Cakes & Cupcakes • Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Snack Cake
June 1, 2025
I’m a girl that loves to celebrate everything. And I mean everything. Birthday? Anniversary? Middle school graduation? I’m on it! […]
I’m a girl that loves to celebrate everything. And I mean everything. Birthday? Anniversary? Middle school graduation? I’m on it! Make the school tennis team? I’ll bake a cake. Loose a tooth? Cookies, coming right up! What’s that? You started a brand new job today? Let me whip up a batch of brookies. The dog’s half birthday is today? Well then, I think we better buy some balloons!
This easy and delicious Dark Chocolate Snack Cake is just the thing to make every “whoop-tee-do” one to remember. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s always a hit and you won’t be slaving away in the kitchen for long when you’d rather be sharing special moments with those that came to eat cake. It’s such a simple dessert really, but one that garners rave reviews every time and it couldn’t be easier to throw together.
Did I mention that my husband loves this cake and he doesn’t even like cake?? I’ll never forget the first time I made this cake and he walked into the kitchen, took a bite right off the pan and declared “wow, that’s really good cake”. Needless to say, this cake is my go-to for all occasions big and small.
Ingredients
This Dark Chocolate Snack Cake comes together in no time with just a handful of simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Flour
- Butter
- Vegetable oil
- Sugar
- Chocolate
- Cocoa powder
- Eggs
- Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- Whole milk
- Baking soda & baking powder
- Espresso powder
- Vanilla
- Salt
How to make dark chocolate snack cake
Make this easy chocolate snacking cake in minutes! Follow this easy step-by-step guide and check the recipe card below for ingredients and detailed instructions.
Step 1: Mix together the cake batter.
Step 2: Spread the batter into a parchment lined 8 x 8 inch pan. I love this one.
Step 3: Bake for 26 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Step 4: Cool the cake and top with chocolate buttercream.
Can we have a moment for those picture perfect swirls of chocolatey buttercream? Like hello lusciousness! This is not just any buttercream frosting. It’s the smoothest, creamiest, most swoon-worthy buttercream your sweet tooth will ever meet. It’s fluffy, but not airy, and the flavor is out of this world. It’s a wonder I didn’t lick the bowl clean before any of the buttercream made it on to the actual cake. Save this buttercream recipe for all of your cakes, cupcakes, and even brownies.
Tips for the best chocolate snack cake
Use high quality ingredients. For the best flavor, use high quality chocolate, vanilla, butter and eggs. It really does make a difference!
Do not over mix. Less is more when it comes to mixing cake batter. For a light and fluffy crumb, mix only until the ingredients are combined.
Do not over bake. Begin checking the cake for doneness around the 24 minute mark. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out dry or with a few crumbs remaining. Do not over bake or the cake will be dry.
Cool completely before frosting. If the cake is still warm, the frosting will melt right on top. For best results, always cool the cake completely before adding the buttercream. I like to bake the cake and then let it sit at room temperature for about two hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can pop the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to speed up the cooling process.
How to store
If you are lucky enough to have a slice or two of cake left over, store it tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to make the cake in advance, cool the cake completely and wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, leave the cake out at room temperature and then frost before serving.
Save this recipe for all of your cake eating ocassions. I’ll be surprising my hubby with this cake for Father’s Day coming up next weekend and probably for graduation the week before that. Keep the parties {and the cake} coming!
Happy baking!
This post was created in partnership with Williams-Sonoma. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Browned Butter Blondie possible.
Dark Chocolate Snack Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 26 minutes
- Total Time: 46 minutes
- Yield: 8 x 8 inch cake 1x
- Category: Cakes & Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
A rich and ultra chocolatey snack cake topped with a silky smooth, dark chocolate buttercream. This cake is perfect for all occasions and bakes up quickly for a decadent dessert in a hurry!
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 1/3 cup boiling hot water
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (140 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (50 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate (chopped or chips)
- 1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8” baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a small bowl, add the chocolate chips and espresso powder. Add the hot water and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, yogurt, milk, eggs and vanilla until combined well.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Use an electric mixer to mix on low speed until just combined and then mix for 15 to 20 seconds more on medium-low speed.
