Ultimate Homemade Snickers Cake: Transform Leftover Candy into a Decadent Masterpiece

Are you staring at a pile of leftover Halloween candy, wondering what delicious fate awaits it? If you’re anything like me and can never say no to a sweet indulgence, then you’re in for a treat! This is your golden opportunity to transform those extra Snickers candy bars into something truly spectacular: a show-stopping homemade Snickers Cake. Forget merely eating them; let’s bake them into a cake that will have everyone reaching for a second slice.

This isn’t just any cake; it’s an homage to the classic Snickers bar, meticulously crafted into a multi-layered dessert. Every bite delivers a symphony of flavors and textures, replicating the beloved candy in cake form. Imagine rich chocolate, gooey caramel, fluffy nougat, and the irresistible crunch of peanuts, all brought together in one extraordinary creation.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Snickers Cake

This decadent Snickers Cake is a masterpiece of layers, each carefully designed to contribute to the iconic flavor profile of the candy bar. Here’s a quick look at the irresistible components that make up this incredible dessert:

• Rich Chocolate Cake Layers: The foundation of our cake, providing a deep, moist chocolatey base that’s both semi-sweet and incredibly fudgy.
• Creamy Nougat Filling: A homemade marshmallow and peanut butter delight that perfectly mimics the chewy, sweet center of a Snickers bar.
• Luscious Caramel Drizzle: Silky smooth, buttery caramel that adds that essential sticky sweetness and complements the peanuts beautifully.
• Velvety Chocolate Buttercream: A rich chocolate frosting that offers a classic, smooth chocolate flavor.
• Smooth Peanut Butter Buttercream: The perfect companion to the chocolate, delivering that unmistakable peanut butter goodness.

Each element plays a crucial role in recreating the beloved Snickers experience, ensuring every forkful is bursting with flavor and delightful texture contrasts. Get ready to embark on a baking adventure that promises pure indulgence!

Crafting the Perfect Chocolate Cake Layers

The chocolate cake layers in this Snickers cake are designed to be so incredibly delicious, they’ll leave you craving more with every bite. For this particular recipe, I opted for a semi-sweet chocolate profile. This choice strikes the perfect balance, giving you the deep, complex notes of dark chocolate without being overly bitter, while still delivering the incredible fudginess that comes from milk chocolate cocoa powder. The truth is, these two types of cocoa work together in perfect harmony, creating a rich, moist, and utterly irresistible chocolate base that forms the heart of our Snickers cake.

Achieving a perfectly moist and flavorful chocolate cake isn’t difficult when you follow a few key principles. Using room temperature ingredients, especially buttermilk, helps create a smoother batter and a more tender crumb. The hot water in the recipe isn’t just for dissolving cocoa; it blooms the cocoa powder, enhancing its flavor, and contributes to the cake’s tender texture. Be careful not to overmix your batter; mix just until the ingredients are combined to avoid developing too much gluten, which can lead to a dry, tough cake. Trust me, these chocolate layers are the unsung heroes that elevate this Snickers cake from good to absolutely phenomenal.

Mastering Homemade Caramel: Essential Tips and Tricks

Many people tell me that making caramel is incredibly intimidating, but I’m here to tell you it absolutely shouldn’t be! With a few simple tips, you can create the best and easiest homemade caramel that will impress everyone. Don’t let the fear of burnt sugar hold you back from this incredibly rewarding process. Caramel adds such a rich, deep sweetness to our Snickers Cake, and mastering it is easier than you think.

Here are my top tips for creating a perfect batch of caramel every time:

