This irresistible Snickers Cake is made of layers of softest chocolate cake, salted caramel buttercream, peanut butter buttercream, salted caramel and generous amount of crushed peanuts!!!
Step by step photos and video demo are included for your success!
Table of Contents
Yes, this cake is loaded with goodies and beyond indulgent. And it’s worth every single calorie!!! How can it not be, right?!
I made this cake in early 2020 BC (before COVID), and I’m SO excited to finally share the recipe with you today!
If baking has been your happy place in these strange times, I hope you’ll add this cake on to your list. It’s SO worth it!
Snickers Cake Components
The beauty of this cake is that you can prepare all the components in advance.
- The best simple chocolate cake can be made days or months in advance. In fact, it’s highly recommended to make the cake at least a day in advance. TIP: Chilled cake is sturdier and easier to slice horizontally. It freezes well.
- Peanut butter buttercream and salted caramel buttercream can also be made ahead and freeze well.
- Salted caramel sauce is easy to make from scratch and can be made in advance as well!
How to make snickers cake
Once all the components are prepared, fun times begin!!! Let’s assemble the most EPIC snickers cake together.
First, prepare all the cake components
- Chocolate Cake: Make the chocolate cake layers. Cool and slice the chocolate cake into 4 layers.
- Frostings: Make peanut butter buttercream and salted caramel buttercream. Transfer the frostings into 2 large piping bags with round tips. TIP: It’s much easier to frost the cake by piping the frosting!
- Salted Caramel Sauce: Make the salted caramel sauce. Cool completely.
- Peanuts: Roughly chop roasted peanuts.
Then assemble the cake
Assembling the cake took me about 1.5 hours, including 30 minutes of chilling time. So, plan accordingly.
- Smear a dollop of frosting in the middle of the cake board so the cake doesn’t slide.
- Then, place four strips of parchment paper around the edges of the board to keep it nice and clean.
- Put one layer of chocolate cake on the prepared cake board.
- Pipe the frosting all over the chocolate layer.
Keep the cake in place
Place a dollop of frosting in the middle of the cake board so the cake doesn’t slide. Then, place four strips of parchment paper around the edges of the board to keep it nice and clean.
- Spread and smooth the frosting with a small offset spatula.
- And pipe a boarder with frosting right around the edges.
Which Frosting flavor to use?
You can alternate peanut butter buttercream and salted caramel buttercream between the layers.
OR use peanut butter buttercream in between the layers, and use salted caramel buttercream on the outside of the cake.
- Pour ¼ cup of caramel sauce in the middle and spread it evenly.
- Sprinkle crushed peanuts over the caramel.
- Place another layer of chocolate cake on top and repeat until all the layers are done.
- Frost the cake all around with a little bit of frosting to just cover the cake. It doesn’t have to be perfect at this point. This is called crumb coating a cake.
- Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes or until the frosting hardens.
- Apply another layer of frosting to the cake and smooth it out nicely. This bench scraper does a great job of smoothing the frosting.
- Then remove the parchment paper layers from underneath.
Decorate the cake
- Transfer the remaining caramel sauce into a condiment bottle. If desired, you can also make a chocolate ganache for decorating and place it in another condiment bottle.
- Slice a couple of Snickers bars. TIP: It’ll be much easier to make clean slices if you run your knife under hot water. Don’t forget to dry the knife before using it.
- Drip the caramel sauce and chocolate ganache, if using, around the edges of the cake.
- Pipe decorative designs with remaining buttercream around the edges. I also poured the remaining chocolate ganache in the middle.
- Arrange Snickers slices on top.
Make Ahead Tips
If you use your time efficiently, you can make this cake from start to finish in roughly 5 hours.
BUT you can prepare all the components in advance, one component at a time. Then this project won’t be as daunting or massive, and you’ll enjoy the process much better.
- Cake can be made and frozen up to a month in advance, or refrigerated for up to a week. Thaw frozen cake in the fridge overnight.
- Salted caramel sauce can also be made a month in advance. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Both buttercream frostings can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight container and re-whip before using.
- It’s best to make chocolate ganache the day of assembly.
You can assemble the cake 1 day in advance and store it in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
Storing Tips
- Store the assembled cake in the refrigerator, covered.
- Leftover cake can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days, or can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Please let me know if you make this cake. I love reading your feedback and seeing your version. If you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @shineshka.
Snickers Cake
This irresistible Snickers Cake is made of layers of softest chocolate cake, caramel buttercream, peanut butter buttercream, salted caramel and generous amount of crushed peanuts!!!
Step by step photos and video are included for your success!
