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!
Just finished this cake for my sisters birthday. I did whipped topping frostings instead of buttercream I love it better. Made a couple box cakes instead as well because I didn’t wanna ruin the cake (not a baker at all lol) her birthday is tomorrow and we shall see how it pans out. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
So glad you were inspired by my recipe. Thank you for your feedback, Candace!!
Awesome recipe and such easy to follow instructions. First time making a cake, turned out rather brilliantly. Thank you
Yay, so happy to hear that, Marco! I appreciate your feedback!
I made this today for my son’s birthday … it was amazing! The salted caramel sauce did seize up but I was able to fix it very easily by following your tips. Thank you for posting the video on assembling the cake as that was very helpful. I will definitely make this again.
Yay, I’m so happy you chose my recipe and loved the cake!!! Glad to hear my video and troubleshooting tips helped you along as well! Thank you so much for your feedback, Ann!!
I was going to post a picture of my cake but don’t see the option to do that? It wasn’t quite as beautiful as yours but I was happy with how it turned out.
I am looking forward to making this recipe. What if I used store bought caramel dip instead of making my own? What’s your opinion on the consistency? Thanks!
Hi, Kaleigh. I’ve never tried store-bought caramel dip to give you an advice.
Hi! I made this cake for a friend’s 50th Birthday. Everyone loved it. Did not have creamy peanut butter, so I used chunky peanut butter abd omitted the roasted peanuts. Thank you very much for sharing.
So happy everyone loved the cake, Lakshmi. Thanks for sharing your feedback and your tweaks!
Hello! I’d love to make this but only have 6 inch pan. Do you have any recommendations of how you would adapt this recipe?
Hi, Natalie. You can divide the cake into three 6-inch pans and make it 6-layer cake.
Thanks Shinee! I may just buy a 7 inch pan as then I can be sure I’m doing your recipe correctly! Just one more question – which of the two buttercreams do you use for the outside coat of the cake (crumb coat and top)? The recipe doesn’t say. Are we supposed to mix both?
It really doesn’t matter. You can cover the cake with either frosting. For this specific one, I crumb coated with caramel buttercream and then used peanut buttercream for the final coat. Then piped caramel buttercream on top. 🙂 (I just rewatched my video, I didn’t remember the specifics. :)) Hope you try and love this cake. Let us know how it turns out, Natalie.
Delicious cake. Not as sweet as I thought, maybe just make sure to go light on the frosting inside since you have the caramel too. And make sure to put a generous amount of peanuts so you can get the crunch. I made this cake as a 3 layer 6 in and the frosting was barely enough to cover it. Definitely will make this again though
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…
Yay, I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the cake. Thank you for your feedback, Panchalee!
Hi, thanks for this recipe and method, tips and tricks included. For 7 inch tins, I found the cooking time to be 20 minutes, rather than 25. But yiu know, oven differences. Haven’t tried the cake in its entirety yet…. But… Of course I sampled each component. All delicious. Thank you 🙂
Hi, Karina! Thank you for your feedback!! Hope the cake turned out just the way you wanted. And yes, I agree, every oven is different, glad you checked the cakes at 20 min!!
Hi, I couldn’t find the video on how to decorate the cake, has it been removed? Thanks, Ana
Got it now! Thanks