• Stir Only Before Heating: It’s crucial to only stir the water, sugar, and corn syrup together *before* you place the saucepan on the heat. Once it’s on the stovetop and starts to heat up, resist the urge to stir. Stirring during the cooking process can cause sugar crystals to form on the sides of the pan, leading to a grainy, rather than smooth, caramel. Let the magic happen undisturbed as it boils.
• Always Heat Your Cream: Before adding it to the hot sugar mixture, warm your heavy cream. You can do this quickly in the microwave for about a minute. The reason for this is twofold: first, it helps prevent the shocking temperature difference that can cause the hot sugar to seize up and become a hard lump, making it difficult to combine. Second, it reduces the amount of steam and vigorous bubbling when you add it, making it safer for you.
• Invest in High-Quality Vanilla Extract: The quality of your ingredients truly shines through in simple recipes like caramel. A good vanilla extract, like my favorite brand Nielsen Massey, adds a depth of flavor that can’t be replicated. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference to the overall taste of your caramel.
• Add Butter While Hot: Once your caramel has reached its beautiful golden-amber color and you’ve incorporated the warm cream, add the unsalted butter while the mixture is still hot. The residual heat will melt the butter quickly and evenly, allowing it to emulsify perfectly into the caramel. This helps create that smooth, rich texture and prevents the caramel from becoming too stiff as it cools.
• Use a Reliable Heavy-Bottomed Pot: A heavy-bottomed saucepan distributes heat more evenly, which is essential for preventing hot spots that can burn your sugar. This makes the caramelization process much more controlled and less prone to scorching.
• Keep an Eye on the Color: Caramelization happens quickly! Once your sugar mixture starts to turn color, it progresses rapidly. Stay focused and watch for that beautiful deep amber hue. If you take your eyes off it for even a moment, you risk burning it, which will give your caramel a bitter taste.

Following these steps will ensure your caramel is silky, delicious, and perfectly ready to drizzle over your Snickers Cake layers. No more caramel-making fear!

The Dual Delight: Chocolate and Peanut Butter Buttercreams

As you may have noticed, I chose to use two distinct flavors of buttercream for this cake: a rich chocolate and a creamy peanut butter. This decision was directly inspired by the classic Snickers bar itself, where the harmonious combination of peanut butter and chocolate creates an iconic flavor. By incorporating both into the frosting, we ensure that every bite of this cake truly captures the essence of a Snickers bar.

To achieve the striking striped effect you see in the photos, I used a cake comb. This tool allows for clean, even lines that add a professional touch to your cake. My favorite cake comb can be found here, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry! You can easily create a beautiful ombre effect, blending the two frostings smoothly, or simply apply them in a rustic, swirled pattern. No matter how you choose to decorate, the combination of these two delectable buttercreams ensures your cake will be incredibly tasty and visually appealing.

When making buttercream, remember to use softened butter for the smoothest consistency. Sifting your powdered sugar is also a small but mighty step that prevents lumps and ensures a silky-smooth frosting. Beat the butter and peanut butter (or just butter for the chocolate version) until light and fluffy before gradually adding the powdered sugar. A good quality vanilla extract will enhance both flavors, and a pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness. The goal is a light, airy, yet stable buttercream that’s a joy to work with and even more delightful to eat.

Essential Baking Tools for Your Snickers Cake Success

Having the right tools can make all the difference in your baking experience, transforming potentially tricky steps into enjoyable ones. For creating a multi-layered cake like our Snickers masterpiece, these are my absolute must-have tools:

1. Cake Scraper: This simple tool is a game-changer for achieving perfectly smooth, professional-looking sides on your cake. It helps to evenly distribute frosting and remove excess, giving you sharp edges and a polished finish.
2. Turntable: A good cake turntable is invaluable for frosting and decorating. It allows you to rotate your cake smoothly and continuously, making it much easier to apply frosting evenly and create intricate designs without constantly moving yourself around the cake.
3. Offset Spatula: Whether you’re spreading batter, leveling layers, or applying frosting, an offset spatula is incredibly versatile. Its angled blade keeps your knuckles clear of the cake surface, allowing for smoother, more precise movements.
4. High-Quality Chocolate: While technically an ingredient, choosing high-quality chocolate for your ganache or melted chocolate components (like for the chocolate buttercream) makes a noticeable difference in flavor. Better chocolate melts smoother and tastes richer, elevating the overall indulgence of your cake.

Investing in these basic tools will not only make baking this Snickers Cake easier and more enjoyable but will also elevate the quality and presentation of all your future baking projects. Happy baking!

