I’m pretty sure my mom invented Popcorn Cake. Or that’s what I thought. My mom adores popcorn. She loved it so much that she served it for dinner every Sunday night; for dinner – along with fruit and homemade shakes. She told us that she had cooked all week and needed a break; and when you live on a cattle ranch in the middle of nowhere, popcorn with shakes and fruit were Mom’s version of fast food. Mom was also the only person I ever knew who made Popcorn Cake.

Mom made Popcorn Cake for picnics, pot lucks and most holidays. I remember Mom making Halloween Popcorn Cakes, colored orange and pumpkin-shaped. There were bunny-shaped popcorn cakes for Easter picnics (which were usually eaten inside our truck since it was always chilly in March/April in Montana.)

Mom’s popcorn cakes were usually made with air-popped popcorn, butter, marshmallows, and always gumdrops. But I’ve done a little digging through community cookbooks (I guess Mom didn’t actually ‘invent’ the cake), and most recipes use additional sugar, oil, butter, M&M’s and salted peanuts. My version is made with popcorn, marshmallows, a little butter, salted peanuts, raisins and a few M&M’s for decoration – because the kids at the parties to which I take my Popcorn Cakes are already getting plenty of sugar. It’s always a hit with moms and kids alike!

Popcorn Cake

Author: Serena Ball, MS, RD

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Description

Ooey gooey marshmallows paired with salty popcorn and peanuts for a killer combo – and a fun dessert for any day of the week.

Ingredients

Scale

2 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup salted peanuts
1 cup raisins
10-ounce package marshmallows
3 tablespoons butter
M&M’s for decoration

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Instructions

Mix together popcorn, peanuts and raisins in a large bowl.

Coat a large glass bowl with cooking spray; add the marshmallows and butter. Cook on 70-80% power in the microwave until butter and marshmallows are melted, about 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Immediately pour over the popcorn mixture and stir quickly. Spoon into an angel food cake pan coated with cooking spray.

Once cool, unmold and decorate with M&M’s.