- Stir together the chocolate and hot water mixture until smooth. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the batter and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds until combined. Do not over mix. Use a large spatula to fold the batter together, scooping down to the bottom of the bowl to be sure all ingredients are incorporated.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake in the center rack of the oven for 26 to 28 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs remaining. If the cake is getting too dark towards the end of the baking cycle, cover the top loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. Do not over bake.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
- Melt the bittersweet chocolate over a double boiler, stirring often until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.
- Add the cocoa powder to the melted chocolate and stir to combine. Set aside to cool slightly.
- To a large bowl, add the butter, vanilla and salt. Mix on low speed until light and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated. If thick, add one tablespoon of milk or cream to help the frosting come together. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times.
- Add the melted chocolate to the butter and sugar mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- If the frosting is too thick, add more milk or cream. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Use a large ice cream scoop or spoon to portion the frosting out on the top of the cooled cake. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake, adding swirls as you work.
- Slice and serve!
Notes
Store leftover cake in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days.
Cake may be made in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen until ready to frost. Defrost at room temperature.
**Original recipe posted in June 2019 was adapted by The Vanilla Bean Blog Chocolate Cake Recipe. Modified June 2025.
39 Comments
Brenda Fitzgerald
June 12, 2022 at 4:38 pmPlease clarify—do you use chopped chocolate or chocolate chips for the cake? I prefer using chopped chocolate.
Heather Mubarak
June 12, 2022 at 9:00 pmEither will work but I prefer high quality chopped chocolate too!
Michelle B
February 26, 2022 at 10:45 pmThis cake looks great — I am out of eggs, any suggestions for substitute?
Christina
February 15, 2022 at 12:13 amLove it! The buttercream is the silkiest I’ve ever had and the cake is so decadent and chocolate-y! Highly recommend!!
Anonymous
December 21, 2021 at 4:55 amThis is a must try chocolate cake….. Moist fluffy and has deeeep chocolate flavour and buttercream frosting just melts in ur mouth…..its my favourite chocolate cake…..thank you for this recipe…..
Anonymous
August 14, 2021 at 6:06 amhey brewing coffee? could you please define that , and also can you give alternatives for greek yougurts
Heather Mubarak
August 15, 2021 at 7:53 pmHi! You can use either hot espresso or brewed coffee in the recipe. And sour cream is a great substitute for Greek yogurt. Enjoy!
Mary
August 13, 2021 at 7:00 pmCan I substitute powdered chocolate in the frosting recipe?
Heather Mubarak
August 14, 2021 at 12:27 amHi Mary. I’ve only made this frosting the way it is listed here so I can’t speak to how it will turn out if you change the ingredients.
Amrita Chugh
February 1, 2021 at 6:44 pmHiiiii! I am yet to try this recipe. just wanted to know if this would bake well in the form of cupcakes? And if yes, should I fill the cupcale liners half or 2/3rd? 😀
Heather Mubarak
February 1, 2021 at 8:59 pmHi! Cupcakes sound like a great idea. I would fill them 2/3 full and be sure your oven is preheated for 10 minutes before baking. Enjoy!!
Hannah
January 30, 2021 at 9:03 pmIt’s a snowy Saturday and I woke up with a very intense craving for chocolate cake. I happened to have all the ingredients for this in my pantry and was really surprised at how fast it was to whip up the batter and put the cakes in the oven! I didn’t have any chocolate bars so I used 1/2 cup of Nestle chocolate chips and used an instant espresso powder instead of freshly brewed espresso. Haven’t made the buttercream yet but am already happily chowing down on naked slices of cake. This one’s a keeper!
Heather Mubarak
January 30, 2021 at 10:56 pmI’m so glad you’ve found a new favorite!!
Hena
November 15, 2020 at 4:39 pmIs it possible to stack both cakes with frosting between and make a layered cake?
Heather Mubarak
November 15, 2020 at 6:24 pmYes! Absolutely!!
Selena
November 7, 2020 at 7:38 pmI haven’t eaten the cake yet, but this butter cream is with out a doubt the best chocolate buttercream cream I have ever made, and quite possibly the best butter cream period.
Heather Mubarak
November 7, 2020 at 9:37 pmI LIVE for that frosting!! It’s so good and I’m so happy you like it too!
ADRIENNE P FRIEDMAN
August 31, 2020 at 6:28 pmUs the icing recipe for the whole cake or just one of the 8” squares?
Heather Mubarak
September 1, 2020 at 8:32 pmThe frosting will cover both cakes but if you like your frosting extra thick like I do, you can always double the recipe. Enjoy!
