Dark Chocolate Malt Snack Cake

Originally created in 2021, this recipe has since undergone quite a bit of changes to result in a more pronounced malt flavor. And I have to admit, I'm very proud of it. Even as an unassuming snack cake, it boasts a beautiful even, dark crumb with a complex malty flavor profile. Its height and rich frosting makes this a true tall, dark, and handsome cake.

The chocolate malt frosting might just be the most decadent frosting to ever exist. It is loosely based on a chocolate sour cream version, but made with whipped cream folded in at the end to create a luscious frosting that tastes like cake batter! The addition of two types of cocoa powders and melted bittersweet chocolate produce a deep chocolate flavor, while the whipped cream lightens it up into a creamy, spreadable consistency.

Make this chocolate snack cake for any celebratory occasion or just for the craving of something chocolate!

For more chocolate cake recipes, try Chocolate Tiramisu Cake, Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake, Fudgy Chocolate Espresso Bundt Cake, and Dairy Free Chocolate Cake.

Why you'll love this dark chocolate malt cake

• Pronounced Chocolate Malt Flavor: By toasting the malted milk powder in the oven at a low temperature, the malt flavor is intensified and comes through in the cake to create an elevated whopper-like flavor.
• Fudgy Texture: We have to have a fudgy texture in all chocolate desserts! The combination of dutch process and black cocoa powders, as well as the careful dry to wet ingredient ratios, create the fudgiest chocolate cake!
• Rich Chocolate Frosting: I swear this is the frosting to beat all chocolate frostings! It's incredibly rich without being cloyingly sweet and tastes very similar to chocolate cake batter. So if you're like me and you LIVE for the last few licks of batter in the mixing bowl, then you're going to love this recipe.
• Bowl & Whisk Method: Despite being a drop dead gorgeous cake, it requires only a bowl & whisk to make! You should use an electric mixer for the frosting, but if you put in a little elbow grease, you could definitely make it without one😉.

Ingredient Notes

• All-Purpose Flour: Use a high quality unbleached all-purpose flour.
• Cocoa Powder: This recipe calls for a combination of dutch process and black cocoa powder, however if you do not have black cocoa powder, you can use a total of 62g of dutch process for the cake and 42g of dutch process for the chocolate buttercream. 
• Chocolate: Since this is a dark chocolate cake, I recommend using bittersweet chocolate, but semi-sweet chocolate will work just fine. My favorite chocolate brands are Guittard and Valrhona.
• Coffee: You'll need freshly brewed coffee to bloom the chocolate and cocoa powders, but alternatively you can use boiling water.
• Malted Milk Powder: I use King Arthur malted milk powder for both the cake and frosting.  
• Neutral Oil: Use vegetable, canola, or light-tasting olive oil.
• Unsalted Butter: Use European-style butter for best flavor!

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this easy chocolate cake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1: Toast the malted milk powder. Spread the malted milk powder onto a parchment lined baking sheet into an even layer. Bake at 200 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until evenly golden. To save time, toast enough malted milk powder for both the cake and the frosting. 

STEP 2: Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift the toasted malted milk powder. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powders, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.

STEP 3: Whisk together the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.

STEP 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk until just combined.

STEP 5: Mix in the hot coffee. Lastly, whisk in the hot coffee until fully combined.

STEP 6: Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Wrap the cake strips around the pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

STEP 7: Cool. Allow cake to cool completely in the pan.

STEP 8: Make the frosting. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cocoa powders, toasted malted milk powder, and salt with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in half of the sifted powdered sugar, and mix until mostly combined. Then add in the remaining half, along with the vanilla, and mix until smooth. Mix in the cooled melted chocolate until fully combined. The frosting will be very thick at this point, but don't panic it will all work out!

STEP 9: Make the whipped cream. In a glass measuring cup, add the cold heavy cream and use an electric mixer to beat until soft peaks form. 

STEP 10: Fold the whipped cream into the frosting. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped cream into the frosting until fully combined. 

STEP 11: Decorate. Decorate the cooled cake as desired.

STEP 12: Serve: Cut into 16 squares and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

• Toast the malted milk powder. To amplify the malt flavor, toast the malted milk powder at a low temperature (200 degrees F) for about 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Be sure to toast enough for both the cake and the frosting!
• Sift the malted milk powder. Malted milk powder tends to clump up when toasted in the oven. Before using it in the cake batter or frosting, sift it through a fine mesh sieve to bring it back to a super fine powder.
• Use a cake strip to create a flat cake. Soak these wilton cake strips in ice water before starting the cake batter. Just before baking, wrap the cake strips around the pan. The cold temperature on the outside of the cake will prevent the edges from baking faster than the center, resulting in an evenly baked flat cake.
• When making the frosting, trust the process! This is an unusual frosting, as it resembles cookie dough more than frosting up until the whipped cream is folded in. But don't panic because in the end you'll be rewarded with a very rich, creamy chocolate malt frosting!

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x