Pink Snowball Cake

This fun Pink Snow all Cake was inspired by a nostalgic treat – the Hostess Snowball snack cake! Devil’s food cake holds a marshmallow center and the exterior is covered with a flurry of pink coconut.

Pink Snowball Cake

If you are a regular visitor here, you may already be aware of my love for pink coconut confections.  When I saw a giant Snowball cake on the Kraft Foods recipe site made with a box of cake mix, I knew I was surely destined to figure out a scratch-made version. It took a bit of trial and error, but I’ve worked out all the kinks. I hope you love this cake as much as I do!

Forget the cake pan – use a bowl!

This cake is baked in a bowl! A 1.5 to 2 quart stainless bowl is best. Because of its shape, the cake will need to bake longer than usual. Mine was completely set at 1 hour 15 minutes. It’s ready when a toothpick tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

The filling is nothing more than a jar of marshmallow cream, and wow. What a wonderful contrast to the deep chocolate notes of devil’s food. 

Pink Snowball Cake

Pretty in pink (coconut).

Sweetened flake coconut is tinted pink with some grocery store food color (neon pink from Betty Crocker, here) and makes a convincing Hostess Snoball lookalike.

Pink Snowball Cake

This is such a simple and tasty cake to make. As I stated previously, it takes the cake longer to bake in a bowl than it does in flat cake pans. Waiting for it to bake and cool is the hardest part! Make it for the Hostess Snowball fan in your life (or for the coconut enthusiast!).

Edit 2/21: This recipe has been updated from its original version from 2011. None of the cake ingredients have changed, but metric measurements have been added, and the frosting and filling recipes have been re-written for easier assembly.

Pink Snowball Cake

Heather Baird
This fun cake was inspired by a nostalgic treat – the Hostess Snowball snack cake! Devil's food cake holds a marshmallow center and the exterior is covered with a flurry of pink coconut.
Please note that the cake portion is baked in a 1.5 or 2 quart stainless steel bowl. The cake bakes for about 1 hour 10 minutes to test done through the center.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Equipment

  • 1.5 quart stainless steel bowl

Ingredients
 
 

Devil’s Food Cake

  • 6 tablespoons dark unsweet cocoa powder
  • 6 tablespoons hot water
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup 4 oz. sour cream

Filling and frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • Milk or cream to thin frosting
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Neon pink gel food color such as Betty Crocker brand
  • 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
  • 7 oz. sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 quart heat-proof stainless steel bowl with shortening and lightly flour, or coat with flour-based baking spray (such as Baker’s Joy). Set aside.
  • Whisk together cocoa and hot water. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour mixture into a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer until mixture has cooled enough to add the eggs without scrambling them. Add eggs, vanilla, and then cocoa mixture. Beat until well combined.
  • Reduce mixer speed and add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream. Pour into greased bowl and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Let cool slightly.
  • Turn the cake out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely. When cool, cut the dome of the cake off about 1/3 of the way down from the top. Using a serrated knife, remove some of the interior of the cake dome by trimming it away. This will make room for the marshmallow filling.

Filling and frosting

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until combined. Add milk or cream a little at a time until the mixture comes to spreading consistency. Add vanilla extract and a small amount of pink food color. Mix well. Transfer to a piping bag with the end snipped.
  • Pipe a ring of frosting around the inside of both cake pieces. Fill the hollowed center of the cake with the marshmallow cream. Sandwich the two cake pieces together, meeting the buttercream frosting at the edges. Cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Add extra frosting to the top of the cake and smooth into a dome shape.
  • In a medium bowl, tint coconut with a generous squirt of pink gel food coloring. Mix well – you can use a fork but I found my fingers did a much better job (wear gloves, if possible). Coat frosted cake with pink coconut. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and store at room temperature until ready to serve.
Keyword devil’s food cake, flake coconut, marshmallow cream
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Edit 2/19/21: The following excerpt is from this original 2011 blog post when I was nominated as finalist in Saveur’s Best Food Blog Awards. It was a wonderful honor, so I’m keeping it here for posterity.

