Heath Bar Cake – incredibly moist chocolate cake topped with caramel sauce, whipped cream, and toffee bits. This easy dessert is a hit no matter where you serve it!
I’m not a really big fan of cake, so it has to be really good for me to enjoy it. I just about have to tape the refrigerator door closed to stop me from eating this chocolate heath bar cake. It’s that good!
The caramel topping sinks down into the cake and makes it all gooey and moist. And the heath bits on top are so, so yummy.
My kids call this chocolate caramel toffee cake, and I think of it as “that evil cake”, because when it calls to me I cannot resist it. Whatever you call it, it is sinfully good!
AN EASY FAVORITE DESSERT
The young men and women from my church had an Etiquette dinner last night. My husband works with the 14 & 15 year old boys, and it was their job to make the dessert. So a few of them came over to my house ahead of time and made this incredible cake.
We have a bunch of amazing youth in our area, so I actually enjoyed it. Really. I was told when the dinner was over that it was the hit of the night. So if a bunch of teenage boys can make this cake, I guarantee that it will work for you.
Ingredients for Heath Bar Poke Cake
- chocolate cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines german chocolate cake mix or devil’s food cake mix, but really, any brand will work for this cake.)
- oil (I use vegetable oil, but any oil that is liquid at room temperature will work.)
- eggs (I always use large eggs my recipes.)
- water
- sweetened condensed milk (not to be confused with evaporated milk!)
- caramel ice cream topping. (Homemade caramel sauce makes this cake extra yummy, but you can use store bought if you prefer.)
- heavy cream (Most versions of this cake call for Cool Whip, but trust me, fresh whipped cream tastes so much better!)
- powdered sugar (for sweetening the whipped cream)
- vanilla extract (A splash added to the whipped cream also adds a punch of flavor.)
- Heath candy bars (You can also use Skor bars, or chocolate covered Heath toffee bits.)
How to make Heath Bar Cake with Condensed Milk
- CAKE: Prepare your chocolate cake in a 9×13″ pan according to package directions. I like to use a Duncan Hines cake mix, but you can use your favorite brand, or even make your cake from scratch.
- POKE HOLES: While the baked cake is till hot, punch holes all over it. I like to use the end of a wooden spoon. Make the holes deep, but try to avoid going all the way to the bottom, or the sauce pools at the bottom of the cake.
- ADD SAUCE: Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk and caramel over the entire cake, trying to get most of it into the holes. Also pay attention to the edges of the cake that tend to be more dry. Make sure you pour some sauce there!
- WHIPPED CREAM: Most recipes for this “better than everything” cake call for Cool Whip. I’m not a big fan of the chemical ridden stuff. Fresh tastes so much better! Of course, if you want to use store bought whipped topping I won’t judge. But I really think it’s worth the extra few minutes to make your own.For best results, make sure your bowl, beaters, and cream are all chilled. Beat with a hand mixer (or Kitchenaid) until soft peaks form. Add a bit of powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla. Mmm, mmm, good.
Spread the whipped cream over the cake.
- TOFFEE BITS: I prefer to crush my own candy bars because I prefer the bigger Heath bar pieces. I just leave them in the wrapper and pound them with my rolling pin.
This recipe is different then some, because I like to add a thin layer of crushed heath bars under the whipped cream. They melt a little into the cake, and it is just another depth of flavor that is so yummy!
Let the cake cool, then cover it with plastic wrap and chill it for at least an hour. It is even better if you let it chill overnight.
- SERVE: You can either chill the cake with the whipped cream, or add the toffee bits and serve immediately. The beauty of this cake is that you serve it straight from the pan. So easy!
LEFTOVER HEATH BAR POKE CAKE?
If you have any leftovers, cover the cake with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. It will last for 5-6 days, and the chilled cake seems to get even more moist the longer it’s in the fridge.
The crushed Heath bits do tend to soften up though. If I know we won’t finish the cake, I just add the toffee to the top of individual slices.
MORE 9X13″ CAKE RECIPES:
- Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Butterfinger Poke Cake
- Fudgy Gluten Free Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Blue Ribbon Strawberry Cake
LOVE TOFFEE? TRY THESE:
IRRESISTIBLE HEATH BAR CAKE RECIPE
Heath Bar Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 15.25 oz box chocolate cake mix
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
Topping:
- 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
- 6 ounces of caramel ice cream topping
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 6 oz Skor bars crushed
Instructions
- Bake your boxed cake mix according to package instructions, using a 9x13" pan. Cool for about 15 minutes.
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake, about an inch apart. (Try not to poke them all the way to the bottom or the sauce will pool in the bottom of the pan and make the cake soggy.)
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk slowly over the cake, trying to get most of the sauce into the holes. Do the same thing with the caramel sauce.
- Sprinkle with about a third of the crushed Heath bars. Cool completely, then cover and chill for at least an hour, or overnight.
- Before serving, beat the heavy cream in a mixing bowl till soft peaks form. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla till well combined.
- Spread whipped cream over the top of the cake. Sprinkle remaining Heath pieces on top before serving.
- Refrigerate any leftovers. Cake is even better the next day!
Nutrition
(originally posted 2/5/2009, updated March 2020)
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I want to make this ahead of time for May graduations but in cupcakes. . Any suggestions on freezing them
I recommend baking and freezing the cupcakes plain, then completing the remaining steps a day before serving. You could add the whipped cream the day before, or right before you serve them. You do need to store them in the fridge after adding the cream.
I made this cake and it was wonderful,,! My family loved it!
So glad you loved it, it really is one of my very favorite desserts!
So I did everything exactly as mentioned and cake came out good but didn’t taste much like a heath bar. Not sure what could be done differently so it comes out tasting like Heath
My family loves this cake! It’s so moist & with the heath topping & homemade whipped topping, it’s the perfect spring/summer dessert!
I agree, it is a perfect spring and summer dessert! I’m totally fine eating it any time of year though. haha
This was really a huge hit at my house!! Can’t wait to make it again!
So delicious…thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it Alisha! Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