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!
Yes, this cake is loaded with goodies and beyond indulgent. But it’s worth every single calorie!!! How can it not be, right?!
I made this cake 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!
Table of Contents
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 freezes 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 begins!!!
Let’s assemble the most EPIC snickers cake together.
First, prepare all the components:
- Slice the chocolate cake into 4 layers.
- Transfer the frostings into 2 large piping bags with round tips. TIP: It’s much easier to frost the cake by piping the frosting!
- Roughly chop roasted peanuts.
TIP: Place a dollop of frosting in the middle of the cake board, so the cake doesn’t slide. And place 4 strips of parchment paper around the edges of the board to keep it nice and clean.
Now, 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.
To assemble the cake:
- Place one layer of chocolate cake on the prepared cake board.
- Pipe frosting all over the cake layer and smooth it with a small offset spatula.
- Now, pipe a boarder with frosting right around the edges.
- Smear 1/4 cup of caramel sauce in the middle and sprinkle crushed peanuts.
- Place another layer of chocolate cake on top and repeat until all the layers are done.
- Then frost the cake all around with a little bit of frosting to just cover the cake. It doesn’t have to be perfect. This’s called crumb coat a cake. Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes, or until the frosting hardens a bit.
HOW TO DECORATE SNICKERS CAKE:
It took me about 1.5 hours to assemble the cake, which includes 30 minutes of chilling time. So, plan accordingly.
- Final layer of frosting: Now that our cake is crumb coated nicely, we will frost it again with another layer of frosting. This time, we’ll smooth it out nicely. This bench scraper does a great job for smoothing the frosting.
- Transfer the remaining caramel sauce into a condiment bottle.
- Make a chocolate ganache and place it in another condiment bottle.
- Slice couple snickers bars. TIP: If you run your knife under hot water, it’ll be much easier to make a clean slices. Don’t forget to dry the knife before using.
- Remove the parchment paper strips from the bottom of the cake. See, how clean the cake board still is?!
- Drip the caramel sauce and chocolate ganache around the edges of the cake. Pipe decorative designs with remaining buttercream around the edges. And then pour some chocolate ganache in the middle. Arrange snickers slices on top and voila!
I made a quick video of how I assembled and decorated the cake. So it might be much more helpful to watch it!
How to make-ahead chocolate cake:
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.
Make-Ahead Tip:
- 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.
HOW TO STORE SNICKERS CAKE:
- You can assemble the cake 1 day prior to serving.
- 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) sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder Note 1
- ½ teaspoon 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) pure cane 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!
Made this cake and it was absolutely gorgeous!! I almost didn’t have enough peanut butter butter cream to put on the cake as it tasted amazing! I made this for my mums birthday and ,(since I love baking!) I’m defo making it for my birthday!! Hopefully my frosting skills will have improved by then 🤞🏻. Would defo recommend!!!
Yay, so happy you loved this cake!!! Thank you for making my recipe and sharing your feedback, Selina!!
This recipe was AWESOME!! And super tasty. My family loved it.
Yay, so happy you all loved the cake! Thank you for your feedback, Julie!
I haven’t made this yet but am planning on making it this weekend for Valentine’s Day, would 9” cake pans be ok to use? I don’t have a 7” pan.
Thanks!
Where do you add the espresso? It doesn’t say in the recipe. Do you just add the fringe or add water to the grinds?
Hi, Lori. Sorry for confusion. I updated the recipe to include instant espresso powder. Espresso powder is mixed in with dry ingredients in step 3.
Hi, William. I’m so sorry I missed your comment. 9-inch pan will make pretty thin layers that you won’t be able to cut horizontally, or it’ll be challenging.
I made this cake last week and it was a hit (made in grams). Next time I would only use the peanut buttercream, as you already use salted caramel sause. Love this and easy to make.
Hi, Arsine. Yes, you’d be totally fine with just peanut butter buttercream. Thank you for making my recipe and sharing your feedback!
Great recipe. I would, however increase the quantities of both buttercreams and the caramel sauce by 1/3 to 1/2. Very difficult to cover it all with original quantities.
Thank you for your feedback, Kathleen. So happy you liked the recipe.
Hey. I’m about to bake this cake. Do I use white or Apple cider vinegar?
Hey, Melody. Sorry for confusion. You can use either one. I update the recipe, so it looks better.
This recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it for my dad’s birthday! What are the notes for the espresso powder and whole milk? Can the milk be substituted with buttermilk?
Hi, Summer! Sorry about missing notes. I just added them back. It was misplaced when we switched our recipe card format. I haven’t tested with buttermilk though.
This recipe is great! Very easy to follow and my cake turned out great! Everyone raved about how good it was!!
Oh my goodness, I’m so happy you and your guests loved the cake. Thank you for your feedback, Ashley!
I made this cake for a birthday party. I made a few changes- I doctored up a boxed chocolate cake mix and I used chopped peanut butter chips instead of the peanuts on top. But the flavor of the two buttercream recipes is hands down amazing. The cake was a huge hit and I had a lot of people ask about the recipe. I will definitely make this again.
Yay, so happy you made and love the recipe. Thank you for your feedback, Shannon!
Hi there!
This cake looks amazing!!! I just had a quick question, is it necessary to use cane sugar? Can I use regular sugar?
Hi, SS. Yes, you can.
I made this cake for my mama’s birthday. It came out very well and everyone appreciated it as well. Thank you very much for sharing this incredible cake recipe…