I would like to share some good news today. Last Wednesday I received an email with the words “finalist” and “Saveur Magazine” and “Best Food Blog Awards”.  After I figured out I wasn’t being punked and that they hadn’t confused me with someone else, I shouted “SHUT UP!” so loudly it sent my snoring pugs into a barking frenzy.  I was surprised to say the least.

Then I got a second email.  I’m a finalist twice?  Pinch me!

Pink Snowball Cake

So, if you find me worthy, I’d love to have your vote for Saveur Magazine’s Best Baking and Desserts Blog and/or Best Original Baking and Desserts Recipe.

To vote, click here or click the banner at the top right hand corner of my blog. You’ll need to register if you’re not already a Saveur online user. 

Follow:
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
90 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Erika
Erika
12 years ago

Oh my goodness. These are amazing, I'm going to make them RIGHT NOW!!

http://wifelike.blogspot.com/

Notes From A Ragamuffin
Notes From A Ragamuffin
12 years ago

This is absolutely adorable! I will have to try it myself sometime although yours looks hard to beat!

The Blue-Eyed Bakers
The Blue-Eyed Bakers
12 years ago

This is pink coconut perfection!! We adore this…gah it's too cute and delicious looking for words…!

Lora
Lora
12 years ago

omg this is the cutest cake ever! It's just perfect.

Rosa's Yummy Yums
Rosa's Yummy Yums
12 years ago

Truly amazing! This cake is so pretty. Well done.

Cheers,

Rosa

Estela @ Weekly Bite
Estela @ Weekly Bite
12 years ago

This is one of the prettiest cakes I've ever seen!!!

vaniljekjeks
vaniljekjeks
12 years ago

This cake is gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! I have to make it one of these days. I don't think I can find marshmallow cream in my country, but I think I might have to order it just for this cake. I don't think it would be the same without it.

Shannon Marie
Shannon Marie
12 years ago

My daughters would LOVE this cake – both are marshmallow addicts. It's really quite a pretty cake!

Julie
Julie
12 years ago

This looks fantastic. I love the Sno-Ball cakes. I can't wait to try it 🙂

PaisleyJade
PaisleyJade
12 years ago

This is seriously amazing!!

SweetSugarBelle
SweetSugarBelle
12 years ago

Congrats on being chosen TWICE. What an honor and well deserved. The photo of the unfosted dome is so good it makes me just want the chocolate part 🙂 I can almost smell it!

Heather at Heather's Dish
Heather at Heather's Dish
12 years ago

Holy pink! This is beautiful…and can you imagine any little girl's joy at having this as a birthday cake?! Or a big girl every day cake?! 😉

Karen @ Mignardise
Karen @ Mignardise
12 years ago

I hope someone makes this for me for Mother's Day!It's everything I love.
Your photos are just fabulous!

Three-Cookies
Three-Cookies
12 years ago

Great idea, I am sure it tastes at least as good as it looks

Heather
Heather
12 years ago

It's so cute! I love the unique shape!

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

I love love love love snowballs. My husband would look at me funny if I made it but it would totally be worth it.

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

Omgosh, I used to LOVE eating snoball cakes [and still do] if it weren't for my calorie conscience. This is so pretty though and sounds delish!

Monette
Monette
12 years ago

what kind of bowl did you use?

Kelly
Kelly
12 years ago

That is too cute! And I voted!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
12 years ago

Hi Monette! I used a 2 quart stainless bowl. You can use pyrex also.

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
12 years ago

Thank you Kelly!

Jessica @ How Sweet
Jessica @ How Sweet
12 years ago

So PINK! I love it!

Life is Sweet
Life is Sweet
12 years ago

The cake looks delicious and so pretty in bright pink. Snowballs were my favorite store-bought cake as a kid. And oh my god, where did you get the milk carton glass?? I love it!!

