Yossy Arefi’s Easy Recipe for Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodle Cake

A sweet treat you can make in one bowl.

By
Yossy Arefi
Yossy Arefi
Yossy Arefi
Yossy Arefi is a cookbook author, photographer, and food stylist. Yossy also writes the award-winning blog Apt. 2B Baking Co., which celebrates seasonal baking and preserving. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food52, Bon Appétit, and many other publications. She is based in Brooklyn, New York.
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Updated April 06, 2025
Yossy Arefi
Squares of chocolate chip snickerdoodle cake on a counter

Yossy Arefi

Cinnamon and sugar is a classic and delicious flavor combination that lends itself perfectly to cake. Here, sour cream adds the signature snickerdoodle tang, and I’ve added chocolate chips because, well, what isn’t better with a little bit of chocolate? Feel free to add a few more tablespoons of chips on top of the batter before you sprinkle the cinnamon sugar for bigger chocolate flavor.

Squares of chocolate chip snickerdoodle cake on a counter

Yossy Arefi

More Single Layer Cakes

Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodle Cake

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 9 servings
Yield 1 (8x8-inch) cake

“Snacking Bakes” Copyright © 2023 by Yasameen Arefi-Afshar. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (150g) plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 2 large eggs

  • 3/4 cup (173g) sour cream

  • 1/2 cup (95g) neutral oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 3/4 cups (225g) all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup (85g) semisweet chocolate chips

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF:

    Position a rack in the center of the oven. Coat an 8×8-inch baking pan with cooking spray or brush with butter. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over two of the edges. Very lightly butter or spray the parchment.

  2. Sprinkle the pan with cinnamon and sugar:

    In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of the pan with half of the cinnamon- sugar mixture.

  3. Whisk the remaining sugar and eggs, add sour cream, oil, and salt:

    In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup (150g) sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, oil, and salt and whisk until smooth and emulsified.

  4. Add the baking powder and baking soda, fold in flour and chocolate chips:

    Whisk in the baking powder and baking soda. Fold in the flour and chocolate chips with a spatula and mix until well combined.

  5. Pour the batter into pan:

    Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the top.

  6. Bake:

    Bake the cake until puffed and golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with a bit of melted chocolate, 30 to 40 minutes.

  7. Cool:

    Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and onto the rack to cool. Store loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
349 Calories
18g Fat
43g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 9
Amount per serving
Calories 349
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 24%
Saturated Fat 5g 23%
Cholesterol 53mg 18%
Sodium 292mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 81mg 6%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 102mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.