You know those insane 3-tier cakes that you see at fancy birthday parties or weddings (like these)? Well Melissa of Lil’ Miss Cakes is one of the bakers that makes those beautiful creations and I’m super stoked to have her guest post on my blog today! This whole guest blogging thing is so exciting for me because I get to introduce you to some of my all time favorite blogger friends and Melissa is one of them. I love how she posts accessible recipes for us non-professionals (like these stained glass cookies or these pumpkin chai hamantaschen). She’s really bringing it today with her twist on a yeasted babka or kokosh cake. I love me some babka, but the only time I ever make it is when I have leftover challah dough (and I don’t bake challah very often). Enter Melissa’s babka hack and you can be making a no-yeast chocolate meltaway anytime. I can’t wait to try it!
Welcome Melissa!
one of Melissa’s beautiful cakes
Hey hey! I’m Melissa of Lil’ Miss Cakes. Over on my site I kind of do it all. I share my creative cakes, share delicious and dairy-free dessert recipes, and I also design and sell custom cookie cutters. I love Chanie and her blog, she is super talented. Her food photography is stunning and her recipes are spot on, I can always find the perfect family friendly recipe to whip up for dinner. I’m so happy that the blogging world has brought us together and I’m so excited to share a recipe here with you! Thank you so much, Chanie for allowing me to guest post and congrats on your daughter, she is gorgeous! Sit back, relax, and enjoy her!
Since we all don’t always have lots of time to bake, I like to come up with impressive desserts that don’t take all day in the kitchen. I had been craving a chocolate babka/kokosh cake for a long time, but making a yeast dough is too time consuming, and doesn’t always turn out well. I needed a cake that I can mix up and bake quickly, as soon as the mood strikes. It had to be fudgy and super chocolatey, with easy to find ingredients. This cake does it all! It looks really impressive, but whips up in no time. There are a few dishes to wash, but you won’t be waiting for dough to rise all day long. There is no rolling out dough, twisting, shaping, second rising. None of that. Just mix, add to the pan, and bake. The cake is moist and tender, the chocolate is oozes everywhere, and the crumbs give the perfect amount of crunch. The best part of it all, this recipe is pareve, but I bet you won’t be able to tell!
Chocolate Meltaway Cake
Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup dairy free sour cream or unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup soy milk
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup margarine, melted or oil
Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla sugar
2 Tbs. oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch square or round cake pan with parchment paper.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low to combine. Then add the eggs, sour cream, soy milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix to combine. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Mix up the chocolate topping. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and margarine. Dollop the chocolate all over the cake batter and then using a knife or a spatula, to swirl/spread the chocolate and cake together.
Mix up the crumb topping. In a small bowl mix the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, and oil. Stir until large crumbs form. Sprinkle the crumbs all over the top of the cake. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cake is set and the edges are slightly brown.
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Does this freeze well? I would like to start doubling desserts the next few weeks for Tishrei. Any tips?
I haven’t tried freezing it yet but in my experience it should freeze really well! Just wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Enjoy!
Could you substitute cinnamon for cocoa, if you wanted cinnamon flavor?
I actually have a cinnamon version on my site-search for “cinnamon roll cake”.
Is there a specific kind of flour to make this? All I have right now is whole wheat, but I bet that won’t work.
I use all purpose white flour. I bet white whole wheat would work but I doubt the regular whole wheat will be any good. The cake will probably be too tough.
hi. this looks great! can i use almond milk instead of soy milk and does the cake freeze well, too?
Thank you!
You can certainly use almond milk instead of soy. While I haven’t tried freezing this yet, in my experience I believe it should freeze really well. Just wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Thank you for this recipe. I can’t wait to try it. This is one of our favorite cakes that we buy n the Bakery. I have searched the Internet over and over to try to find a recipe for it.
I’m so glad!!
If I don’t have sour cream or applesauce, is there something I could substitute?
I haven’t tried subbing anything else so I’m not really sure. I would try to hold out for the proper ingredient- sorry!
What can I use if I don’t have vanilla sugar?
You can replace the vanilla sugar with an equal amount of vanilla extract or leave it out. I like the flavor that the vanilla sugar adds to the crumb but its not essential.
Can I double this recipe and make it in a 9 by 13
I don’t see why not!
What can I use for an egg substitue? Can I use stevia and whole wheat?
A teaspoon of vinegar per egg in the recipe may work, but I haven’t tried that here so I don’t know for sure. Whole wheat with probably make the cake tough, white whole wheat could probably replace but again I haven’t tried that. And I don’t bake with stevia so I really don’t know about it. Making too many changes could work but it also could ruin the dessert. Good luck!
I made this cake this AM in an 8×8 square. It took almost 40 mins instead of the 25 mins recommended. I hope I didn’t dry it out
Yes, we’ve heard from a few readers that their cake required additional baking time so we’ve revised the recipe accordingly. Thanks!
I just made this tonight and it was delicious!
Yay! So glad!
Can this be mixed by hand?
