Copycat Suzy Q’s Chocolate Snack Cake
Hostess Suzy Q’s or Little Debbie Devil Creams? Both are super tasty chocolate snack cakes. Hard to choose, isn’t it!
Actually, my favorite is probably Little Debbie’s Star Crunch, but I haven’t figured out to copy that one))) Today I’m going to share with you how I made my version of Suzy Q’s chocolate snack cake, but with reduced sugar. Every little bit helps!
How to Make It
Batter
Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the box. It can be any type of chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz size).
Divide the batter into two 9.5″ x 13″ cookie sheets that you have prepared with cooking spray and parchment paper.
Bake
The baking time will be shorter than what you’d need for a regular sheet cake or two round cake pans, so keep an eye on your oven. I’ve found that lowering my oven temperature to around 300°F gives the best results.
To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready!
Remove from oven and place pans on cooling racks
The cake layers must be cooled completely or you will have a gigantic mess on your hands.
Vanilla Filling
While the chocolate snack cake layers are cooling, it’s time to whip up the creamy vanilla filling. Make sure your butter is softened but not melted—melted butter will make the filling too runny. Using an electric mixer will give you the best consistency.
This is where I was able to cut back on the sugar a bit by using Swerve Confectioners Sugar. I’ve had great success with all three Swerve varieties—granular, brown, and confectioners. This was the first time I used two full cups, and to my surprise, there was no aftertaste, and we couldn’t tell any difference in the flavor at all!
Swerve keeps expanding its sugar-free product line. I recently tried their chocolate chip cookie mix (I’ll share more about that soon!), and I have a cake mix on the shelf waiting to be tested.
Once the layers are completely cooled, carefully turn one out onto a cooling rack, leaving the second layer in the pan.
Spread the vanilla filling over the layer in the pan.
Place the second cake layer on top, just like a sandwich—and you’re done! I cut mine into about 16 pieces and used a cake spatula to lift them out of the pan.
A cake spatula, with its narrow and long design, makes it so much easier to remove cookies from a baking sheet or bar-style treats like these chocolate snack cakes from the pan. The one I use is quite old, but it’s a trusty tool I reach for all the time. I should remember that next time I’m shopping for a gift—it’s a thoughtful and practical option for any baking-loving friend!
Enjoy!
I made these for my grandchildren for Valentine’s Day. I usually whip up a batch of chocolate-covered strawberries, but the strawberry selection was terrible this week! Instead, they got my homemade copycat Suzy Q’s chocolate snack cakes—and they were happy with the change.
Updated 1/7/25
I originally wrote this post a few years ago, but as I was refreshing it, I realized I left out a funny (and slightly frustrating) story! The recipe itself turned out great, but something unexpected happened afterward…
I was so happy with how the snack cakes turned out that I rushed up to Carrie’s house with a plate for a taste test. When we returned, we found that Browser, our Goldendoodle, couldn’t resist the temptation and had devoured the ones we left behind! I have no idea why I didn’t include that in the original post. Maybe it’s because, as bloggers, we tend to focus on sharing the successes and skip over the mishaps. This wasn’t exactly a failure, but it was definitely a lesson learned—and a good reminder to keep treats out of paw’s reach next time! 🙂
More from My kitchen
Rice Krispie Treats with Vanilla Filling
Copy Cat Suzy Q’s Snack Cake with Less Sugar
Equipment
Ingredients
Snack Cake Layers
- 1 Box Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
- 1 ¼ Cups Water
- ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 3 Eggs
Filling
- 2 Cups Swerve Confectioners Sugar
- 2 Sticks Butter, softened at room temp (not melted)
- 1 7 oz Jar Marshmallow Creme
- 2 Tsp Vanilla Flavoring
Instructions
Snack Cake Layers
- Prepare two 9.5" x 13" cookie sheets with cooking spray and parchment paper. Spray sides of pan with cooking spray.
- Prepare 15.25 oz box of chocolate fudge cake mix as directed on box.
- Divide batter between the two cookie sheets.
- Bake according to package directions, but keep in mind that the depth of the pans is more shallow than a regular 9" x 13" and will take less cooking time. Check at 10 min and watch closely. Test for doneness with a toothpick. Insert toothpick in center and if it comes out clean, it is done,
- Place on cooling racks and prepare the vanilla filling.
Filling
- Use electric mixer to cream softened butter and sugar together until fluffly. Add marshmallow creme and beat until well combined. Add vanilla flavoring.2 Cups Swerve Confectioners Sugar, 2 Sticks Butter, softened at room temp (not melted), 1 7 oz Jar Marshmallow Creme, 2 Tsp Vanilla Flavoring
Stack the Cakes
- Cakes must be completely cooled before adding the filling.
- Turn one cake out of the pan by placing a cooling rack upside down on the pan. Flip and remove parchment paper. Set aside.
- Spread the vanilla filling over the chocolate layer still in the pan. Spread to edges completely.
- Place the other chocolate layer on top of the vanilla filling – sandwich style.
- Slice into about 16 pieces. Remove from pan with narrow spatula.
- Enjoy! Wrap individually in plastic wrap. Don't know how long they will last, mine were gone in 48 hours!
My sister-in-law and her husband made this every Christmas for our big family get together. We all loved it but when she died over 20 years ago we just stopped making it. I’ve decided it’s time to start again. We like it with Fritos just dipping the Fritos in for our scoop of the delicious creamy pimento and cheese. Your recipe is almost exactly like hers. The only change that she made was that she used miracle whip mayonnaise. Thank you for saving this recipe. I know that we will all enjoy it this Christmas and miss Martha a lot.
Thank you for following, I appreciate it))) My husband eats the pimento cheese with crackers most of the time. And we have eaten it with Frito Scoops too))) I’ll have to try it with Miracle Whip, that sounds good)))