This is a double-decker classic chocolate cake with a fun marshmallow creme center and smooth chocolate frosting, polished off with a mountain of marshmallows and a dusting of cocoa powder. Just like a perfect cup of cozy hot chocolate, this cake is fun and will bring a smile to your face, even on the coldest winter nights.
It's the middle of winter. The threat of snow lingers on the tip of the newscasters tongue every single morning. The skies have been 95% grey for weeks.
But, winter has it's bonuses. Hoodies. Right? Snuggling... yeah, I'm starting to like this. Ridiculous cozy socks? Nope, not hot at all, but freakin fluffy! Plaid, layers, scarfs, cute mittens, and all those extra layers to hide any mid winter stocking up you may have needed before the great hibernation of 2015.
Winter may be howling at the front door, but there's always something comforting and cozy about a steaming mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows rapidly melting into the froth. And this cake is the perfect companion for that chocolaty mug on those cold nights. Besides, we've got a few more weeks til we have to buckle down and get those beach bodies ready, right?
For now, let's just enjoy a few more nights by the fire.
Hot Cocoa Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 teas baking soda
- ½ teas baking powder
- ¼ teas salt
- 1 ¼ cups boiling water
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate - chopped
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teas instant espresso powder
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter - softened
- 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream - room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Assembly
- 1 teas gelatin
- ¼ cup cold water
- 4 tbs unsalted butter - room temperature
- salt
- 2 cups marshmallow creme
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 3 tbs powdered cocoa
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- Marshmallows for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 9" cake pans, line with parchment paper and grease paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and ¼ teas salt together in a large bowl.
- Whisk the chocolate, cocoa powder, and espresso powder into the boiling water, until smooth.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix again.
- Mix in the flour and chocolate mixture in 3 additions starting and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides and mix a bit longer just to make sure everything is incorporated.
- Divide into the cake pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely.
- In a bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the ¼ cup cold water. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Place in the microwave for 15 or so seconds, to dissolve the gelatin (edges will bubble). Stir in the butter, vanilla, and salt. Allow to cool til warm to the touch before folding in the marshmallow creme. Stir until smooth. Cover and allow to set in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting. Heat ½ cup cream and cocoa powder in a saucepan set over medium high heat. Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and pour mixture over white chocolate, whisking until smooth. Allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Whisk the remaining 1 cup heavy cream in the clean bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk. Whip the cream with the chocolate mixture until soft peaks form, about 60 to 90 seconds on medium high.
- Spoon the marshmallow filling onto one of the cake layers, Smooth with a spatula and top. Frost the cake and top with marshmallows and dust with additional cocoa if desired.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.
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June Burns says
That looks amazing! Loving all of those marshmallows, I'm sure they make this delicious 🙂
Emily @ Life on Food says
Love this idea! I would be sneaking a marshmallow from that pile on top first thing.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
The only times I enjoy chocolate cake is when the frosting and/or filling cuts through the chocolate flavor because I'm not a pure chocolate girl. Peanut butter is my usual go to but I would gladly welcome this marshmallow filling to my belly. And that mountain of marshmallows on top? I'd like to climb it
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
How freaking cute is this cake?! Gah!! Definitely crushing on this.
Jenn @ A Toast to the Good Life says
This looks absolutely 100% PERFECT for Valentine's Day! Beautiful Photos!
Carrie says
Hoodies, warm socks and this cake are the only good things about winter!
Miranda @ Cookie Dough & Oven Mitt says
This cake is gorgeous! Those bright white marshmallows really jazz it up! I really love hoodies, warm socks, and hot drinks in the middle of winter too.
RavieNomNoms says
WHAAAA?! I want that right now!
Seriously how are you not like 300lbs? You make all these goodies, I would look like a mack truck by now haha
Jill says
Now I Know what cake I'm making for my birthday next month!!
Elyse says
I followed the directions exact for the marshmallow
filling, but it did not set or firm up; it remained
a very thick liquid. The texture of the cake kind of sticks to
the roof of your mouth. For all the work involved, I
don't think it was worth the effort. Nice idea, but I will
look for a better recipe.