Recipe

Snickers Cake

Molly Murphy

Just like those tasty Snickers (is it just me, or is it impossible to eat just one?), this cake is going to have you coming back for more. Indulge in moist and rich chocolate cake layers, a fresh nougat filling made from marshmallows and peanut butter, and a decadent peanut butter and chocolate buttercream.

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Ingredients

  

For the Chocolate Cake

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk room temp
• 1 cup hot water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 1 ⅓ cup special dark cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Nougat Filling

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup evaporated milk
• 1½ cups marshmallow fluff
• ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups unsalted peanuts chopped

For the Caramel

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Peanut Butter Buttercream

• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
• ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• pinch of salt

For the Chocolate Buttercream

• 1 cup unsalted butter chilled
• 5 oz dark chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Instructions

 

For the Cake

• Preheat your oven to 330 F. With either 3 8-inch pans or 4 6-inch pans, prep them by spraying the bottom, lining them with parchment paper, and then spraying again. Set aside.
• In a large bowl or a stand sized mixer with the paddle attachment, combined the flour, sugar, both cocoa powders, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low until evenly combined.
• In a small bowl, combined the eggs, buttermilk, hot water, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. Whisk all the ingredients until evenly combined.
• With the mixer on the lowest speed, pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. With a rubber spatula scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure the batter is evenly combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the pans, and bake for 30-33 minutes. After they are done baking, let them cool for 15 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack and let them finishing cooling there.
• After the cakes have come to room temperature, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them in preparation for frosting the cake.

For the Nougat Filling

• In a medium size sauce pan, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted add the sugar and the evaporated milk. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 5 minutes, and stir occasionally.
• Turn off the heat, and fold in the marshmallow fluffy, peanut butter, and vanilla extract, and mix until evenly combined. Add the peanuts last, and mix.
• Make sure that the nougat filling has come to room temperature before putting it on the cake. If you have warm nougat filling it will cause the cake to warm up, and the buttercream to melt.
• Stir well before putting on the cake.

For the Caramel

• Mix sugar, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan.
• Start boiling the water and sugar mixture on medium hight heat. This is the part when you do not want to stir. Let it boil until the mixture becomes caramelized and looks golden brown. This takes a minute, but once it starts turning color, it changes fast. So keep an eye on it.
• Heat the cream in the microwave for 1 minute.
• Once the sugar mixture has turned the correct color, turn off the heat, and add the warm cream, being careful that it doesn’t burn you. Mix the caramel mixture until evenly combined.
• Pour mixture into a heat proof bowl. Add the vanilla, salt, and butter let it sit until the butter melts, then stir.
• Let it cool down to room temp.

For the Chocolate Buttercream

• In a microwave safe proof bowl, Heat the cream for 1 minute. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips to melt, let it sit and then stir until smooth. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium to high speed for about 2 minutes.
• Slowly add the chocolate/cream mixture to the butter making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes to fully incorporate. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat on low for 30 seconds.
• With the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is added, mix the buttercream for another few minutes on medium-high speed. You’ll notice the color lighten – don’t worry, it darkens as it sits out after you decorate your cake.

For the Peanut Butter Buttercream

• In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and peanut butter. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add all of the the powdered sugar to the bowl and mix on the lowest speed, and once incorporated beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
• Turn off the mixer and and add the vanilla extract, salt and heavy whipping cream, and continue to beat on high speed until very fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Beat frosting by hand with a wooden spoon to get air bubbles out

Assembly

• Place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board. Pipe a rim of chocolate buttercream around the edge of the cake. This will act as a wall for the nougat filling.
• Evenly spread about 1 cup of the nougat filling over the cake layer. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the bought filling, and then generously toss some crushed peanuts on top.
• Repeat these steps for the second cake layer.
• Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the filling. Apply a thin layer of chocolate buttercream around the entire cake. This is your crumb coat. Freeze the crumb-coated cake for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once the crumb coat is set, continue to frost your cake with the remaining chocolate buttercream and the peanut butter buttercream

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

We hope you enjoy baking and devouring this magnificent Snickers Cake. It’s truly a labor of love that pays off with every rich, gooey, and utterly satisfying bite!