Popcorn Cake is a super easy no bake dessert recipe that’s great for parties! It has the perfect balance of salty and sweet – with popcorn, pretzels and marshmallows mixed with your favorite candy!
The Best Popcorn Dessert Recipe
This Popcorn cake is one of the most popular recipes on my site since 2009! Gooey, sweet and salty perfection!
This, my friends, is what you call a “Popcorn Cake”. If you’re not a little bit intrigued by this you might need to check your cool kid card at the door.
There is no way that you could frequent this little website of mine and not have the potential of this buttery, salty, sticky sweet cake dotted with M&M’s make your heart skip a beat or three.
This is “want to” food, not “have to” food. It’s a choice you make…
Like we all watch the news and weather because it’s best to know how to dress for the day, or who’s the vice president. But the Bachelor and the Housewives are pure “want to”. Get it?
This cake is the food equivalent to The Bachelor.
I mean, look at this gooey gorgeousness…
The execution is rather simple. Take a look…
You have popcorn, candy, pretzels and melted marshmallow…
Also don’t feel like you’re stuck with M&M’s and pretzels. Sub in chopped Snickers, or Kit Kats…or use potato chips instead of pretzels…or even Rice Krispies to give it some extra crunch!
How to Make No Bake Popcorn Cake
Remove any extra kernels from the popcorn that didn’t pop. Broken teeth aren’t cute y’all.
Then, just stir up the mixture…
And then press it into a lightly greased bundt or tube pan.
Press it down using a sprayed piece of parchment paper…
And let it cool for a about an hour, so it will slice nicely…
Then just invert the pan onto a plate and you’re done!
This is such a fun alternative to a cake at a party!
This has been one of my most popular recipes on the site since 2009 for good reason! Such a fun dessert!
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Popcorn Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Popcorn Cake is a super easy no bake dessert recipe that’s great for parties! It has the perfect balance of salty and sweet – with popcorn, pretzels and marshmallows mixed with your favorite candy!
Ingredients
- 2 bags of microwave popcorn, popped with unpopped kernels removed
- 2 cups M&M’s
- 1 1/2 cups broken pretzel sticks
- 16 oz mini marshmallows (8 cups)
- 1/2 cup butter
Instructions
- Prepare a large tube or bundt pan by spraying with cooking spray.
- You start with 2 bags of buttered microwave popcorn in a large bowl.
- Pick out the kernels that didn’t pop.
- Now mix in 2 cups of M&M’s and 1 1/2 cups broken pretzel sticks.
- Now melt 1 stick of butter over low in a large saucepan or microwave.
- When melted add in a 16 oz bag of mini marshmallows (8 cups)
- Stir until melted and smooth and remove from the heat.
- Allow it to cool for about 2 minutes, while stirring constantly and then pour it over your popcorn mixture.
- Stir until all the ingredients are combined and then press into the prepared pan.
- Cover with foil and let your cake set for at least an hour to cool.
- When you are ready to serve the cake loosen sides of your cake from the pan by running a butter knife around the edges.
- Flip your pan over onto your serving platter.
- Your cake should come out pretty easily.
- You want it to cool completely so it will cut easily.
- Cover tightly and store for up to 1 day.
Notes
store airtight for up to 2 days. Best if eaten same day as made.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 384
- Sugar: 41.4 g
- Sodium: 111.1 mg
- Fat: 15.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Protein: 3.3 g
- Cholesterol: 25.2 mg
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I use to make this all the time to send in with my children to school events. It was always the most popular item!! (My children are now in their 30’s and they still talk about it!) In order to promote the health aspect of it (after all corn is a vegetable) I always added raisins so they would get their fruit too! The only candy I would add was gum drops which added another level of gooiness to it!
Made this for a birthday party this weekend. Froze the m-n-m’s first so they wouldn’t explode and mess chocolate everywhere. Turned out perfect!!! Thanks!!
Oh My, this looks wonderful. My son does not like cake and cupcakes, but he loves popcorn, pretzels and chocolate candies. I am so making this for my sons 3rd birthday next Friday and Saturday. It looks scrumdiliocious.
I have always eaten Reeses Pieces in my popcorn, so I think I will try this with those instead of M&M’s. And maybe chocolate covered pretzels???!!!
fun idea!!
I absolutely LOVE this idea! I am going to do this but with only pink m&m’s for a baby shower! Do you know if I can make it the day before and will it still slice well? thanks!!!!
If you make it the day before make sure you seal it tightly…I recommend making the day of…but if you’re in a pinch and want to make it early airtight is essential!
My sister loves popcorn, she had a baby yesterday. I think I will make this as a welcome home cake. Mmmmmm.
Good day, I was just wondering, how much is a “Stick Butter”. In South Africa you buy your butter in block of 500gram (a pound) and 1kg (2 pounds). Please let me know.
Oh gosh, i am so sorry! 1 stick is 1/2 cup. I have updated the recipe 🙂
Wow! I think I just fell in love! I will let you know for sure after I try this out 😀
GREAT idea. I totally pinned this on my pinterest board. 😉
I made this for my girlfried as a birthday present since she loves popcorn. It was a success. Every gust wanted to know the recipe.
Thanks!