This old-fashioned chocolate snack cake recipe is straight from Grandmama’s recipe files. It’s a quick and easy homemade recipe full of chocolate flavor.

A slice of double chocolate snack cake is the perfect companion to a glass of milk or a cup of coffee.

Those of us who are able to remember the 70s and 80s might recall a beloved line of Betty Crocker Snackin’ Cake mixes. They were these fun little mixes that allowed you to mix up the cake in the pan you bake it in and turn out a yummy, not too sweet, snack cake that didn’t need frosting.

My Grandmama just loved them. When she passed away and I inherited her cookbook, I came across this recipe for a good, from scratch, chocolate snackin’ cake. While you can dress up this cake if you like for special occasions, I prefer it to just make its way to my plate as shown above. This chocolate cake recipe is like an old friend to me, especially when it’s served warm in the afternoon, around about the time I used to come in from school.

This homemade chocolate cake is soft, moist, and full of delicious chocolate flavor thanks to the chocolate syrup and chocolate chips. Oh yes, chocolate lovers will just adore this cake recipe! Let’s get baking, shall we?

Recipe Ingredients

Butter
Sugar
Eggs
Self-rising flour
Chocolate syrup
Vanilla extract
Chocolate chips

How to Make an Old-Fashioned Chocolate Snack Cake

Back when we used mixes, you could mix it up in the pan it was baked in. This from-scratch version just needs one bowl, so it’s still pretty simple.

Lightly coat an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. You can also line it with foil or parchment paper and spray that for quicker cleanup if you’d like.

Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes).

Add eggs and beat again, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed until incorporated (about 2 minutes).

Add flour, syrup, and vanilla extract. Beat again for 1-2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 until the center springs back when lightly pressed (40-45 minutes).

I allow the cake to cool slightly before serving but I love it when it’s still a little bit warm. Of course, you can always reheat a piece later in the microwave for a few seconds as well.

This snacking cake is a wonderful treat to surprise your family with!

Storage

Store leftovers, covered in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Just double-wrap individual slices to avoid freezer burn and thaw at room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes

The batter will puff up as it bakes but will lower again once you remove the cake from the oven.
Serve a slice of chocolate snacking cake with whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or an extra drizzle of chocolate syrup (because why not?).
Another serving suggestion is to dust the cooled cake with confectioner’s sugar. If you want to top it with frosting, check out my recipe for creamy chocolate frosting. It would go perfectly with this double chocolate snack cake.
If you like, add 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans when you fold in the chocolate chips.
You can use any kind of chocolate chips, including mini chocolate chips, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate for something different.
Many chocolate snacking recipes call for cocoa powder but rest assured that chocolate syrup is the perfect substitution.

You may also enjoy these delicious chocolate cake recipes:

Chocolate Depression Cake (No Milk or Eggs)

Chocolate Pound Cake with Fudge Glaze

Triple Chocolate Cake (a.k.a Chocoholic Cake)

Chocolate Velvet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Recipe