Chocolate Candy Bar Cake

Candy Bar Layer Cake on a wooden cake stand.

Chocolate Candy Bar Cake

This Candy Bar Cake features a simple chocolate cake with a homemade frosting stuffed with candy bars! Use a mix of any of your favorite (or least favorite) candy bars to make a delicious and crowd pleasing chocolate layer cake!

4.3 from 25 votes

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Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 25

Cooling time: 1

Total Time: 2 5

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 590kcal

Ingredients

For the cake:

6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups water
1 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces whipped topping (thawed)
Pinch salt
Splash vanilla extract
20 mini candy bars (divided, coarsely sliced)

Instructions

To Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9 inch cake pans with cooking spray, then line with a parchment paper round. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, flour, salt, soda, and baking powder.
Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients then pour in the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir all the ingredients together, then whisk until smooth.
Pour in the prepared baking pans and bake for 28-31 minutes, or until the cake is starting to pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Set the pans on a cooling rack to cool for 10-15 minutes, then grease the cooling rack with non-stick spray. Run a knife around the edges of the cake pan top with the cooling rack, and carefully flip the cakes out. Allow to cool completely, then wrap and chill in the fridge overnight or freeze at least one hour. Cake layers can be frozen up to 3 months.

To Make the Frosting:

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping. Add the salt and vanilla, to taste.
To assemble, place one cake layer, upside down, on a cake board or serving platter. Spread a layer of frosting over the top of the cake, then sandwich with the second layer, also upside down. Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. Chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
Mix 15 of the chopped candy bars into the remaining frosting, then spread it all over the top and sides of the cake. Top with remaining candy bars for decoration.

Notes

Cake layers can be made and stored, tightly wrapped, in the freezer for up to 3 months. The cake can be frosted while still frozen.
The cake keeps well, covered, in the fridge for about 5 days. I recommend bringing the cake to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Feel free to use any mix of candy bar that sounds good to you. I have personally used a mix of Almond Joy, Twix, Kit Kats, Hersheys, Crisp, and Snickers with great results. I don't love mixing Reese's with other candy bars because of the strong chocolate peanut butter flavor, but you do you!
For a short cut, use a boxed chocolate cake mix instead of the homemade cake.