Carla Flott
August 26, 2020 at 12:14 amMade this today. Delicious cake and my husband was licking the frosting bowl! He is currently eating his 2nd piece. Good job!!!
Heather Mubarak
August 26, 2020 at 5:30 amThanks for trying my recipe! I’m so happy you loved it!!
Sara
August 8, 2020 at 9:13 pmI love chocolate cake, and usually make a layer cake, but after finding this recipe I’m in love! I’ve made this several times & it always turns out perfect and is so easy to make. The texture of the cake & the amazing frosting make it hard to stop sneaking slices!! I just made this again today, this time for my mom’s birthday & I hope they love it as much as we do at home. Thank you for a fabulous recipe!
Heather Mubarak
August 10, 2020 at 3:58 amI’m so happy to hear you love this cake! It’s on repeat for all our favorite special occasions too!!
Michelle
May 5, 2020 at 12:16 amCan I use chocolate chips for the chocolate in the recipe?
Heather Mubarak
May 9, 2020 at 6:04 pmI do recommend chopped dark chocolate for this recipe but you can use chocolate chips in a pinch. If you can, use a quality brand like Guittard or Ghirardelli. Enjoy the cake!
Caroline Meyer
April 29, 2020 at 11:05 pmI just made this cake for the third time and it is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. I am shown so much love and appreciation when I bake this for my family. I’m thinking of making it everyday, or at least everyday until the stay home mandate lifts. Maybe I’ll switch between this and the Cookie Butter Banana Bread another favorite in my house. I have not tested these recipes for freezing as none of Heather’s recipes last long enough to freeze. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes.
Heather Mubarak
May 8, 2020 at 11:55 pmThis makes me so happy to hear! Everyone in my house loves this cake too!! Thanks for your kind note Caroline!
Amarna
April 27, 2020 at 4:00 pmHi Heather,
Wanted to ask whether oils other than canola oil can be used in this recipe because where I live it is impossible to find Canola oil.
Heather Mubarak
April 27, 2020 at 8:33 pmVegetable oil such as canola works best for this recipe and I haven’t made it with any other type of oil. You could try another neutral oil such as sunflower seed oil.
Megan
April 10, 2020 at 9:58 pmI just made this and it is delish!! I actually halved the recipe to make one small cake and it worked perfect!! So good.
Heather Mubarak
April 10, 2020 at 11:23 pmI’m so happy you loved this cake and that you were able to make the recipe work for you!!
Jessie
December 30, 2019 at 2:39 amFor the espresso can I just use hot water? I’ve had bad experiences with baking cakes with coffee. Thanks
Heather Mubarak
December 30, 2019 at 8:26 amHi Jessie, yes you can omit the espresso from the recipe. But I promise your cake won’t have a coffee flavor if you decide to use it. Enjoy!
Holly
August 14, 2019 at 9:18 pmI have tried to make chocolate cake many times at home, and it just never quite hits the spot. There’s always a “but”… (Normally that it’s just not quite chocolatey enough, in my opinion.) This cake… Wow. It blew all of my previous chocolate-cake-making attempts out of the water. Absolutely amazing – moist, delicious flavour, and the icing is to die for. I can normally take or leave icing, but not in this case. Its sweetness just complements the slightly darker cake so well. I’ve made this cake twice in two weeks already (I’m in the UK, so I even went to the effort of converting it from cups for future use), and will be making another next week as well! I have to show off this cake to everyone I know! Can confirm that it freezes very well too. I’m so glad to have found this recipe, it will definitely be my go-to for all future chocolate-cake endeavours. Thank you so much!
Heather Mubarak
August 18, 2019 at 1:30 amThis makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and I’m so thrilled that you love it as much as I do!
Cha
June 23, 2019 at 1:18 pmCan I use sour cream to replace yogurt?
Heather Mubarak
July 17, 2019 at 7:25 amYes, sour cream will work in the recipe too, although I prefer the flavor using greek yogurt. Enjoy!!
:D
June 5, 2019 at 1:31 pmYou mentioned that this cake can be made as one full-size sheet cake. What size pan would that be? A 9×13-size baking pan? A shallow-rimmed half-sheet-size baking pan? Please clarify. Thanks!
Heather Mubarak
June 5, 2019 at 6:16 pmHi! Yes, a 9 x 13 baking pan for the full sheet cake size. It will be fairly thick. Enjoy!!