My favorite snack cake from my childhood was the Snowball Cakes from Hostess
Chocolate cupcake stuffed with cream and covered with marshmallow and coconut!
Now VEGAN and still my favorite!
Vegan snowball cakes are just three very simple recipes!
Using my best recipe for chocolate cake baked into half sized cupcakes and easy American Buttercream recipe to stuff them up!
Vegan marshmallow is not as difficult as you may think
Be sure to watch the video linked below before you begin
As you will also need a couple special tools to pull these off!
No affiliation with any product or company linked below, solely for visual reference
Notes for Success:
The only special requirement would be the sphere mold needed to craft these into and an instant read thermometer
Since marshmallow has to be cooked to 240°F
Agar can be a tricky ingredient to work with
I typically use 900 strength in my recipes
Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas
Try to get low salt or no salt but if you cannot, then omit the salt from the recipe below
Or if you prefer to make your own aquafaba by boiling dry chickpeas
Be sure to reduce your final aquafaba liquid to a stronger gelatinous viscosity after straining the liquid from the beans
Cream of Tartar is optional since I know many people cannot get it
It aids in making a stronger meringue matrix while whipping but is not essential
Marshmallows are literally just sugar and the recipe below does include corn syrup
If you do not have corn syrup then you can use glucose, agave or golden syrup instead
Because of all that sugar I like to use unsweetened flake coconut for the coating instead of the sweetened variety
Regarding using a hand beater for this recipe:
While it can be done it takes excessive work and time and really strains the hand beater motor.
Not to mention it cannot achieve the full thick glossy volume that an electric stand mixer with the balloon whip attachment does
However if you do opt for the hand beater method you will need another person to help you pour in the sugar syrup as you blend in a constant rotational motion
WATCH HOW TO MAKE THESE SNOWBALL CAKES
Snowball Cakes
Ingredients
- ½ Recipe Chocolate Cake
- ½ Recipe American Style Buttercream
Marshmallow Recipe:
- ½ cup Water 117ml
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- ½ cup Corn Syrup 117ml
- 1½ teaspoon Agar Powder *see notes
- pinch Salt *see notes for canned AF
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 6 Tbs Aquafaba 90ml
- ¼ teaspoon Cream of Tartar *see notes above
- 16 ounces Flake Coconut 1lb *you will not use the entire bag
Instructions
- First prepare the chocolate cake recipe as per the instructions on that recipe post & bake into cupcake tins, but be sure to only use 3Tbs batter for each cupcake
- The bake time will be about half the regular time for normal sized cupcakes (approx 12-15 minutes)
- Cool them completely then refrigerate while you prepare the buttercream recipe
- Follow the instruction on the buttercream recipe then fill the cold cupcakes with the cream by hollowing out a small center space~ reserve in the refrigerator while you make the marshmallow
- For the marshmallow: In a medium sized sauce pot over medium to high heat combine the water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and agar stirring to dissolve the sugar
- Once the solution comes to a boil stop stirring & increase the heat to highInsert an instant read thermometer and continue boiling to 240°F
- About 5 minutes before the temperature of the sugar syrup reaches 240°F start whipping the aquafaba liquid with the cream of tartar with the balloon whip attachment of a stand mixer *see notes for success above!
- Whip to stiff, glossy peaks then start pouring in the sugar syrup very carefully & very slowly! See video visual for how to do this!
- Continue whipping the marshmallow until all the hot syrup is incorporated then add the vanilla extract & then quickly transfer the marshmallow to a pastry bag & pipe the marshmallow into the un-greased sphere molds
- Insert the filled (COLD) cupcakes into each marshmallow pushing it in so the marshmallow comes up around the sides & to the top edge of the cupcake
- These will set very quickly at room temperature, no need to refrigerate
- Once set you can easily unmold each one & plunge into coconut flakes to coat the entire outside.
Video
Notes
Try to get low salt or no salt but if you cannot then omit the salt from the recipe below, or if you prefer to make your own aquafaba by boiling dry chickpeas, be sure to reduce your final aquafaba liquid to a stronger gelatinous viscosity after straining the liquid from the beans Cream of Tartar is optional since I know many people cannot get it, it aids in making a stronger meringue matrix while whipping but is not essential Marshmallows are literally just sugar and the recipe below does include corn syrup if you do not have corn syrup then you can use glucose, agave or golden syrup instead
Because of all that sugar I like to use unsweetened flake coconut for the coating instead of the sweetened variety
Regarding using a hand beater for this recipe:While it can be done it takes excessive work and time and really strains the hand beater motor. Not to mention it cannot achieve the full thick glossy volume that an electric stand mixer with the balloon whip attachment does. However if you do opt for the hand beater method you will need another person to help you pour in the sugar syrup as you blend in a constant rotational motion Storage Snowball cakes can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days For longer storage refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks
Hi Gretchen, thank you for this great recipe! Could I use these same amounts to make one snowball cake? 8”?
Yes! Exactly! Will make a 7″ cake
Thanks! So I’ve opted to make the individual snowballs. Today I made the cupcakes and filled them. I ate one and so delicious! First time using the high ratio shortening and now really like it. Cupcakes are in freezer ready for marshmallow tomorrow.
Hi so I would say I was 90% complete on these. I used 1/2 cup+ 2 T aquafaba instead of 1/4 cup. My mold was either too small or cupcakes too big although I used the scant 2oz of batter for each one. So they turned out more like snowball cupcakes than snowballs but the important thing is they all set except for the first one and they taste delicious.