This Butterfinger cake is a delicious poke cake recipe that turns chocolate cake mix into a delicious dessert. Moist chocolate cake mixed with peanut butter flavors and creamy, rich caramel. Al topped with a light whipped topping and Butterfinger crumbles.
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If you like chocolate and peanut butter, you are going to love this Butterfinger candy bar cake. It captures all the delicious flavors of Butterfinger in an easy to make cake.
I love a good poke cake. This cake has holes poked into after baking to allow for the caramel peanut butter mixture to seep deep down into the cake. This makes for a delicious, moist cake.
It's a great way to use up leftover Halloween candy. And if you like this recipe, make sure to check out our Butterfinger cookies, another delicious Butterfinger dessert.
Or if you're just trying to satisfy your chocolaty peanut butter cravings, then try our peanut butter brownies, our no bake chocolate peanut butter pretzel bars or our popular and super easy to make chocolate peanut butter fudge.
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What You'll Love About This Recipe
- Rich and Moist: The cake base soaks up the caramel and peanut butter mixture, ensuring every bite is deliciously moist.
- Crunchy Delight: Chopped Butterfinger bars add a satisfying crunch, contrasting beautifully with the cake’s soft texture.
- Decadent Flavors: The combination of chocolate, caramel, and peanut butter is a classic that never fails to delight.
- Easy to Make: This cake is surprisingly simple to make. Perfect for when you need a delicious, but easy dessert recipe.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Mix: Choose a high-quality mix like Duncan Hines for the best flavor and moistness.
Vegetable Oil: A staple in cake baking, providing moisture and richness to the cake.
Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, ensuring a stable and fluffy cake.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds a creamy, sweet layer that penetrates the cake for extra moistness.
Caramel Sauce: Look for a rich and thick variety for the best flavor infusion.
Creamy Peanut Butter: Select a smooth and creamy peanut butter for easy mixing and a rich taste.
Whipping Cream: Opt for full-fat cream to whip up a light and airy topping.
Powdered Sugar: Provides sweetness and structure to the whipped cream.
Vanilla Extract: A dash of vanilla enhances the flavors of the cream and filling.
Butterfinger Candy Bars: The star ingredient, choose fun-sized bars for easy chopping and a perfect cake topping.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Start by setting your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures the oven reaches the right temperature by the time you're ready to bake. Gather all your ingredients and equipment to have everything within reach.
Using the Chocolate Cake Mix as a base, follow the package instructions for the batter. Typically, this involves combining the cake mix with water, vegetable oil, and eggs.
Blend these ingredients in a large bowl until smooth, which usually takes about 2 minutes on medium speed with an electric mixer. If you don't have a mixer, a whisk or a wooden spoon and some elbow grease will do the job too!
Pour the batter into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula for a uniform layer.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan, which usually takes about an hour. This step is crucial as a cool cake will better absorb the filling.
Once cooled, take a skewer or the handle of a wooden spoon and poke holes all over the cake, reaching down to the bottom. This allows the filling to penetrate deep into the layers, making each bite flavorful.
In a medium bowl, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, caramel sauce, creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Chop the Butterfinger bars into small pieces and fold them into the mixture.
Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble chopping, chilling the bars in the refrigerator beforehand can make them easier to cut.
Pour the filling mixture over the cooled cake, using a spatula to gently push the filling into the holes and ensure it's evenly distributed across the surface. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to set the filling and flavors.
Now it's time to make the whipped cream frosting. Whip the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until it forms soft peaks, which should take about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer set at medium-high speed.
Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cake and sprinkle the reserved chopped Butterfinger pieces on top. This not only adds a delightful texture but also makes the cake visually appealing.
Cut the cake into squares and serve chilled. The creamy, peanut buttery filling with crunchy Butterfinger bits, combined with the moist chocolate cake, makes for a deliciously satisfying dessert.
Substitutions
Use homemade chocolate cake instead of the boxed cake mix for a more personalized touch.
Swap caramel sauce with butterscotch or chocolate fudge sauce for a different flavor profile.
Replace sweetened condensed milk with a mixture of cream and sugar for a lighter filling.
Variations
- Peanut Butter Lover’s Dream: Increase the amount of peanut butter in the filling for a more intense flavor.
- Chocolate Overload: Add chocolate chips or chunks to the batter and use chocolate sauce in the filling for a triple chocolate delight.
- Nutty Crunch: Mix in chopped pecans or almonds with the Butterfinger pieces for added texture and nuttiness.
Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Dish: The ideal size for this cake; a glass or non-stick pan works well.
- Skewer or Wooden Spoon Handle: To poke holes in the cake; a fork can also work if you prefer smaller holes.
- Electric Mixer or Whisk: Essential for whipping the cream to soft peaks.
Storage
Have leftover Butterfinger cake? Here are our storage tips.
Fridge: Store the cake in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days. Keep it chilled to maintain the best texture and flavor.
Freezer: Freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Reheating: This cake is best enjoyed cold, so reheating is not recommended. However, if the whipped cream topping becomes too firm, let the cake sit at room temperature briefly before serving.
Top tip
For the best flavor and texture, make sure the cake is completely cooled before adding the filling. This prevents the cake from becoming soggy and ensures the filling absorbs properly.
FAQ
Yes, you can prepare this cake a day in advance. It allows the flavors to meld together in the fridge, enhancing the overall taste.
No, you can use your favorite homemade chocolate cake recipe as a base for the poke cake if you prefer.
Yes, crunchy peanut butter can be used for added texture, but it might make spreading the mixture more challenging.
A mixture of heavy cream and sugar, heated and combined until the sugar dissolves, can work as a substitute.
A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
Freeze the bars for about an hour before chopping; this will make them easier to cut without crumbling too much.
Yes, you can substitute Butterfinger bars with other candy bars like Reese peanut butter cups.
More Delicious Peanut Butter Desserts
Enjoying this easy butterfinger cake recipe? Try some of our other peanut butter favorites:
Recipe
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Butterfinger Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cake mix 15 ounce box
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounces
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- ⅓ cup peanut butter creamy
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 fun sized bars Butterfinger candy bars save ½ cup for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- In large bowl prepare the cake mix accordingly to the back of the box.
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
- Once batter is made, pour into the prepared pan and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Let the cake cool completely.
- Using a skewer, or the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes all around the top of the cake, making sure to go halfway/ all the way down.
- In a medium sized bowl add the condensed milk, caramel sauce, peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and the chopped butterfingers and stir until well combined.
- Pour mixture over top of the cake and making sure to spread into the holes as well and all over.
- Cover the cake and place in refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Once it has chilled add the whipped topping over the top of the cake evenly.
- Sprinkle the ½ cup of butter fingers all over top of the whipped cream. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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