This post has been sponsored by Frito-Lay. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Holiday Marshmallow Popcorn Cake is the perfect, easy dessert to make for parties this holiday season!

Smartfood® Movie Theater Butter Popcorn is coated with melted marshmallows, and festive, red and white candy-coated mint chocolate pieces are swirled in too.  It’s all pressed into a bundt pan and then we get to call it “cake!” This is such a simple recipe to make, and it’s a totally easy and fun recipe for casual holiday gatherings.

HOW TO MAKE A HOLIDAY MARSHMALLOW POPCORN CAKE

You only need 5 ingredients to make this Holiday Marshmallow Popcorn Cake:

• Smartfood® Movie Theater Butter Popcorn
• Marshmallows
• Butter
• Candy-coated mint chocolate pieces
• Festive sprinkles

First you’ll melt the butter and the marshmallows together to create the perfect sweet coating for the popcorn.

Then you’ll add the popcorn to the pan and stir until all the popcorn is coated with the melted marshmallow mixture.  At this point, it’s a good idea to set it aside and let it cool down a bit. If you’re wishing to work more quickly, you can transfer the mixture to a large bowl and that will speed up the cool-down process.

Once things have cooled down, it’s time to stir in the candy pieces.  Don’t stir them in too soon, or you’ll end up with melted chocolate! I used red and white candy-coated mint chocolate pieces in this recipe in anticipation of festive holiday parties.

The mixture is pressed into a classic bundt pan.

After giving it some time to rest and firm up a little bit, you’ll turn the popcorn cake onto a serving platter and press some sprinkles into the top of the cake.

When you make this popcorn cake during the holiday season this year, I recommend heading to a party or craft store and picking up coordinating red/white/green color decorations.  Colorful, plastic platters, festive table linens and simple, sparkly table decorations are pretty inexpensive, and they will make holiday table decor pop with pretty holiday cheer.

If you want to add “picks” to the top of the cake, these are super easy to find now that the holiday decorations have begun surfacing in stores. I bought these little wrapped gifts at a craft store and poked toothpicks inside.  It dresses up the popcorn cake even more!

So pretty, and so simple to make for holiday entertaining!

When you’re ready to serve, this popcorn cake cuts neatly with a serrated knife.  I recommend picking up slices and eating it with your hands instead of asking your guests to eat it with a fork.  It’s perfect as a hand-held dessert.  Everyone will love the buttery marshmallow and popcorn combination with crunchy mint chocolate pieces mixed in.

Here are a few variations on how to make a Holiday Marshmallow Popcorn Cake:

• Mix in 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter when you’re melting the marshmallows, and substitute candy coated peanut butter candies or chopped peanut butter cups in place of the candy coated mint chocolate candies.
• Use red/white/green candy coated chocolate pieces in place of the mint candies.
• Leave out chocolate pieces and mix in red/white/green sprinkles to create a Funfetti Marshmallow Popcorn Cake.

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