are doing, then go from there.
I have never commented on a recipe on pinterest before but this is absolutely fabulous. I have missed so missed those 1970 snackcakes.This one tops them all. I used Hershey’s dark chocolate and I put a 1/2 teaspoon of instant coffee to help bring out the chocolate flavor it was so good.Not too sweet.It was perfect definitely going to be in my recipe book.
It was perfect! Not too sweet, no frosting needed. So yummy for exactly what it is, a snack, with a cold glass of milk. Easy and quick to bake. Will definitely be making it again.
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Dolly.
So Good!
This little cake looks FANTASTIC!! I’ve been wanting a little something sweet and I am going into the kitchen NOW to make this!!
Thanks for sharing!