Frosting – Brownie Mischief

Chocolate Cake Cookies

Posted on December 1, 2025February 14, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Chocolate is the most popular cake flavor, so there’s no doubt that Chocolate Cake Cookies would be well-loved also. These cookies are so tempting that they’ll be the most popular cookies on your cookie platter. These soft, rich cookies have the elements we all love about chocolate cake, without the cake mix. The perfectly silky, smooth chocolate buttercream makes them absolutely delicious! They look so festive and nostalgic with sprinkles on top. They remind me of the popular grocery store cookies, but better. Make sure to make a pot of coffee or grab a jug of milk to enjoy with these chocolatey treats.

Chocolate Cake Cookies

Mari Vasseur

Soft, rich chocolate cookies with silky, smooth chocolate frosting

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

1 ¾ cups (225g) all purpose flour, sifted
⅔ cup (75g) cake flour, sifted
⅔ cup (60g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
sprinkles optional

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

¼ cup (74ml) maple syrup
2 tablespoons (30ml) water
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (34g) Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
4 ounces (113g) bittersweet 70-72%) or semisweet chocolate, chopped see note below*
10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup (80g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

Cookies

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until well blended.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in 3 separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. On low speed, or by hand, stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Refrigerate the dough just until it's easier to work with, about 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF. (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Divide the cookie dough into 24 portions, about 2 tablespoons (35g) each. (I used a #30 portion scoop.**) Roll them into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place the cookie dough balls onto the baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are puffed and start to darken around the edges, about 9-11 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Chocolate Frosting

In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together the maple syrup, water, and cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Melt the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir gently until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and pale. Add the powdered sugar and salt and continue beating until smooth and well blended.
Gradually add the cooled maple syrup mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Stir in the melted chocolate until well combined. Smooth out any air bubbles by stirring gently with a rubber spatula.
Frost the cooled cookies. Top with sprinkles if desired.

Notes

*For the smoothest results, use chopped bar chocolate for your frosting and make sure the chocolate is completely melted. Do not use chocolate chips. They contain an ingredient which prevents them from melting completely and may make your frosting lumpy.

**To find the portion scoop I used, click here.

Keyword chocolate, cookies

Little Strawberry Heart Cake

Posted on February 7, 2023February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

A cute little, stress-free, perfectly pink heart cake is my gift to you for Valentine’s Day. The vanilla cake is soft and fluffy. The frosting is super easy and delicious, with only two ingredients. It all comes together with fresh strawberries and it’s so good, you won’t want to share.

Little Strawberry Heart Cake

A six inch heart shaped vanilla cake with fresh strawberries and two-ingredient frosting

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Ingredients

½ cup chopped strawberries
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup (4 ounces) cake flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
1 large egg
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅓ cup whole milk, room temperature
3 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 7.5 ounce jar Marshmallow Fluff
tiny drop pink gel food color I used Americolor deep pink*

Optional Decor

strawberries
meringue powder** or pasteurized egg whites
sugar

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine strawberries and 2 teaspoons sugar. Set aside to macerate for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of a 6-inch heart shaped cake pan*** with parchment paper. Grease and flour the sides.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and oil with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla in two separate additions until well combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream.
Beat flour mixture into batter in two additions, alternating with milk mixture.
Transfer batter to prepared cake pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool.
In a large bowl, stir cream cheese with a spatula to smooth out lumps.
Add marshmallow fluff and beat until well combined. Add food gel color with a toothpick and beat until evenly distributed.
Split cake into two layers. Top the bottom layer with frosting. Drain strawberries and spoon onto cake. Top with second layer, then more frosting.

Optional Decor

To make sugared strawberries, mix 1 part meringue powder with 3 parts water. Dip strawberries in meringue mixture, cover with sugar, then let dry. Alternately you can dip the strawberries in pasteurized egg whites, cover with sugar, then let dry.

Notes

*To find the gel food color I used, click here.

**To find meringue powder, click here.

***To find the heart cake pan I used, click here.

Keyword cake, strawberry

Marshmallow Love

Posted on February 8, 2017February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Dear marshmallows, why are you so sweet and fluffy? I shall call you squishy and you shall be mine! Yes, it’s true, I’m a bit crazy about marshmallows. This post is nothing short of a marshmallow fest! First, my daughter and I made some Sparkly Marshmallow Hearts that are super fun and easy to make. I literally want to put them on everything! How cute do they look on this mini cake? They also make adorable cupcake toppers! To view the Sparkly Marshmallow Hearts tutorial click here.

We also had some fun with Puffy Poles. In case you’re not marshmallow savvy, Puffy Poles are marshmallows that look like chubby barber poles. They’re very popular on dessert tables and candy buffets. We used pink ones, which have a subtle strawberry flavor. We applied them to the pictured 4-inch diameter by 2 1/4 inch tall strawberry cake, which was crumb coated with a thin layer of vanilla buttercream. We used buttercream to adhere them to the sides of the cake. To find Puffy Poles click here.

Next, I made some Billowy Sky Blue Marshmallow Frosting to share with you. One of the things you’re going to love about this frosting, besides being yummy, is it’s natural beauty. You can simply spoon it on, no piping or fancy tricks necessary. Everything it touches becomes an ethereal cloud of deliciousness! The recipe is below.

Billowy Sky Blue Marshmallow Frosting

Fluffy, glossy, sweet marshmallow frosting.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Course Dessert

Servings 3 cups

Ingredients

1 ½ cup (10.5 ounces) ultra fine sugar *see notes below
½ cup egg whites (3-4 large)
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Americolor Sky Blue gel food coloring (or any color of your choice)

Instructions

In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together sugar, egg whites, water and cream of tartar until frothy.
Place bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl. Whisk mixture until temperature reaches 160° and sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove bowl from heat. Add extracts. Beat mixture with the whisk attachment of an electric mixer on high speed until stiff and glossy.
Add a small amount of food color with a toothpick and mix on low speed. Continue adding food color, a little at a time, until desired shade is reached. Use a clean toothpick for each addition.

Notes

*It's important to dissolve all of the sugar when making this frosting. Ultra fine sugar dissolves easier, but if you are unable to find it, you can use regular granulated sugar.