Chocolate Cake Cubes

This wonderful cake was born completely by accident.

Years ago, I got together with Ortal—the lovely creator behind Niki B—and we were brainstorming recipes to film together. We wanted something we could both contribute to, and a chocolate cake immediately came to mind.

“I’ll make the cake and you’ll decorate it,” she suggested. I agreed without pause. Give me colorful sprinkles and grated chocolate and I’ll show you what happiness looks like.

“What if we cut the cake into cubes and decorate each piece separately?” I said, remembering a tray of chocolate cake cubes I’d made years earlier. “That way, instead of decorating one big cake, I could decorate lots of little ones.”

At first, I imagined cutting the cake into cubes, separating them, glazing each one individually, and then decorating them.

But then I thought—why make it so difficult? Why not cut the cake while it’s still in the pan, pour the glaze over everything as usual, and decorate each square afterward?

A few days later, we filmed the recipe. The cake turned out stunning and earned its name: Chocolate Cake Cubes.

That original video never made it online, but a year later I baked my own version on a television show, using my favorite chocolate cake recipe and the same cube idea.

What I love most about this cake—besides how incredibly delicious it is—is how simple it is to make. You mix everything in one bowl, bake, pour on the glaze, and scatter decorations on top. And yet somehow it looks like the happiest cake in the room.

Think about it: if you simply sprinkled decorations over the entire cake, it would look like a classic chocolate sheet cake. Still beautiful, of course.

But this version? This one gets smiles. And compliments. And requests for the recipe.

There are two more things I love about decorating it this way.

• First, everyone gets to choose their favorite piece. One person can grab a square topped with fresh raspberries, another can go for rainbow sprinkles. Someone else might choose chocolate curls, while another reaches for colorful candy-coated chocolates. There’s something for everyone. And because the cake is already portioned, nobody has to stand around waiting while someone cuts slices.
• Second—and this is my favorite part—the chocolate glaze seeps down into the cuts and softens the interior even more, creating little pockets of extra chocolate throughout the cake.

More recipes you might like: My Delicious Chocolate Poppy Seed Cake | The Chocolate Cupcakes I Take Everywhere | The 5-ingredient Marble Cake

Chocolate Cube Cake (Enough for a Large Group)

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Serves: 20-24 Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes Cooking Time: 45 minutes 45 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup neutral oil
• 1½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream (or full-fat canned coconut cream for a dairy-free version)
• ½ cup (70 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2½ teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder

For the Chocolate Glaze:

• 5 ounces (150 grams) dark or milk chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream (or coconut cream)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or glucose syrup

For Decorating:

• Sprinkles or chopped chocolate candies

Instructions

- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan (approximately 20 x 30 cm) or line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment—or in a large bowl with a whisk—combine the eggs, oil, sugar, and heavy cream. Mix until smooth.
- Add the cocoa powder, flour, and baking powder. Mix just until the batter is smooth and no dry streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
- While the cake bakes, combine the chocolate, cream, and maple syrup in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the chocolate glaze over the warm cake and spread evenly. Let the cake rest for about 30 minutes. This allows the slightly domed top to settle and makes cutting cleaner.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the cake into even squares directly in the pan. Decorate each square individually with colorful sprinkles or chopped chocolate candies

 

OMG, how colorful and festive!

Decorating Ideas
- Sprinkle Mixes: Store-bought sprinkle blends are wonderful, but making your own is even more fun. Mix different colors, shapes, and sizes together: Jimmies, Nonpareils, Metallic dragees, Stars, Hearts, Confetti sprinkles. Create a few favorite combinations and keep them in small jars for future baking projects.
- Chocolate Toppings: Try chocolate curls, pearls, chopped chocolate bars, crushed chocolate-covered candies, Ferrero Rocher pieces, mini M&Ms,
- Fruit Toppings: Fresh fruit adds color and freshness. Some of my favorites: raspberries, blueberries, diced strawberries, cherries, etc.

Notes

- Don't cut the cake before adding the glaze. The glaze fills the cut lines and helps create the signature cube effect.

- For a dairy-free version, substitute coconut cream for all of the heavy cream in both the cake and the glaze.

- Did you make it? Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram