Homemade Choco-Bliss Snack Cakes
Raise your hand if you remember the Hostess Choco-Bliss snack cakes from the glory days of the ’80s. These were one of the many “junk foods” that were seen few and far between at my house. I could probably count on one hand (maaaaaybe two) how many times I actually ingested a Twinkie, Ding Dong, Hostess Cupcake, Fruit Pie or any snack cakes during my entire childhood. They were always so tempting in the checkout line, but were usually off-limits. I didn’t even know the glory that was Little Debbie until I was in high school! Our high school somehow managed its class schedule so that every single Friday was a half day. Don’t ask me how it was done – it was a small, Catholic high school – but, suffice it to say, everyone was pretty happy with that arrangement. For four whole years, I never had school past 12:20pm on a Friday. Upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) were dismissed at 11:20 and freshmen and sophomores at 12:20. It was a tradition for the junior class to raise money for the prom by selling snacks and pop to the underclassmen to eat during their final period on Fridays. This is where I discovered the land of snack cakes, and there was no going back! Little Debbie managed to undo all of my mom’s previous 14 years of discipline. Oops! When I saw a recreation of the Choco-Bliss snack cakes – moist, chocolate cakes with a fluffy chocolate filling and rich chocolate icing – on King Arthur Flour’s website, I had to bake them up. Immediately.
These little babies are some of the most amazing chocolate treats that I have ever baked up. The chocolate cake is so incredibly moist and the filling is totally irresistible. It’s fluffy, sweet and incredibly chocolate-y. I couldn’t help taking taste after taste while I was assembling the cakes. It took so many tastes, in fact, that I totally ruined my dinner that day. No matter, it was absolutely worth it. On top of the filled chocolate cakes is a rich chocolate icing that sets firm and completes the snack cake recreation. No snack cake was complete without that fudgy icing on top, right?!
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address, and we'll send it straight to your inbox!
These are cut into snack cake-size portions, but there are two important things you should know: (1) With all of that chocolate, you’ll definitely want to eat these with a glass of milk; and (2) I have an extremely hard time eating just one at a time. Needless to say, I absolutely loved these chocolate snack cakes – they were a perfect replication of the original, and they brought back fun memories of high school and carefree Friday afternoons. I love when food can trigger memories!
One year ago: Homemade Primanti Bros. Sandwich
Two years ago: Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins
Three years ago: Ultimate Ginger Cookies
Homemade Choco-Bliss Snack Cakes
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup (28.67 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 cup (250 ml) hot water
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling:
- ⅓ cup (28.67 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ cup (90 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (119 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (102.5 g) vegetable shortening, at room temperature
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
For the Icing:
- 1 cup (180 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (79.33 ml) heavy cream
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment, then grease and flour the pan; set aside.
- 2. Make the Cake: In a small bowl, melt the butter, then stir in the cocoa powder and hot water until the cocoa is completely dissolved; set aside.
- 3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder, sugar, baking soda and salt; set aside. Pour the cocoa mixture over the dry ingredients, stirring to blend completely. Add the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla, and stir with a rubber spatula until completely combined.
- 4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from the edges of the pan. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- 5. Make the Filling: Place the cocoa powder, chocolate chips, salt and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until the cream is very hot, and the chips have softened, about 1 minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, microwaving again briefly if necessary. Stir in the vanilla and set aside.
- 6. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, shortening and half of the powdered sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chocolate mixture and continue beating until smooth. Scrap the sides of the bowl and add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat again until the filling is fluffy.
- 7. Assemble the Cakes: Turn the cooled cake out of the pan and cut it in half crosswise, to make two 9"x6.5" rectangles. using a long serrated knife, slice through the middle of each rectangle to make two halves (a top and a bottom).
- 8. Spread half of the filling on one bottom piece to the edge of the cake. Repeat with the other bottom piece. Top the bottom pieces with the top pieces. You should now have two chocolate-filled 9"x6.5" cakes.
- 9. Make the Icing: Combine the chocolate chips, corn syrup vanilla and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until the cream is very hot, and the chips have softened, about 1 minute. Stir till the chips have melted and the mixture is smooth, microwaving again briefly if necessary. Add the powdered sugar and beat on medium speed until smooth.
- 10. Spread the icing evenly over the two cakes. Working with one cake at a time, slice into nine 2x3-inch snack cakes. Repeat with the remaining cake for 18 total snack cakes.
- Store the cakes at room temperature in an airtight container (you can wrap them individually in plastic wrap to keep them extra-fresh) for up to 3 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I am so excited to see a recipe for a chocolate-bliss remake! I was in junior high when these were popular. 😛
Stumbled across this while having flashbacks of Choco-bliss / Choco-licious. I do want to add though, that it wasn’t Little Debbie that released and marketed these. It was Hostess.
hi , i haven’t microwave for making the filling , is there any other way that i can do it?
thank you
Hi Peri, You can do that step with a double boiler set up on the stovetop.
Hiya, I’m new to baking and can’t wait to try some of your recipes. However I’m from England and I just wanted to know what all purpose flour is? In England we have either plain flour or self raising flour.
Thank you.
Mari
Hi Mari, You would want to use plain flour when all-purpose flour is called for.
I went over to my mothers today and we made these. They came out INCREDIBLE! I’m glad we added the espresso powder. It definitely enhances the chocolate. But it is okay if you don’t have it. Some say its optional. And the dutch cocoa powder was hard to find for us, so we were told we can substitute it for Dark Chocolate Cocoa powder (Hershey’s). It worked wonderfully. We will definitely be making these again. I grew up in the 80’s and I remember eating Chocobliss all the time. Deeeeeelicious! Thank you for this recipe!
I was wondering about the difference between baking soda and baking powder.. Would it be possible to use baking powder instead of baking soda?
Also, does the baking powder lose its effect if it is opened and refrigerated?
Thanks! :)
You usually cannot interchange baking soda and baking powder. Here is a good write-up on the differences: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/what-is-the-difference-between-baking-powder-and-baking-soda-in-pancakes.html. If you scroll towards the bottom, you’ll see a succinct summary of the differences, as well as how you can test each to make sure it’s still active.
I have no memory of the 80’s for anything! Where did the time go and what happened to me? These look yummy and may make for Christmas as one of the desserts I’ll be bringing for dinner. Thanks for the recipe!
Made these today. The cake is super moist! This cake would also make a perfect Suzy Q with vanilla creme filling. Think I will try that. If you have trouble splitting the cake, dental floss will do the trick. Easy to hold even while running through the cake.
Slu…rrrp! I just HAVE to make this! Is there any alternative to heavy cream? I’m not quite fond of the greasy taste it sometimes tends to have…
Hi Shreya, I would use the cream; I’ve never experienced any type of greasiness from it. Cream is the common ingredient used when making a ganache or thick icing.
these look so yummy!
I don’t remember these… but they look delicious! I’ll try anything chocolate!