Chocolate cornflake cakes on a cake stand

Perfect for little kids, big kids and grownups in denial, these chocolate cornflake cakes are the perfect sweet snack to whip up on a lazy afternoon. Plus, they require no baking so they are super quick and easy, although we can’t guarantee how much cleaning up you’ll have to do if you have little helping hands!

What are they?

Chocolate cornflake cakes are a popular snack that comprise simply of chocolate-covered cornflakes. There are several ways you can make them, from solely melting chocolate and coating cornflakes to adding butter and syrup for extra richness. You can also add extra toppings and sauces to make them a little more special (ideas below).

What type of chocolate should I use?

You have a few different options when it comes to making chocolate cornflake cakes, although each will give a slightly different result. You can also mix different types together to customise the taste.

Milk Chocolate Vs Dark Chocolate Cornflake Cakes
  • Cooking chocolate. Cooking chocolate is made with a high cocoa content and minimal sugar. Which means it’s fairly bitter and has a strong taste. If you use cooking chocolate and you are cooking for kids (or grownups) who may prefer a sweeter treat then you can simply add more syrup and butter or add a little sugar to the melted chocolate.
  • Milk chocolate. This is perfectly fine for simple baking requirements, like for this recipe. It’s usually a more popular tasting chocolate for children and because it’s already sweetened, you won’t need to add extra sugar or sweeteners to the recipe.
  • Dark chocolate. If you prefer a stronger, richer and more bitter result then dark chocolate is for you. As it has more of an acquired taste it’s not for everyone, and if you are going to add extra sweeteners or sugar then you might as well use cooking chocolate which is usually cheaper.

I’ve never had success making these cakes with cocoa powder although there are recipes out there you can try if you would prefer to use that over solid chocolate.

What variations can I make?

There are a lot of options to add a little variety to your cornflake cakes. See below for some fun ideas! If you do add any toppings to your cakes be sure to add them before the cakes set, so the chocolate will help the toppings stick.

  • Make peanut butter and chocolate cakes by adding a tablespoon or so of smooth peanut butter.
  • Toss in some chopped nuts to add extra texture and crunch.
  • Create easter cakes by topping each cluster with 2-3 mini eggs – yum!
  • Add some mini marshmallows to the cakes for an extra sweet addition. Use different coloured marshmallows to add a pop of colour too!
  • Use crunchy nut cornflakes to add extra flavour and nuttiness to the cakes.

Do I need to use golden syrup?

You can most certainly make this recipe without golden syrup. In fact, it works perfectly fine with only chocolate and cornflakes. However golden syrup makes the cakes crisper which helps them stick better and also adds a little extra sweetness.

If you can’t get golden syrup where you live then you can substitute for honey or light corn syrup. However, corn syrup is thinner so you might want to use slightly less to stop the mixture from becoming too runny.

How long do they keep?

Since these cakes are simply cornflakes and melted chocolate and syrup, they will keep for a long time, however, I recommend keeping them for no longer than a week and they will be at their best for the first 3-4 days, after which they will soften up.

Always keep the cakes in the fridge to stop the chocolate from melting. They are not suitable for freezing.

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients with weights and measurements jump to the printable recipe card.

Chocolate Cornflake Cakes Ingredients
  • Milk or dark chocolate – see above for details including comments on using cooking chocolate
  • Butter
  • Golden syrup
  • Cornflakes

Equipment

12 hole cupcake tin, 12 cupcake cases

How to make them

For more detailed steps with recipe tips jump to the printable recipe card.

Recipe Steps
  1. Melt the chocolate, butter and syrup together over a double boiler or in 30 second blasts in the microwave.
  2. Stir the cornflakes into the melted chocolate mixture until fully coated.
  3. Spoon into the cupcake cases and leave in the fridge for 1 hour to set.

Looking for more great sweet treat recipes? Try:

Products that work well for this recipe:

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Chocolate cornflake cakes on a cake stand

Chocolate Cornflake Cakes


  • Author: caroline
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x

Description

Perfect for little kids, big kids and grownups in denial, these chocolate cornflake cakes are the perfect quick sweet snack to whip up on a lazy afternoon. 

The default recipe makes 12 cakes.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 100g milk or dark chocolate (see note 1)
  • 2 tbsp golden syrup
  • 40g unsalted butter
  • 100g cornflakes

Equipment

  • 12 hole cupcake tin, lined with 12 cupcake cases (see note 2,3,4)

Instructions

  1. Add the chocolate, syrup and butter to a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Stir regularly until melted. Alternatively, you can place the ingredients in a microwave-proof bowl and heat for 20-second bursts, stirring the contents well between each blast. 
  2. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir in the cornflakes, It will look like there are far too many cornflakes vs the amount of chocolate but it will come together!
  3. Carefully turn the cornflakes through the chocolate with a spoon until fully coated. Work as quickly as you can to stop the chocolate from starting to set. 
  4. Spoon the mixture evenly between the cupcake cases and place in the fridge for an hour to set. 

Notes

  1. You can also use cooking chocolate, but if you want a sweeter result you might want to add extra sugar to the chocolate when melting as some varieties have little to no added sugar
  2. Prepare the tray with the cupcake cases in advance so you can work quickly to spoon the mixture into them when ready.
  3. You can also simply place cupcake cases on a baking tray, although using a cupcake tray helps them to hold their shape. 
  4. If you don’t have any cupcake cases then you can spoon the mixture into blobs on a baking tray lined with baking/parchment paper. 
  5. The cakes are at their best when eaten within 3-4 days, as they will start to soften. However they can be kept for 1-2 weeks. 
  6. Store the cakes covered in the fridge. Transfer to a sealed container or cover them with clingfilm after cooling. 
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: British

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 108
  • Fat: 5g
  • Carbohydrates: 14g
  • Protein: 1g

Keywords: cornflakes, kids, children, chocolate, easy, quick, no-bake, dessert, sweet

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