Description
Tombstone Chocolate Snack Cakes are a festive and spooky Halloween treat featuring rich cocoa-flavored cakes filled with a fluffy red marshmallow creme and topped with a sweet confectioners’ sugar glaze. These individually baked snack cakes are perfect for parties or as a playful dessert, offering a moist, chocolatey bite with a creamy, colorful filling.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
Marshmallow Creme Filling
- 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2-3 teaspoons red food dye
Confectioners’ Sugar Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Mold: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your baking mold by spraying it with baking spray and dust lightly with cocoa powder. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, incorporating air for a tender cake texture.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Fill and Bake: Fill the prepared molds about 60% full to allow room for rising. Bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out about clean. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove from the mold and cool completely.
- Prepare Marshmallow Creme Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat marshmallow creme and softened butter on medium-high until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, salt, and red food dye, mixing well until the filling is light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
- Make Confectioners’ Sugar Glaze: Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust consistency with additional milk if a thinner glaze is desired. Set aside.
- Assemble Cakes: Insert a large wood skewer from the bottom to the top of each cake to create a tunnel. Wiggle the skewer gently to make room for filling. Pipe the red marshmallow creme filling into each cake cavity, wiping away any excess filling.
- Glaze and Decorate: Use a pastry brush to apply the confectioners’ sugar glaze to all sides of the snack cakes. Optionally, use any leftover red marshmallow creme to decorate the outside of the cakes like tombstone designs.
- Serve or Store: Serve immediately for best texture or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Notes
- These filled Tombstone Chocolate Snack Cakes are both delicious and a little spooky, making them the perfect Halloween dessert recipe!
- Ensure cakes are fully cooled before filling to prevent the filling from melting.
- For a thinner glaze, add milk gradually to achieve desired consistency.
- Use a serrated knife to level the domed tops for neater assembly if preferred.
- Store leftover cakes in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 snack cake
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
