This article offers a list of easy snack cakes recipes, including flavors like Clementine, vanilla, and chocolate chip! Perfect for quick, tasty treats you can make at home.
Snack Cakes Recipes
If you're in the mood for something sweet but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, snack cakes are the perfect solution. These delightful treats are easy to whip up and even easier to enjoy.
Whether you're after the rich indulgence of chocolate or the tangy zest of lemon, there's a snack cake to satisfy your cravings. Below are two straightforward recipes for delicious snack cakes that come together with minimal fuss. They are great for an afterschool treat, a casual dessert, or just a little something to sweeten your day.
Lazy Daisy Cake
The Lazy Daisy Cake, with its toasty coconut crown, is a cozy throwback to simpler times. One bowl and an hour are all it takes to create this golden, spongy delight that pairs perfectly with your coffee break. What makes it stand out is the broiled, caramel-like topping!
Ingredients:
For the cake
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (202g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (135g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the topping
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (87g) sweetened coconut flakes
- ⅔ cup (154g) packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Whole Clementine Cake
It's a breeze to mix in one bowl and fills your home with citrusy scents. This cake balances sweet and bitter beautifully! Topped with fluffy whipped cream and nutty almonds, it's a zesty treat that's perfect for both grand celebrations and a simple afternoon pick-me-up.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan
- 4 clementines, unpeeled and quartered (9 ½ ounces)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 ½ cups (349g) sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (325g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the whipped cream:
- ½ cup heavy cream, cold
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch kosher salt
- Zest from 1 clementine (about ¼ teaspoon)
- 1 tablespoon almonds, roasted, salted, and chopped
Easy Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Simply whisk together everyday pantry items, including a surprise hit of vinegar, and enjoy a fluffy, moist treat studded with chocolate chips throughout. This fuss-free cake, ideal with a glass of milk, is all about bringing joy with each chocolatey bite.
Ingredients:
- 1 ⅔ cups (237 g) all-purpose flour (see note for whole wheat)
- ¾ cup (159 g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (236 g) room temperature water
- ⅓ cup (65 g) neutral-flavored oil, like canola, vegetable or grapeseed
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips (or mini chocolate chips)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Easy Vanilla Cake
Whisked up in a flash, this cake loves to join for dinner and stick around for dessert, dressed simply in powdered sugar or dolled up with frosting and sprinkles.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- 8×8 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 g)
- ¾ cup sugar (150 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk, any type
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (see note)
Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Simple and fast, this cake mixes up with everyday ingredients like flour, brown sugar, and a dash of vinegar—no eggs, milk, or butter needed, making it surprisingly vegan. It’s a small batch wonder, perfect for family snacks or to quell those sweet cravings, and versatile enough to be dressed up with powdered sugar or chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
- powdered sugar optional for topping
Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
For those who believe good dessert doesn't need to be complex, this cake hits the spot with its satisfying blend of chocolate chips, pecans, brown sugar, and a hint of cinnamon. Almost too simple, you can skip the frosting; just sprinkle chocolate chips on top as it warms.
Ingredients
- 1 & ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (113g) sour cream
- ½ cup (85g) + ¾ cup (127g) chocolate chips*
- ½ cup (60g) chopped pecans
Apple Snack Cake
The Apple Snack Cake is a delightful treat, easy to whip up, and filled with juicy apple chunks and a hint of spice. It strikes the perfect balance between sweet, fruity, and buttery softness, making it a crowd-pleaser. Whether enjoyed with coffee or as a dessert, its tender texture and moist inside, dotted with dates for an extra flavor boost, make every bite irresistible.
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter room temperature or at least cut in small pieces
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Than 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves or allspice
- 2 cups apples peeled and small dice, approx 2 apples (peeled and cored weight/vol)
- ⅓ cup chopped dates
For the maple frosting (optional)
- ¼ cup confectioners sugar (¼ cup is 4tbsp) icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Strawberry Snacking Cake
This single-layer delight combines the moisture of olive oil and the richness of sour cream with the fresh zing of lemon. With its glistening strawberries nestled on top amidst fragrant lavender sugar, this cake is not just a treat for the taste buds but also a playful addition to any table.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried culinary lavender
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- about 6 ounces strawberries, trimmed and sliced ¼ to ⅛-inch thick
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4/ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Easy Peanut Butter Cake
No need for softened butter or a mixer, making it a breeze to prepare. It's a tender, moist treat loaded with the rich flavor of peanut butter. Perfect as a simple after-school snack or a casual dessert, this cake mixes up in no time and only needs a sprinkle of powdered sugar to shine.
Ingredients
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Saucepan
- 8×8 baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter
- ½ cup Water
- ½ cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 large Egg
- ¼ cup Sour Cream (sub plain or Greek yogurt)
- ½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar, for dusting
Vanilla Vanilla Snack Cake
From its tender crumb to its creamy buttercream topping, each bite is a comforting treat. So, go ahead and indulge in the ease of a cake that brings joy to the counter and warmth to the heart.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2-½ cups White Lily All-Purpose Flour
- 1-½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature
- ¾ cup all-vegetable shortening, cubed
- 4 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1-½ cups salted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup whole milk or heavy whipping cream
