I found a recipe..in this one it looks like a standard cinnamon roll, but with a chocolate glaze. Personally I'd add some semisweet chocolate chips or chunks with the filling..

Here is a link that might be useful: Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

I would do my standard cinnamon rolls and when I rolled it out, I would spread the dough with butter and sprinkle generously with brown sugar....or white sugar if you wish and grate some semi sweet chocolate over it all. Roll it up, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces and bake.
What a GOOD idea! I've done peanut butter but never chocolate!
Linda C

Peanut butter? I'd have never thought of that. What did you glaze that with? I might need to head into the kitchen and do some serious research... Now I want to fill a batch with raspberry or strawberry jam and drizzle with ganache. But it must be just chocolate for the birthday breakfast.

I've got a babka recipe that basically smears the dough with butter and then sprinkles a mix of granulated sugar and dutch cocoa powder over it -- turns out fabulously...

Emily

No glaze....peanut butter and brown sugar rolled up inside and butter and brown sugar and a little honey on the bottom of the pan. Kids love it...adults too!!
I have a whole bunch of craisins and the urge to experiment.....
Thinking chopped in the cuisinart....with sugar...perhaps some grated orange or lemon...hmmmm...

Linda C

Emily, cough up that bobka recipe please. I love it!
Scotland, all the suggestions sound good, just not ganache. The thought of all that gooey sweetness makes my teeth hurt!

You can make chocolate sugar the same way you would make cinnamon sugar--just use cocoa powder instead of cinnamon. I think I'd do that, and then add some mini-chips, maybe some walnuts, if you know the girls all can eat them.

Try making toast using the chocolate sugar, too--YUM.

Mmmm, Azzelea, that sounds awesome! Scotland, please let us know how it turns out and the recipe you used!

Cocoa powder and sugar? Why didn't I think of that! That and some mini chips or chocolate shavings and they should be in heaven. Compumom, I can't imagine that ganache is much sweeter than the powdered sugar & cream glaze I do with regular cinnamon rolls. I'll probably drizzle it on top (instead of slathering) and do strawberries on the side. Just to be healthy, you know.

I'll be serving these a week from tomorrow. Now I just have to figure out how I'm doing a horse-themed cake. Last year's theme was glow-in-the-dark space frogs, so I'm counting my blessing with something as simple as horses!

How about just frosting a sheet cake, or round cake or whatever size, in "paint"...large black or brown and white spots???

She said "horse colored." I might just use chocolate frosting and stick some horse toys on it. She even has some toy fencing, so there will probably be a corral on top of the cake. I'm keeping it simple this year.

That's why I suggest the "paint" spots..Tell her it's a Painted Pony. ;)

Here is a link that might be useful: American Paints

Here's a cake from Family Fun. Pink Pony(of course I think she'd prefer a "real" colored pony)LOL
Pony Party

A few weeks ago we had a camp out at our house and I made two batches of cinnamon rolls: one normal and one chocolate, exactly as azaalea described. I spread the dough with butter, then sprinkled with white sugar and cocoa powder and I used semi-sweet chips (not chopped or anything). I was worried the chips would be too big but they turned out great and the rolls were well received. I just used regular cream cheese frosting (did not add chocolate there and it was still plenty chocolaty).

I've done similar things to make blueberry rolls (using fresh blueberries and some lemon zest with white sugar) and even did some blackberry rolls last summer. Someone here posted the recipe for the dough that is made in the food processor and it is SO easy!

Re: the horse cake, I like your idea of the simple sheet cake with horse toys on top. Then you'll have horses to play with after the fact. Sounds like a cute cake! You can use some coconut tinted green for the grass, and brown sugar for sand.

The rolls turned out fabulously! I used the same filling that I do for cinnamon rolls (Annie's, I think) and subbed cocoa for the cinnamon. Half a cup of brown sugar, quarter cup of butter, and cocoa to taste. They didn't last very long.

Her cake also turned out well. A simple chocolate layer cake with milk chocolate frosting. After my daughter put on the candles and a bunch of toy horses, there was no room for any fencing. But my daughter is happy, so all is right with the world.

Thanks everyone!

Everything sounds like it was perfect!