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Do you love Hostess Cupcakes? Chocolate sponge cake cupcakes with that iconic chocolate frosting, and white swirly frosting down the middle. Make my Hostess Sheet Cake which is the sheet cake version of the cupcake snack cakes – but instead it’s made in a 9×13 cake pan!
For another Hostess cake dessert recipe be sure and try this amazingly delicious and super easy to make Honey Bun Cake.
Hostess Cupcakes Sheet Cake Recipe
This hostess sheet cake is a copycat version of the classic Hostess Cakes that we all grew up eating. A dense chocolate sponge type cake, filled with creamy marshmallow filling, and then topped with a chocolate ganache frosting and of course, those iconic white swirly loops on top.
Making 9×13 cakes is one of my favorite ways to make dessert for my family, or to bring to a gathering. This one is a delicious twist to a traditional sheet cake and one that everyone always raves about.
Ingredients Needed
Easy Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- Chocolate Cake Mix
- Large Eggs
- Whole Milk
- Vegetable Oil
- Vanilla Extract
Fluffy Marshmallow Filling Ingredients
- Marshmallow Fluff
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Heavy Cream
Chocolate Ganache Frosting Ingredients
- Heavy Cream
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract
How To Make A Hostess Sheet Cake (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 cake pan with a generous spray of cooking spray or Baker’s Joy spray (baking cooking spray with flour adding in). Set aside.
Make The Chocolate Cake : In a large bowl, add the chocolate cake mix, large eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer, on medium or medium high speed, for 2 minutes or until it’s thoroughly combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely inside the pan on a wire cooling rack.
Once cooled, cover the cake pan with aluminum foil and freeze the cake for 30-60 minutes to allow the cake to harden slightly; this will make it easier to cut in half.
Make The Marshmallow Filling : In a large mixing bowl, add the marshmallow fluff, butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium speed, increase speed as needed, until smooth, fluffy, and combined well. Reserve 1/2 cup for the swirls on top of the cake, set it aside.
Assemble The Cake : Remove the cake from the freezer. Invert the cake onto a large cutting board so it comes out of the cake pan. Cut the cake in half, lengthwise, so you end up with two thinner pieces of cake.
Lay the bottom half of the cake back into the cake pan, and spread the marshmallow filling evenly over it. Then, cover the filling with the top half of the cake. Cover the pan with plastic wrap, foil, or a lid and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Make The Frosting : Warm the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat, while gently whisking it until it starts to steam, and small bubbles form around the edges. Do not let it boil.
Place the chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes. Gently whisk or stir the mixture until smooth and glossy.
Add in the softened butter, vanilla extract, and pinch of kosher salt and mix together until everything is fully combined. Let the ganache cool for 15 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it thickens into a spreadable consistency.
Remove the cake from the fridge. Use an offset spatula or rubber spatula to spread the chocolate ganache frosting over top of the cake.
Place the reserved white marshmallow filling into a piping bag with a thin tip, or a sandwich size Ziploc bag with the corner snipped, and pipe loops over top of the cake to resemble the classic Hostess Cupcakes.
Slice and enjoy!
Storage Instructions For Hostess Sheet Cake
Store the cake covered, at room temperature, for up to 3 days. If you want to keep leftovers for longer, or just prefer the cake chilled, you can refrigerate the cake for up to 1 week. Make sure the cake pan is covered with a lid, plastic wrap, or foil for storage at room temperature or in the fridge. You can also remove individual slices to an airtight container for storage as well.
Recipe Tips For Success
- I suggest reading through the recipe before starting; this particular recipe has a few steps to it and a few different chill times/freezer time for the cake. I like to make it the day before so that way I know I have plenty of time for all the prep work needed.
- Remember to reserve 1/2 cup of the white marshmallow filling. You will need this to make those iconic loop swirls on top of the cake.
- Chilling a cake in the freezer before cutting it (lengthwise like a hamburger) makes it much easier to slice cleanly. When freshly baked, a cake tends to be soft and delicate, making it more likely to tear and crumble when cut. By firming it up slightly in the freezer, the cake holds its shape better, reducing breakage and allowing for a smoother, and more even cut. Just be sure not to freeze it too long! Any amount of time from 30 minutes to 60 minutes is usually enough to make cutting hassle-free without making the cake too firm/frozen.
- I always like to chill the fully assembled cake for at least 1-2 hours, or up to overnight even, before cutting it into slices and serving. The colder the cake, the cleaner the slices will be.
More 9×13 Cake Recipes You’ll Love
- German Chocolate Poke Cake
- Amazing Banana Bread Cake
- Easy Strawberry Cake
- Pineapple Pistachio Cake
- Orange Pineapple Cake
- Dr. Pepper Cake
- Heaven on Earth Cake
- Lemon Jello Cake
Hostess Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Marshmallow Cream Filling
- 1 jar (13 oz) marshmallow fluff
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter well softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons butter well softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 cake pan with a generous spray of cooking spray. Set aside.
Make The Chocolate Cake
- In a large bowl, add the chocolate cake mix, large eggs, whole milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer, on medium or medium high speed, for 2 minutes or until it's thoroughly combined.1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix, 3 large eggs, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely inside the pan on a wire cooling rack.
- Once cooled, cover the cake pan with aluminum foil and freeze the cake for 30-60 minutes to allow the cake to harden slightly; this will make it easier to cut in half.
Make The Marshmallow Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, add the marshmallow fluff, butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium speed, increase speed as needed, until smooth, fluffy, and combined well. Reserve 1/2 cup for the swirls on top of the cake, set it aside.1 jar (13 oz) marshmallow fluff, 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
Assemble The Hostess Cake
- Remove the cake from the freezer. Invert the cake onto a large cutting board so it comes out of the cake pan. Cut the cake in half, lengthwise, so you end up with two thinner pieces of cake.
- Lay the bottom half of the cake back into the cake pan, and spread the marshmallow filling evenly over it. Then, cover the filling with the top half of the cake.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap, foil, or a lid and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting & Swirls
- Warm the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat, while gently whisking it until it starts to steam, and small bubbles form around the edges. Do not let it boil.1 cup heavy cream
- Place the chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes. Gently whisk or stir the mixture until smooth and glossy.1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Add in the softened butter, vanilla extract, and pinch of kosher salt and mix together until everything is fully combined.2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Let the ganache cool for 15 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it thickens into a spreadable consistency.
- Remove the cake from the fridge. Use an offset spatula or rubber spatula to spread the chocolate ganache frosting over top of the cake.
- Place the reserved white marshmallow filling into a piping bag with a thin tip, or a sandwich size Ziploc bag with the corner snipped, and pipe loops over top of the cake to resemble the classic Hostess Cupcakes.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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