I know I’m not alone in saying that a mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows on top is downright nostalgic. It’s a distinct flavor combo that is enjoyable at any age, reminiscent of winter and the Holiday season. Remember how I talked about having a list of Holiday cake flavors I wanted to create? Well, this one has been on the top of the list for a few years now. So as soon as I had the energy toward the end of my maternity leave, I decided to do some recipe testing and check it off the list. Surprisingly, this one didn’t take much testing at all! It is packed with hot cocoa flavor, marshmallowey goodness, and all the nostalgia. Behold: 

Let’s talk about the flavors going on here. I really wanted every bite to taste like hot cocoa (without being literally hot), so I whipped up some Swiss Miss hot cocoa with whole milk, cooled it to room temperature, and used it to infuse my favorite Chocolate Cake recipe. The result is extra chocolatey and so moist that it’s almost fudgey – just the way I like a chocolate cake. It’s got that extra little kick of hot cocoa from the infusion, and paired with the rest of the recipe elements, it tastes just the way I imagined. I honestly could not stop eating this one, and that’s always a really good sign because I’ve had a lot of cake in my day and can usually refrain.

The cake layers are delicious on their own, but the Hot Cocoa Buttercream is what gives this cake that extra flavor boost and truly makes the recipe. It tastes just like hot cocoa, partly because I added a little cocoa powder + infused it with more of that hot cocoa made with whole milk that I used in the cake. And to really take this recipe beyond, I decided to fill the cake with a layer of Hot Cocoa Buttercream and a layer of Marshmallow Fluff. I mean, how could I not? 

To turn this delicious cake into a masterpiece, I frosted the outside with more Hot Cocoa Buttercream and left the top edge “unfinished,” aka I didn’t swipe the buttercream on top of the cake to make sharp edges. I like that an unfinished edge creates the look of movement, and it reminded me of a sloshy cup of hot cocoa. Finally, I cut up some mini marshmallows and added them to the side of the cake in an ombrè layout, then piled some larger marshmallows on top and dusted the whole thing with cocoa powder. Voila! 

The mini marshmallows are so sticky inside that you can just press them onto the buttercream once you cut them. I will admit, it does take a bit of time to cut them all up, but I just love the way this design looks! It’s such a tasty recipe though, you can decorate it any way you want and rest assured that it will taste amazing. Enjoy!

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Hot Cocoa Cake Recipe

Layers of hot cocoa infused cake, hot cocoa flavored buttercream, and marshmallow fluff – inspired by a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Hot Cocoa

• 1 1/4 Cups whole milk
• 3 1/2 Tbsp hot cocoa mix

Hot Cocoa Cake

• 2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Cups (300g) white granulated sugar
• 2/3 Cup (60g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch Process)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 2 whole eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot cocoa made with whole milk, room temperature
• 1 Cup (240ml) hot water

Hot Cocoa Buttercream

• 1 1/2 Cups (339g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 1/2 Cups (540g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 Cup (45g) cocoa powder
• 1/4 Cup (60g) hot cocoa made with whole milk, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Optional Fillings and Toppings

• Marshmallow Fluff for filling
• Mini and Large marshmallows for decoration

Instructions

Make the Hot Cocoa

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the whole milk until it begins to simmer. Whisk in the hot cocoa mix and set aside. Wait until it's entirely room temperature before continuing on with this recipe.

Make the Hot Cocoa Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle. 
• Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and hot cocoa and mix on low until just combined. Ensure that the hot water has been heated to a simmer, then with the mixer still on low, add the hot water in a slow stream. Turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be very thin. 
• Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. 

Make the Hot Cocoa Buttercream

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip butter on medium speed until creamy and light in color, about four minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle and turn the mixer to low, then add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, hot cocoa, salt, and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium and beat for two full minutes.

Assembly

• Once the cake layers are completely cool, torte them to the desired height. Pipe a ring of hot cocoa buttercream around the edge of the first cake layer, then fill the middle halfway with marshmallow fluff before filling the rest of the space with hot cocoa buttercream (here's a tutorial on this filling method). Add the next layer of cake on top and repeat the filling process before adding the final cake layer on top, upside down so that the smooth bottom of the cake is facing up. Crumb coat with the hot cocoa buttercream and refrigerate for 20 minutes, then frost a final layer of hot cocoa buttercream, leaving the top edge unfinished.
• Use a knife to slice mini marshmallows and place them onto the buttercream finish in an ombrè layout. The inside of the marshmallow should be sticky enough to press onto the side of the cake and adhere, but if you need to, use a little water to make it stickier. Finish the design by piling marshmallows of various sizes on top and dusting with cocoa powder.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips:

1. The Hot Cocoa Cake layers can be made ahead and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store the wrapped cake layers in the freezer for up to 2 months before thawing and frosting.
2. The Hot Cocoa Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip in your stand mixer to bring back to smooth buttercream consistency. 

