Description
Someone at Hostess invented Suzy Q’s—two soft chocolate cakes sandwiched around a mountain of sweet cream filling—and created a lunchbox legend. Then home bakers figured out you can make them yourself with better ingredients, more filling, and none of the preservatives. This is tender, moist chocolate cake paired with fluffy vanilla cream that tastes like childhood but better because you made it from scratch. It’s what happens when you stop accepting mediocre snack cakes and decide to level up.
This isn’t some complicated patisserie project that requires culinary school. This is “make sheet cake, make cream filling, sandwich together, pretend you’re a snack cake mogul” simplicity that results in something way better than the cellophane-wrapped original. The cake is soft and chocolatey without being too rich. The cream filling is sweet and fluffy without being too heavy. Together, they’re the perfect ratio of cake to cream that Hostess wishes they could achieve.
This is nostalgia energy but upgraded. It’s what happens when you take a childhood favorite and make it with real butter, actual vanilla, and love instead of whatever chemical compounds keep store-bought cakes shelf-stable for months. It’s snack cakes that actually taste like food.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process makes them darker)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup hot coffee (or hot water, but coffee enhances chocolate)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cream Filling:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (crucial)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (maybe more for desired thickness)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 2 tablespoons marshmallow fluff (for that authentic texture)
Optional But Highly Recommended:
- Chocolate ganache for drizzling on top
- Extra cocoa powder for dusting
- Vanilla bean paste instead of extract (more visible vanilla specks)
- Espresso powder (enhances chocolate flavor)
- A pinch of instant pudding mix in the filling (stabilizes it)
Special Equipment:
- 10x15 inch jelly roll pan or half sheet pan (with 1-inch sides)
- Parchment paper (makes removal easy)
- Electric mixer (for the filling)
- Offset spatula or butter knife for spreading
- Sharp knife for cutting clean rectangles
- Plastic wrap for storage
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line your 10×15 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later. Spray the parchment with cooking spray. This cake is tender—you don’t want it sticking and tearing when you try to remove it.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there are no cocoa lumps—sift if necessary. Set this aside and feel good about your organizational skills.
In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until well combined. The mixture should be smooth and uniform.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix—some small lumps are fine. The batter will be thick at this point. Now pour in the hot coffee and stir until smooth. The batter will become very thin and liquidy. This is correct. Don’t panic. Thin batter = moist cake.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly into the corners. It should fill the pan and be about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake—you want this cake soft and tender, not dry.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift the entire cake out of the pan onto a wire rack or cutting board. Let it cool completely—and I mean COMPLETELY—before adding filling. If you add filling to warm cake, it’ll melt and slide everywhere and you’ll have a mess. Go watch an episode of something while it cools.
While the cake cools, make the filling. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. It should look pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low speed until incorporated, then increasing to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes until the filling is light, fluffy, and holds stiff peaks. It should look like thick frosting. If it’s too soft, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too stiff, add a bit more cream. If you’re using marshmallow fluff, beat it in now.
Once the cake is completely cool, place it on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the cake in half lengthwise so you have two long rectangles. Then cut each half into 8 equal rectangles, giving you 16 cake pieces total. They should be roughly 3×2 inches each. Don’t worry about perfection—rustic is fine. Wipe your knife between cuts for clean edges.
Take one cake rectangle and flip it over so the flat bottom is facing up. Using an offset spatula, butter knife, or spoon, spread a generous amount of cream filling on the cake—about 2-3 tablespoons per cake. Don’t be shy. The original Suzy Q’s are known for their cream-to-cake ratio. Spread it almost to the edges.
Take another cake rectangle and place it on top of the cream filling, flat bottom side down (so both flat sides are touching the filling and the rounded baked tops are on the outside). Press down gently but firmly to spread the cream filling to the edges. The filling should be visible around the edges—this is the signature Suzy Q look.
Continue filling and sandwiching the remaining cake pieces until you have 8 completed Suzy Q’s. This is assembly-line work. Put on some music. Get into a rhythm. Try not to eat all the extra cream filling with a spoon (you will eat some of it with a spoon).
If you want to get fancy, drizzle melted chocolate ganache over the tops or dust them lightly with cocoa powder. The originals don’t have this, but homemade means you make the rules. Let any chocolate topping set before wrapping.
Wrap each Suzy Q individually in plastic wrap for storage. They’ll keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week (if they last that long). The texture is best at room temperature—the cake is softer and the filling is creamier. But cold ones are also delicious and remind you of eating them straight from the lunchbox.
Unwrap one and take a bite. Notice how soft and moist the chocolate cake is—tender without being crumbly. Taste the sweet vanilla cream filling—fluffy and rich without being overly heavy. Feel the nostalgia wash over you as you realize you’ve successfully recreated a childhood snack but made it actually good. Immediately reach for another one.
Notes
Room Temperature Everything: For the cake batter, room temp ingredients mix better. For the filling, soft butter is crucial.
Don’t Overbake the Cake: Pull it right when a toothpick has a few moist crumbs. Overbaked cake is dry and won’t have that soft texture.
Cool Completely: Warm cake + cream filling = melted disaster. Be patient.
Whip That Filling: Beat it longer than you think. The more you beat, the fluffier it gets.
Generous Filling: Use 2-3 tablespoons per cake. Don’t be stingy—the filling is what makes these special.
Sharp Knife, Clean Cuts: Wipe the knife between cuts for neat rectangles. Messy cuts still taste good though.
Wrap Individually: This keeps them fresh and makes them portable for lunches or snacks.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~485 kcal
- Fat: ~26g
- Carbohydrates: ~60g
- Protein: ~4g