Cold Chocolate Snacking Cake is cool, dark, moist, and decadent — keep a batch in the fridge at all times! It’s a copy cat version of the famous Sara Lee chocolate cake, and it’s utterly irresistible.
Do any of you remember Sara Lee chocolate cake, the kind that came in the little tin foil pan with the cardboard cover on it? — The cake was dense and moist, and the frosting was a thick fudgy layer on top. We ate it cold from the refrigerator, and you could cut it into slivers and snack on it continuously. It’s been one of those lingering food memories, and they haven’t made it for ages. You know where I’m going with this…
To be honest I wasn’t expecting to nail this right away. I figured the cake would rise too much, be too dry, or too fluffy. I thought it would be tough to get the texture of the frosting just right, and most of all I was sure it wouldn’t slice as sharply as it did in my memories. But it all came together, and on the first try! You are going to love this, even if you have no idea what I’m blathering on about.
Just remember, this isn’t a cake to serve at the end of a meal, or for a special occasion, or anything like that; this is a cake to squirrel away in the refrigerator and attack every now and again with a knife (I recommend leaving it right in the pan at all times.) It cuts cleanly, with sharp edges, so you can take the smallest sliver if you want to. No matter, it will melt in your mouth like a piece of fudge, only better.
What makes this cake unique is the deep dense chocolatey texture combined with the cold temp…there is no better snack in the world.
Yes you can cut it in a neat little square and serve it on a plate like a regular cake…
But why? Just leave it on the top shelf of the fridge and have at it.
Reader Rave ~
“I don’t know whose bright idea it was to invent ‘snacking cake’ but this cake is straight up deeeeelish! Really easy and seriously addictive. My husband cannot stop raving about it and I cannot stop sneaking bites. I am now obsessed with your website and all your recipes – especially the desserts! Thank you for this recipe!” ~ Lissa
Cold Chocolate Snacking Cake
Equipment
- a 7 1/2 by 11 1/2 brownie pan or the equivilent
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
for the frosting
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 oz good semi sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup dark cocoa powder, sifted
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Spray an 7 1/2 x 11 1/2 brownie pan with cooking spray (you could substitute a 9x9 square pan, but the cooking time will be slightly longer and the cake will be taller)
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture alternating with sour cream, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Spread batter into prepared pan. Tap pan firmly on counter top several times to force out large air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Don't over bake.
- To make the frosting: Heat the cream in a 2 cup glass measuring cup in the microwave until simmering. Add in the chocolate and let sit for 10 minutes, and then stir until smooth and glossy and the chocolate is all melted. If the chocolate isn't completely melted and smooth, zap it for another 15-30 seconds in the microwave.
- Add the sugar and cocoa powder and whisk until completely smooth. Pour over the cooled cake. Put the cake in the refrigerator to chill and set the frosting. I like to leave it there for a couple of hours. Serve cold, and store in the fridge.
Notes
More irresistible chocolate desserts...
-
Chocolate Hazelnut Torrone
-
Chocolate Sour Cream Doughnut Bundt Cake
-
Flourless Belgian Chocolate Cake
Thanks for pinning this cold chocolate snacking cake for later!
used to make cold chocolate snacking cake (the photos are clickable)
Can this cake frosted be frozen? I made it and for a luncheon and it was cancelled. I can’t have this cake sitting around or I’ll eat the whole thing
I haven’t frozen this, frosted, myself, but you should be able to. I think Sara Lee sells them frozen.
Thank you Sue! I’m going to try and freeze it.
Should I take it out of the pan before adding the frosting?
You can do it either way Susan.
Omg! These are just like the old Sara Lee Fudge Brownies that were discontinued years ago! This is so good. The Sara Lee Chocolate cake was different, this recipe is exactly like their brownies! They were a big college snack for me and my roommate.
you can still get the sara Lee cake in Australia, I’m hoping this is just as good, It will save me the airfare