Once you start taking in Funfetti Whoopie Pies and Homemade Creme Puffs to work, everyone will know that you are a Julie clone and will start asking for some of the goodies. This is a good opportunity to start stocking up on IOUs with friends! Nothing says come take me to the airport at 5am than “Hey… Remember when I made you those cakes…“.
It is actually nice to be able to give some love in the form of baked goods to friends. I recently was able to pass on some sweets for a friend’s baby shower to welcome her baby girl into the world. I decided to go with the classic Petit Fours and add a few larger snack cakes in the mix. We’ll show you how to make a simple poured fondant to get that smooth, sweet icing on the cakes. I’ll also remind you how we made our simple dipping glaze for the larger cakes.
I started with my favorite simple white cake recipe. Nothing fancy. I cooked it in very thin layers in sheet pans. Some marshmallow-based cream filling between two layers and a bit of slicing and dicing. Perfect glazed icing. Petit Fours. Dainty little cute cakes that I think are just perfect for an event with lots of people mingling. You don’t have to worry about a large piece of cake tipping over onto your Aunt’s shoes. You can grab these and keep eating them and nobody will even notice that you’ve had 10 of them.
I have a love-hate relationship with fondant. I love the smooth look it gives, but really don’t care for the massive amount of icing that can sometimes overwhelm you and leave you forgetting the cake element completely. I rarely ever top a full cake with fondant. I’d much rather have fluffy buttercream.
With that said, the small size of Petit Fours (As if they couldn’t get any cuter– petit four means “small ovens” in french) seems to pair well with the thicker fondant-style icing. Heating the fondant will allow you to dip the cakes, leaving you with nothing except smooth tiny bits of heaven and compliments.
The larger snack cakes are just an altered version of our very first full post, Christmas Tree Snack Cakes. Having a slight addiction to those boxed snack cakes, I decided to make my own. And it worked! These are my go-to recipe for any party or event. Delicious and simple! Be sure to check that post out if you want a slightly thinner, snack cake icing glaze.
Side note: I would recommend using clear vanilla extract to keep the icing white.
- 1 cup (5 oz) almond/vanilla bark (alternatively use chocolate, if desired)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup very hot water
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla, I prefer clear vanilla extract to keep the icing white
- food coloring, optional
- Melt chocolate/bark in microwave using 30 seconds bursts. Heat for 30 seconds, stir well, repeat as needed to melt. Usually complete in only 2-3 cycles for me.
- Add powdered sugar, hot water (heat in mug in microwave covered w plastic wrap!), corn syrup, vanilla and stir until well combined and smooth.
- Let cool enough to handle.
- Quickly dip cakes with a fork/spatula or spoon over cakes and allow to cool.
- If icing gets too thick while sitting, heat 30 seconds and stir.
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Thank you for this recipe, and the snack cake glaze recipe!
I have been looking for copycat recipes for Hostess Ding-Dongs and Hostess cupcakes. Every other one that I’ve found uses chocolate ganache for both the ding-dong caoting, and for the cupcake frosting. Although delicious, I don’t think it’s quite th same as the original treats. Your snack cake glaze seems to be spot-on for all of those glaze-covered cakes. What do you think for the hostess cupcakes, though? They have that thin, flexible topping that you can peel off in one piece. It’s not exactly a glaze, certainly not a frosting, not really ganache, either…should I try the pourable fondant recipe here, or maybe it is more like a rolled fondant?
Thanks for any advice!
I’m going to search your site now for a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie recipe.
P.S. If you want to make your snack cake filling from scratch, it’s an Italian meringue buttercream. (Could probably substitute Swiss – and there’s a super-easy Swiss meringue buttercream recipe at Cake Paper Party https://www.cakepaperparty.com/2014/04/foolproof-swiss-meringue-buttercream/ )
Glad you enjoyed it! I use the filling recipe from my Christmas Tree Snack Cakes a lot, too. Maybe try that out for a god copycat sometime.
Could a flavoring be added, like lemon? If so, do I leave out the vanilla?
Absolutely! Exclude the vanilla and replace with any flavoring. I would just be cautious to not over-flavor the icing. Enjoy!
Does the icing taste like the chocolate? Or like a sweet glaze?
I’ve been looking for a petit four recipe that tastes like the sweet glaze (that dries stable) like I had on very specific cupcakes from the local bakery I had as a child. They don’t make them anymore and I want to recreate.
I don’t think it tastes like chocolate. It’s definitely more towards a sweeter glaze.
How long do you think these will last in the fridge?
The icing alone, or cakes already glazed? The icing along is pretty resilient and can be GENTLY warmed back up. Glazed cakes should last 2-3 days in a container chilled. They may lose a bit of shine, but will taste great.
Enjoy!
Hi, what size cake should I use for the mirror glaze recipe ? Thank you love your website.
Any size will work, but the recipe I based it from used an 8-inch springform.
I love Petit Fours and I’m so pinning this for future baking reference. I’ve been wanting to make them forever but thought it would be a major hassle.
I was sooo hesitant before because I didn’t want to devote tons of time to the coating. The poured fondant really makes it quick. Let me know how it goes!
Please bring these to the next get together. I like pink!
I foresee these as an addiction in my future. I have never made Petit Fours…for shame! And snack cakes? Yes please! Now if you start making Devil Squares, imma show up in your lab with a take-home box! 🙂
The snack cakes are soooo gooooood!
What are these Devil Squares you speak of?!
They are my favorite Little Debbies! I can inhale an entire box. https://www.littledebbie.com/www/docs/109/?ld_product=3 Don’t know why it’s never occurred to me to try and make them.
I know this post is about 5 years old and u may have figured out a way to make these by now but I’m going to try anyway. After watching many episodes of the British baking show I have realized for certain spounge desserts they actually pipe the cake onto parchment. (Think lady fingers) these basically look like a devils food lady finger filled with a light creamy frosting. I would pipe thing lady finger type cakes and bake. Then when cooled fill with a Swiss merengue butter cream like a previous recommendation for hostess filling. I believe they r similar but since I don’t eat either I’m only guessing. Haven’t had a hostess cake of any kind since maybe 5th grade and I’m 48 and never a little Debby one.
Good note!
-Phillip
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Love this! I’ve never tried using poured fondant before. I’ll definitely be trying this soon!
Thanks! It was soooo easy. I wanted to avoid any thermometers/melted sugar, etc. this time. Worked great for what I needed.
Let me know how it goes!