Mini Snack Cake

Mini Snack Cake – Super moist, buttery cake layers filled with brown sugar buttercream and a salty and sweet snack crumble, topped with a chocolate ganache drip and MORE crumble. The perfect size with just 6 servings!

The original recipe for this cake, Sweet & Salty Snack-Food Cake, comes from the March 2020 edition of Food Network Magazine. When I first came across it, I thought it was such a fun idea and knew I wanted to try it. I ripped it out of the magazine to save for later. 

Cut to a few months later, in the middle of a pandemic, and I had SO much time to experiment in the kitchen. I knew there were a few things that I wanted to try with this cake in order to suit it more to my liking, so I got to work! 

First of all, I wanted to convert this into a mini cake! I reduced the cake recipe in half and baked the layers in two 6” pans instead of 8”. For the buttercream, I halved the ingredients but then increased the ratio of butter and powdered sugar to brown sugar in order to create a lighter and fluffier consistency. I also increased and mixed up the snacks in the snack crumble. Although there are a few components and steps to this cake, it really is quite simple and super delicious. Plus, the snack crumble is seriously addictive and can be customized to your liking!

What you will need

Aside from your pantry staples, there are a few key ingredients that you will need to make this Mini Snack Cake!

Brown Sugar – This is definitely a pantry staple for me, but maybe not for everyone! Brown sugar is used in the cake, buttercream and crumble in this recipe so it is very important to have!

Buttermilk – I love using buttermilk in cakes. It gives them great moisture and a nice tender crumb. 

SNACKS – Salted ridged potato chips are a must for this one. You’ll also want coconut as it gives that sweet factor. As for the other elements you can kind of play around and use your favourites. I used an oatmeal cookie and chocolate covered pretzels, but I think chocolate chip cookies, Biscoff cookies, chocolate covered nuts or M&Ms would all be great options too. 

Heavy Cream – You need heavy cream to make the chocolate ganache drip and in order to make a light and fluffy buttercream! We’re talking heavy whipping cream here – 33%! Don’t skimp!

How to make this Mini Snack Cake

Cake Layers

First thing’s first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prep your cake pans. Butter two 6” cake pans, dust with flour and line the bottoms with parchment circles. These are my favourite cake pans to use.

With an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes. Next, beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together dry the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. 

Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The cake is done when a cake tester comes out clean or with a few crumbs and the cake top springs back when lightly pressed. Let cool on wire rack.

Snack Crumble

Combine the potato chips, coconut, chopped cookie, melted butter and brown sugar. Spread this mixture on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes at 350 degrees F. Keep an eye on it to make sure it does not burn. Once that is out of the oven and cooled, mix in the chocolate covered pretzels.

Buttercream

Beat the chilled butter and salt together. On low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. About 4-5 minutes.

Combine the brown sugar and heavy cream in a microwave safe dish and microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir halfway through. Let this mixture cool. You can pop it in the fridge to speed up the process! Once cool, add the brown sugar mixture to the buttercream. Beat for another 2 minutes or so until combined.

Ganache

In a microwave safe dish, melt the semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream together. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each until chocolate is melted and fully combined with heavy cream. Be sure not to microwave for longer than 15 seconds at a time or the chocolate could seize.

How to Assemble your Mini Snack Cake

Spread a tablespoon of frosting on to your cake round or plate and place the first cooled cake layer, top side up on it. Spread about 1/2 cup of buttercream evenly onto the first layer. Sprinkle the snack crumble mixture on top of the buttercream in an even layer. Top with the second cake layer, top side down so that the flat bottom of the cake layer is the top of the cake. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting to crumb coat the cake. Let chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Once chilled, frost with remaining buttercream. Press some of the crumble along the bottom of the cake. Chill again in either the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes. You want the cake to be cold enough that it will stop the drip from rolling down the bottom of the cake.

Once the cake has chilled, grab your ganache. You might need to warm it up a bit if it has been sitting. Microwave for 15 seconds at a time until warm and stir-able. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or you can use a spoon. Squeeze or spoon ganache over the sides of the cake and spread remaining ganache evenly over the top. Create a border of the remaining crumble around the top of the cake or sprinkle all over. 

Note: This cake is best served fresh the day of. If you are making this cake ahead of time, I would suggest leaving the crumble off of the cake until you plan to serve. The moisture from the buttercream will soften the crumble if it is left to sit overnight. 

If you like this Mini Snack Cake, you might also love these recipes!

Salted Caramel Banana Toffee Cake

Classic Vanilla Layer Cake

Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

Mini Snack Cake

Recipe by Kelsey LacombeCourse: DessertDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

Bake time

35

minutes

Super moist, buttery cake layers filled with brown sugar buttercream and a salty and sweet snack crumble, topped with a chocolate ganache drip and MORE crumble. The ultimate salty and sweet cake!

Ingredients

• Cake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 cup buttermilk

• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla

• Snack Crumble

• 1/2 cup crushed, salted ridged potato chips

• 1/4 sweetened shredded coconut

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1/4 cup chocolate covered pretzels, chopped

• 1 oatmeal cookie, finely chopped

• Brown Sugar Buttercream

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled

• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

• Ganache

• 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate

• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

• For the Cake
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prep your cake pans. Grease two 6” cake pans, dust with flour and line the bottoms with parchment circles.
• With an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes. Next, beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together dry the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to wet, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
• Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cake is done when a cake tester comes out clean or with a few crumbs and the cake top springs back when lightly pressed. Let cool on wire rack.
• For the Snack Crumble
• Combine the potato chips, coconut, chopped cookie, melted butter and brown sugar.
• Spread this mixture on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes at 350 degrees F. Keep an eye on it to make sure it does not burn.
• Once out of the oven and cooled, mix in the chocolate covered pretzels.
• For the Brown Sugar Buttercream
• With an electric mixer or in the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and salt together.
• On low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. About 4-5 minutes.
• Combine brown sugar and heavy cream in a microwave safe dish and microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir halfway through. Let this mixture cool.
• Once cool, add the brown sugar mixture to the buttercream. Beat for another 2 minutes or so until combined.
• For the Ganache
• In a microwave safe dish, melt the semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream together. Microwave for 15 second intervals, stirring in between each until chocolate is melted and fully combined with heavy cream. Be sure not to microwave for longer than 15 seconds at a time or the chocolate could seize.
• Assembly
• Spread a tablespoon of frosting on to your cake round or plate and place cooled cake layer, top side up on it.
• Spread about 1/2 cup of buttercream evenly onto the first layer. Sprinkle snack crumble mixture on top of buttercream in an even layer. Top with second cake layer, top side down so that the flat bottom of the cake layer is the top of the cake.
• Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting to crumb coat the cake.
• Let chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
• Once chilled, frost with remaining buttercream. Press some of the crumble along the bottom of the cake.
• Chill again in either the fridge for 20 minutes or freezer for 10 minutes. You want the cake to be cold enough that it will stop the drip from rolling down the bottom of the cake.
• Once the cake has chilled, grab your ganache. You might need to warm it up a bit if it has been sitting. Microwave for 15 seconds at a time until warm and stir-able.
• Squeeze or spoon ganache over the sides of the cake and spread remaining ganache evenly over the top.
• Create a border of the remaining crumble around the top of the cake or sprinkle all over.

Notes

• This cake is best served fresh the day of. If you are making this cake ahead of time, I would suggest leaving the crumble off of the cake until you plan to serve. The moisture from the buttercream will soften the crumble if it is left to sit overnight.