Chocolate cornflake cakes are a delicious sweet crunchy classic British Easter treat.
It is an Easter tradition in many British families to enjoy homemade chocolate cornflake cakes with mini eggs on top.
So easy, so tasty and best of all no-baking, plus this recipe uses 100% vegan plant-based ingredients!
If you have any leftover Easter chocolate then this recipe is perfect for using it up!
Although these special treats are not just for Easter and can be enjoyed at any time of the year.
Instead of a vegan mini egg or candy, top the cornflake cakes with a candied flower or other sweetie, such as one of the Candy Kitten sweets for cute little Mother's Day no-bake cakes.
Origin Of Chocolate Cornflake Cakes
No-one knows for sure where the first chocolate cornflake cakes originated but a recipe for Chocolate Crackle featured in the Australian Woman's Weekly magazine during December 1937. The recipe was part of an advertisement and supplied by COPHA to promote their hydrogenated coconut oil product.
However, chocolate crackle slices are not prepared with cornflakes, rather rice bubble cereal or what we know as Rice Krispies in the UK and US as the main ingredient.
Also the original chocolate crackle recipe was prepared with cocoa powder not melted chocolate pieces which modern day cornflake cakes tend to use. Another difference is that icing or powdered sugar is used for chocolate crackles whereas chocolate cornflake cakes feature golden syrup.
If preferred this recipe for chocolate cornflake cakes can also be prepared with rice Krispies or a similar cereal as Rice Krispie chocolate cakes are also very popular in the UK during Easter.
Why do people eat chocolate eggs at Easter?
Gifting eggs during Spring time predates the Christian Easter celebrations. Eggs were originally given as gifts to celebrate the coming of Spring. When Christianity became popular these traditions were melded into the Christian rituals.
During the Medieval times eggs were not permitted to be consumed during the 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter, as Lent was a period of restricted eating and fasting for the Christian church. However, on Easter Sunday eggs were permitted and were often decorated and given as gifts.
It was in 1873 that Fry's a British manufacturing company, introduced the first ever chocolate Easter egg, with Cadbury's chocolate bringing out their own chocolate Easter egg versions a few years later.
Nowadays, especially in the UK chocolate Easter eggs and small sweetie/candy eggs are extremely popular during Easter.
And there are many vegan plant-based Easter egg versions available to enjoy!
How To Prepare Vegan Chocolate Cornflake Cakes
Stir until nice and smooth.
Pour into the cornflakes.
Divide the chocolate cornflake mixture between 12 paper cases.
Pop one or two vegan mini eggs on top, or your chosen sweetie/candy.
Recipe Notes And FAQS
Chocolate cornflake cakes can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days, possibly a few days longer, within a covered container or covered plate.
Absolutely.
Any large flaked breakfast cereal is perfect.
Try bran flakes for more fibre.
Or a rice flake breakfast cereal or Oatibix flakes.
Rice crispies, All bran, Shreddies type cereals (crushed a little as these are often quite large), crushed Shredded Wheat cereal, can all be used. However do check ingredients for non-vegan ones.
Often supermarkets own version of popular cereals are suitable for vegans if the main branded one is not.
Any chocolate that is suitable for vegans and also for baking is perfect.
Many supermarkets own brands of dark chocolate are actually suitable for vegans despite not being labelled as such. It is worth a check as these types of chocolate are often inexpensive and many work perfectly well for melting and baking.
For example, Lidl's own value brand of dark chocolate is vegan-friendly and the last time I purchased it was only 30p. It is perfect for baking and melting. Although do check the ingredients just in case they have changed and the price may be slightly more due to the currant price rises.
This recipe uses dark chocolate but if you have a vegan white or milk chocolate that you know melts well then you can sub it in and enjoy white chocolate cornflake cakes. That does sound tasty!
For more information about vegan chocolate and what is and isn't vegan check out chooseveganism.org useful post.
Yes!
Although do choose a gluten-free brand of cornflake breakfast cereal or a suitable gluten-free cereal replacement. And ensure that all the other ingredients are also suitable for gluten-free diets.
More Vegan Traditional British Sweet Treats:
Old School Chocolate Concrete Cake
If you like chocolate cornflake cakes you'll also love these chocolate rice crispy cakes which are also perfect for Easter time.
Vegan Chocolate Cornflake Cakes
Equipment
- fairy cake or cup cake baking tray optional as can just use a large plate
- Mixing bowl
- Small saucepan for melting chocolate
Ingredients
- 200 grams dark chocolate
- 50 grams golden syrup or corn syrup
- 50 grams vegan margarine or vegan butter
- 100 grams cornflakes or bran flakes, flaked cereal
Topping:
- vegan mini eggs or other vegan sweetie/candy/chocolate buttons/drops etc
Instructions
- Prepare a cupcake/fairy cake baking tray by popping a paper case into each hole. Or place the paper cases onto a large plate. The cupcake baking tray simply makes it easier to fill each case with filling.
- Place the cornflakes into a mixing bowl.
- Break the dark chocolate into equal size chunks or squares and place into a small saucepan along with the vegan margarine and golden syrup.
- Over a low heat melt the chocolate, margarine and syrup together. Stir frequently until the ingredients are smoothly combined. Don't allow the mix to start boiling.
- Pour the melted mixture over the cornflakes. Scrape all the mixture out. A plastic spatula is perfect for ensuring all the mixture is removed.
- Stir the melted chocolate into the cornflakes until they are very well combined. It doesn't matter if some of the cornflakes are crushed while mixing.
- Divide the cornflake mix between the paper cases. Pop a vegan mini egg or two over each cake. Or a sweetie/candy of your choice.
- Place the cornflake cakes into the refrigerator for at least a few hours (preferably overnight but only if your family has the patience which mine does not!) until completely hardened and set.
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
- Nutritional data does not include the sweetie/candy topping.
- Store chocolate cornflake cakes within a covered container or on a covered plate within the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
- Instead of vegan mini-eggs replace with any other vegan sweetie/chocolate/candy. Or simply omit.
- For gluten-free chocolate cornflake cakes ensure that your breakfast cereal is free from gluten ingredients. Many cornflake brands are free from gluten.
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