To Make As Cupcakes: fill cupcake tins no more than 2/3 of the way full and bake at 350ºF for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Yields about 35-40 cupcakes.

Did you make this recipe? I want to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram. I love to see what you’re caking!

The post Hot Cocoa Cake Recipe with Marshmallows appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

You can customize the toppings any way you’d like, but here are some of my absolute faves to inspire you (all pictured in that loaded cup of cocoa!): candy cane bits, brownie chunks, Belgian Boy Stroopwafels, mini marshmallows, and Oh Snow Cute sprinkles by SprinklePop for some added flavor and fun. You can use any sprinkles in your hot cocoa bar setup, but I love this Wintery mix. The color scheme is so much fun and the tiny snowmen and snowflakes are perfect for celebrating the Holiday season. Plus, the larger spherical sprinkles are made of chocolate (they’re Sixlets!), so they’re great for adding a little crunch and sweetness. 

After coming up with my ideal list of toppings, I displayed them all in mason jars and added some touches of Holiday decor. I basically borrowed a few sprigs from my Christmas tree and some faux holly, berries, and pine cones. Easy as can be! 

Here’s a little video to show you how I made my ideal cup of hot cocoa, so be sure to give it a watch for inspiration before you read all about how to replicate my hot cocoa bar setup below:

You Will Need

• 6 medium sized Mason jars 
• Brownies cut into ½ inch squares
• Candy Cane bits
• Belgian Boy Stroopwafels, quartered
• 2 8oz bottles of Oh Snow Cute sprinkles
• Mini marshmallows 
• Canned Whipped Cream
• Melted white chocolate in a piping bag (optional)
• Instant hot cocoa mix 
• Boiled milk 
• Cups and mugs for your guests 

Hot Cocoa Bar Setup 

Note that the list above is all suggested. You can tailor this hot cocoa bar to any topping list you want! Once you figure out the number of toppings you’ll have, add each one to a separate mason jar or container of your choice. I went with mason jars because they’re so easy to find and I love being able to see the toppings through the clear glass. 

To create this fun display, I divided my topping-filled mason jars full into two rows and slightly elevated the back row with a couple pieces of white wood I had leftover from a house project. Then, I decorated around the jars with sprigs of holly and pine. So festive and pretty! 

Prior to your guests arriving, all that’s left to do is make sure that you have hot water or milk readily available, or pre-mix the hot cocoa and keep it in a thermos at the hot cocoa bar for an even easier experience. Set out some mugs for your guests and let them go crazy adding all the toppings they want! 

The Tastiest Hot Cocoa Recipe

To inspire you with topping and decorating ideas, here’s how I chose to create my loaded cup of cocoa:

Create a White Chocolate Peppermint Rim (Optional)

First, I melted some white chocolate and waited for it to cool to about 80 degrees before piping it onto the rim of my cup with a piping bag.

I waited about five minutes for the chocolate to set slightly and then dipped it into some candy cane bits. 

You can use any type of chocolate you want for this part and can also create the peppermint rim on all of the guest mugs ahead of time if you’re into the look! The white chocolate peppermint adds such a fun texture and flavor to the whole cocoa experience. 

Add the Hot Cocoa

Next, I added a few tablespoons of instant hot cocoa to the mug, poured boiling hot milk over the top, and stirred it all together. 

Like I mentioned before, if you have a lot of guests it might be worth pre-mixing the hot cocoa and keeping it in a thermos for easy access.

Add the Toppings

After adding the hot cocoa, the fun of getting creative with toppings can begin! I added a layer of mini marshmallows and swirled some whipped cream on top.

Then, I stuck some brownie bits into the whipped cream and added a generous amount of Oh Snow Cute Sprinkles.

Finally, top the cocoa creation with a piece of Belgian Boy Stroopwafel. Boom. Best cocoa ever! 

Your hot cocoa bar can be as customized as you want. Other suggestions for your topping list: caramel sauce, whole candy canes, bite sized cookies, flavored syrups, cinnamon, mini chocolate chips, and any SprinklePop sprinkle mix that you’re drawn to!

What would you top your hot cocoa with? Let me know in the comments!

Disclaimer: I was compensated by SprinklePop for my work of creating this project, styling, filming, photographing, and writing about their products. As always, all opinions are honest and my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support Sugar & Sparrow.

The post My Ideal Hot Cocoa Bar Setup appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.