La Casa de Sweets
La Casa de Sweets
12 years ago

This is beautiful!!

linda
linda
12 years ago

luscious! delicious & down right beautiful!!

i just voted for you…both categories…you deserve to garner the accolades!

emily
emily
12 years ago

my dad LOVES snowballs. i'll have to make this for him the next time i'm home!

Erin
Erin
12 years ago

Oh my gosh! This is awesome!!! I can't wait to make it! Everyone is going to love it!

FlyingRoo
FlyingRoo
12 years ago

Done and done voting!

I signed for a membership at Saveur just to vote you :-D!

I hope you win, you truly deserve it. Every time I see a new email from Sprinkle Bakes I cannot wait to open it, to see what wonders you concocted again.

Keep up the good job and thanks for letting me know about the Saveur competition, lots of great blogs to be discovered there!

Nina

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
12 years ago

Thank you everyone! And thanks Linda and Nina for the support! 🙂

Lili
Lili
12 years ago

Oh my Heather, this is DIVINE! Oh for a bite of that ooey gooey yumminess right now. And of course I voted for you, you are simply the BEST! xo ~Lili

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

This pink snowball cake is the prettiest thing I have seen! You are so creative! I voted for you – best of luck! I am most certainly going to try this! Karen from Iowa!

Kelly
Kelly
12 years ago

I discovered you via Saveur and am so excited to now have your blog on my reader. This is simply gorgeous.

Kathy - Panini Happy
Kathy - Panini Happy
12 years ago

How fun is this cake! I have a weakness for pretty pink things too. This would make such an awesome birthday cake. Many congrats on your Saveur noms!

Paula
Paula
12 years ago

Congratulations! Good luck with the final round. I love, love, love this cake, the colours the superb photographs of it. Just delightful.

Sue
Sue
12 years ago

I beat you to it, Heather:) I saw that you were listed TWICE and already voted, in both categories! WOW! I love the giant snowball…sure brings back memories:)

Oh My Kitchen Aid
Oh My Kitchen Aid
12 years ago

that is the most adorable cake i've ever seen in my life!!!!!

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

It's adorable, I envision me, my daughter and a ton of little ladies gobbling this up over The Little Mermaid.

Cookbook Queen
Cookbook Queen
12 years ago

SHUT. UP.

No you DID NOT make this cake!!!! It's official. I love you.

I am not kidding.

And of course you have my vote…hope you win!!

Fran Amenábar Ch.
Fran Amenábar Ch.
12 years ago

so sweet, so perfect
sublime!

greettings from chile, espacio culinario

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

So voted already…long time ago! The others can't hold a candle to your work!! Oh, that was kind of tart of me. Its near my bedtime!! Good luck!

Angela KL
Angela KL
12 years ago

Hi Heather.. voted you for both categories. Lovely blog, pictures, ideas and recipes.

Annika
Annika
12 years ago

This cake looks scrumpteous!

Hope you win the vote!

Cool Chic Style Fashion
Cool Chic Style Fashion
12 years ago

E' splendido 🙂 ciao

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

what is this stuff?jar marshmallow cream??can i get it over here?….(England)

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
12 years ago

Hi Karen,
Marshmallow creme is also known as Marshmallow Fluff. I found this site, which may be helpful if you can't find it locally.

http://www.americanfooduk.co.uk/category.php?catid=595&cn=Marshmallow-Fluff

marla
marla
12 years ago

Love the snowball cake – but I think i got just as excited as you when I saw your name all over the Saveur list. Heather you are so worthy of all that praise & I hope you take home the win! Either way, it is such a huge compliment to all of your gorgeous work! xo

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

This is so pretty that even though I should be studying I got sucked in to this for five minutes. Eek! Lovely!!

Andrea
Andrea
12 years ago

Voted! And this cake is SO pretty.

Jenn (Cookies Cupcakes Cardio)
Jenn (Cookies Cupcakes Cardio)
12 years ago

I've voted! Congratulations! This cake looks beautiful…and I can't wait to try the marshmallow frosting. YUM!

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

What a gorgeous cake, Heather! Love it 🙂