Yes, I actually made it by hand. Just make sure you whisk everything really well (especially the wet ingredients with the eggs). If you plan on doubling it though, I would use a mixer.
What else could I sub instead of sour cream or applesauce since I don’t have either?
Nothing really. Sorry!
Would it work to make mini versions of this cake in ramekins?
Yes, one of my readers made it in a muffin tin and it worked out great! Just adjust the baking time accordingly.
What would be the adjusted baking time for ramekins?
I always use the toothpick test! When it comes out clean, you’re good.
Is rice dream good too? Or rather soy milk
I dont find Rice Dream to be a good replacement, its too watery. Soy or almond milk both work.
I used coconut oil for the oil and margarine ingredients and coconut milk. Turned out great. My next step will be to make it vegan. I think it can easily be converted to vegan using egg substitute in the cake part. This will definitely be one of the desserts during the chagim for the benefit of the vegans and non-vegans in my family. Thanks for this recipe!!!
Thanks Betty! I can’t wait to hear how your vegan one comes out!
I made the cake and found the chocolate to be grainy. Didi do something wrong? How can I get the chocolate mixture to be a smoother texture?
Hmm, I’m not really sure what happened. It could be the type of margarine or oil you used that didn’t work so well. I use Fleishmann’s margarine and regular vegetable oil in baking and those give me great results.
I used regular canola oil. Would that make a difference?
I don’t think so.
I had the same problem and I used canola oil
What can I use instead of soymilk?
Almond milk or coconut milk work. Anything that is somewhat creamy (just not rice milk, water or juice).
Re your chocolate and cinnamon cake recipes, are there any differences in technique or results if dairy products are used instead of substitute?
Made the chocolate melt away cake for Shabbat was amazing. Wanted to make it for holidays in advance. Can it be frozen?? Thanks
Yes, I think this would freeze well. So glad you enjoyed it!
Can butter be used instead of margarine n normal milk instead of soy milk?
Yes, that’s how I made it!
Hi
Can I use maple syrup instead of the sugar in the cake and chocolate part?
I assume you would need granulated sugar in the crumble part… No?
Thanks
You can probably substitute maple syrup for the sugar but maple syrup is a lot sweeter than sugar so you would need less. I don’t know what will happen to the consistency because maple syrup is much more liquidy and wet than sugar. Plus the color will be very different, not to mention the flavor. If you try it, let us know what happens!
Dear Melissa and Chanie,
thank you very, very much for sharing this versatile recipe! I’ve already successfully substituted soy milk with real milk or homemade liquors (cherry, black currant, red currant). Recently I also added 4 Tbsp. red currant liquor to the chocolate topping, and it came out very aromatic. Whether made with grapeseed, coconut or olive oil, the cake is extremely delicious.
Best regards from Latvia
I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying the recipe and that it is so versatile!
hi! this looks so good- do you need to line the baking dish with parchment paper?
Hi Eliana, yes you do.
Hi – Great recipe. Took longer than listed time. Thanks!
Thanks for letting me know!
How long will this cake stay fresh on the counter?
A couple of days.
Will it make a big difference if I only have sweetened applesauce and not unsweetened?
I don’t think so.
Hi can I use coffee whitener instead of soy milk?
I’m not a fan of coffee whitener but I guess it can work.
would this work in a spring form pan?
I don’t see why not.
Made this a bunch of times and always a big hit. Would like to make for shaloch monos but in mini loaf pans, any suggestions as to baking time? Thanks in advance!
I would just bake it until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. What a great shalach manos!
I just have to say this cake (and every recipe I tried of yours) is so incredibly delicious! Gets rave reviews every time I make it! So thank you so much and keep it up!
Is there anyway this can be made so it is Kosher for Passover? It is my niece’s birthday and all she wants is a meltaway:(
Will it work in a loaf pan?
Is it okay to freeze the cake with the crumble topping ? Will it freeze well ?
Yes, many readers have frozen this cake with success.
So I tired the recipe today and the cake part came out sponge like instead of cakie. What went wrong?
Hi, I’m not really sure! You can try messaging Melissa @lilmisscakes as she created the recipe for my blog!
Can this be made in a bundt pan?
I don’t see why not.
I’d love to add almond paste for a string almond flavoring. In what part would you recommend adding it and how much? Thanks!
I love the flavor of almond paste! If you are adding pure almond extract, I would recommend 1 teaspoon instead of vanilla.
I baked it for 40 min but it still doesn’t seem ready . Is is possible that it needs more time ? I don’t want to overbake it.
If a toothpick inserted comes out clean, it should be done.
What texture should it be when done? I’ve tried some bakery pastries that taste like raw dough. This sounds like a delicious recipe. How do I know if it’s too doughy/chewy or underbaked?
You can insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, it’s done!
Super excited to try this!!!
Everyones told me its delicious!!!!
What can I subsitute for soy milk?
any creamy milk!
I’ve had this recipe for 6 years in my recipe box. I finally made it…the house smells heavenly!