Ingredients
For chocolate cake:
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder Note 1
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup (280 ml) whole milk + 2 tablespoons, at room temperature Note 2
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar Note 4
For salted caramel sauce:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream warmed up
- 4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt I like Maldon sea salt flakes
For peanut butter buttercream:
- 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup (130 g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
For salted caramel buttercream:
- 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) salted caramel sauce (from the batch made above)
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
For the chocolate ganache:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- 2 oz (55 g) bittersweet chocolate chopped
For assembly:
- 1 cup (140 g) dry roasted peanuts roughly chopped
- 2-3 snickers bars sliced
Instructions
- To make the cake, line two 7-inch cake pans with a parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, or until everything is well combined.
- Add milk, eggs, oil and butter. Mix the batter just until smooth, about 15 seconds.
- Stir in vinegar and mix for another 10 seconds.
- Divide the batter into the prepared baking pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool completely in the pans set on wire rack. Then carefully run a knife around the edges and invert. Wrap each cake with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use, preferably overnight. Chilled cakes are sturdier and slice much easier, but you can definitely frost the cake as soon as they cooled completely.
- To make salted caramel sauce, follow this recipe. (Note 3)
- To make peanut butter buttercream, in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, combine butter and peanut butter and beat on medium high heat for about 2 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula half way through.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt and continue beating until the frosting is nice and smooth and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
- To make salted caramel buttercream, in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, combine butter and salted caramel sauce and beat on medium high heat for about 2 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula half way through.
- Add powdered sugar and continue beating until the frosting is nice and smooth and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
- To make the ganache, heat heavy cream in microwave for 45 seconds, or until hot. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour hot cream over chocolate. Let it sit for 2 minutes, and then stir until smooth. If the chocolate isn’t melted completely, microwave the mixture for 15 seconds and stir, continue until ganache is smooth and runny. (TIP: Make the ganache right before assembling the cake.)
- To assemble the cake, cut the cake layers horizontally into equal layers. Place the buttercream frostings into 2 separate piping bags fitted with plain round tips, or simply cut the ends off.
- Prepare peanuts, cake board, 4 strips of parchment paper, offset spatula and ¼ cup measuring cup or a large cookie scoop.
- Place a cake board on a turntable and smear a small amount of frosting in the middle. Place 4 parchment paper strips around the edges of the cake boards, as pictured.
- Put the first layer of the cake, pipe peanut butter buttercream frosting all over the cake and then spread it evenly with a small offset spatula.
- Pipe salted caramel buttercream frosting around the edges to create a boarder and put ¼ cup of salted caramel in the middle.
- Sprinkle some peanuts over the caramel sauce and place the next layer of cake. Repeat with the remaining layers.
- To crumb coat the cake, frost the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting and smooth it out as best as you can. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the frosting is set.
- Meanwhile, transfer remaining salted caramel sauce and ganache into squirt bottles. If they are too thick, microwave each sauce for 10-15 seconds to thin them out. Make sure they’re not too hot before decorating the cake.
- Transfer a small amount of frosting into a piping bag, fitted with star tip.
- To decorate the cake, apply another layer of frosting and smooth it out nicely with an offset spatula, or a bench scraper.
- drip salted caramel sauce around the edges, followed by chocolate ganache.
- Pipe the frosting with decorated tip around the edges. Pour some chocolate ganache in the middle and sprinkle some peanuts. Top with snickers bar slices.
Tips & Notes
Note 1: Espresso powder doesn’t add coffee flavor and you won’t even taste it. It only enhances chocolate flavor. But if you don’t have it, you can omit it.
Note 2: I highly recommend using a whole milk for richer flavor, but 2% milk would work too.
Note 3: Make sure to cool the salted caramel sauce completely before using it for buttercream frosting and assembling the cake.
Note 4: You can also use apple cider vinegar.
Make-Ahead Tip: You can make all the components of the cake separately well in advance.
– Cake can be made and frozen up to a month in advance, or refrigerated for up to a week. – Thaw frozen cake in the fridge overnight.
– Salted caramel sauce can also be made a month in advance. Refrigerate until ready to use.
– Both buttercream frostings can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight container and re-whip before using.
– It’s best to make chocolate ganache the day of assembly.
– You can assemble the cake 1 day in advance and store it in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
– Cake can be made and frozen up to a month in advance, or refrigerated for up to a week. – Thaw frozen cake in the fridge overnight.
– Salted caramel sauce can also be made a month in advance. Refrigerate until ready to use.
– Both buttercream frostings can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight container and re-whip before using.
– It’s best to make chocolate ganache the day of assembly.
– You can assemble the cake 1 day in advance and store it in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 609kcal
Carbohydrates: 57g
Protein: 9g
Fat: 41g
Sugar: 34g
Sodium: 432mg
Did you make this?Share a comment or a review below!
Can i make the whole cake and store it in the freezer?
Hi, Camilla. Yes, you can.