This rich, decadent, sweet Butterfinger Cake is moist, irresistible, and so easy to make. A chocolate boxed cake mix is baked and then poked with fork tines before a sweet, gooey caramel and sweetened condensed milk is poured on top. Top with a light, fluffy whipped topping mixed with Butterfinger candy bars for the best, simple, quick, and easy dessert that everyone will love!
Butterfinger Cake
Get ready for the bite of your life! Rich chocolate cake infused with caramel and sweetened condensed milk, then topped with a light fluffy topping with bits of crunchy Butterfingers. Then an even more generous topping of crispy peanut butter and chocolate Butterfingers on top.
Whether you want to use up leftover Halloween candy or you're looking for an amazing, rich, sweet, decadent cake, this Butterfinger cake will be a huge hit with anyone who gets the honor of having a bite.
You will be in chocolatey caramel heaven!
What are Butterfingers?
I'm so surprised when I get this question from readers, but I've published two other recipes with Butterfingers (Butterfinger Pie and Butterfinger Cookies for you curious Butterfinger lovers), and I've gotten that question so many times.
So apparently Butterfingers are an American thing. Butterfingers are a candy bar with a crispy peanut butter center covered in milk chocolate. The Canadian and UK version is apparently called a Wunderbar.
What is a Poke Cake?
A poke cake is pretty much what it sounds like. It's cake with holes poked in the top, usually using a fork or the back of a thin wooden spoon. Then it's usually filled with some kind of filling most commonly a mixture of sweetened condensed milk, like this one, pudding, or Jell-O.
The purpose is to infuse extra flavor all throughout the cake. When the cake is cut, you'll see little rivulets of gooey deliciousness all through the cake.
Do I have to use Devil's Food Cake?
Nope. I love Devil's food with this particular recipe because it's rich and so chocolatey that it's just a touch bitter which really offsets the sweetness from the topping and the caramel filling.
But you can really use any flavor or brand for this recipe (within reason... I would maybe shy away from something strawberry or razzleberry blue...)
Some other safe flavors to try if you're not a chocolate cake fan are vanilla or marble.
Can I Freeze Butterfinger Cake?
Yes, you can! Butterfinger cake can be frozen either as separate components (i.e. the cake and topping frozen separately) or as a full assembled dessert.
To freeze, place in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
More Sweet Recipes You'll Love
- Butterfinger Pie - a creamy peanut butter pie with a rich chocolate Oreo crust with plenty of crispy Butterfinger pieces.
- Butterfinger Cookies - gooey, chewy cookies that have just the right amount of crunch on the outside. Plus the Butterfingers caramelize in the oven, making them even more amazing.
- Snickers Caramel Apple Salad - crisp, tart apples with pieces of gooey sweet candy bar in a creamy pudding base.
- 7 Up Pound Cake - a homemade, perfectly crumbed, moist lemon pound cake.
Butterfinger Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
- Ingredients on the box to prepare cake (eggs, oil, water)
- 1 jar caramel topping (12 ounces)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (12 ounces)
- 5 regular-sized Butterfinger Bars chopped
- 1 container whipped topping (12 ounces) thawed
- Chocolate syrup for garnish/decorating
Instructions
- Prepare cake mix and preparation ingredients in a large mixing bowl according to package instructions. Bake in a 9"x13" baking dish, according to package instructions.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, mix together caramel topping and sweetened condensed milk until combined.
- While cake is still warm, poke holes in it with the back of a wooden spoon or with a fork. Pour caramel mixture over cake slowly, allowing it to absorb.
- Allow cake to cool completely.
- When cake is cooled, in a large mixing bowl, add the whipped topping. Fold in half of the chopped Butterfingers. Spread on cooled cake.
- Top cake with remaining Butterfingers and a chocolate syrup drizzle.
Notes
- You can use whatever cake mix you'd like! Any brand, any flavor. Pick your favorite, and follow the directions.
- Remember to thaw your whipped topping ahead of time! Otherwise, it will not fully infuse into the poke cake, and it just won't work out as deliciously.
- Be sure to drizzle your caramel mixture while the cake is still warm, because it absorbs best this way.
- Substitute your favorite candies! This is a great recipe to use up any lingering Halloween candy. M&M's, Snicker's, KitKat, Twix,... Chop up all your favorites and toss them in!
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezer Directions: Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight, and serve when fully thawed!
Nutrition
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Traci says
Whoah! Delicious, easy, and not going to make it beyond two hours once it gets served. Thanks for another winner!
veenaazmanov says
So delicious and yet so easy and a special weekend dessert. Love the name too. Chocolaty, moist, mouth melting and best toppings and frostings too.
Dannii says
This cake looks amazing. So light and fluffy.
Cate says
Wow this cake looks absolutely delicious! Love butterfinger flavors and this looks great.
Nathan says
Ok, this recipe looks downright dangerous. Can't wait to give this a try, Butterfingers are so underrated!
Jessie says
Butterfingers are one of my favorite candy bars and with chocolate cake!! I am going to need this soon!
Dannii says
This cake looks so light and fluffy. The frosting looks epic.
Chris Collins says
Now this is my kinda cake!! Can't wait to try out the recipe 🙂
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I'm glad you explained the butterfingers. We don't have anything like that in the UK. The nearest is a snickers bar. The cake sounds divine!
Jane Johnson says
Jacqueline you can also use a heath bar or skor (hard toffee bar covered in chocolate) both are delicious on top of this cake.
Emmeline says
This looks amazing!! I would love to make this but we don't have butterfingers in Sweden. I do think Twix as you suggested would be great for this as well - will have to try it out.
sfhyf says
deliscoise
Beth says
This cake is the best thing I have ever made in my life. I made this for dessert on Saturday. Here it is Monday, and we've already eaten the entire thing.
Natalie says
Wow, what an abeautiful cake. I love that caramel topping. Yum! I can't wait to bake this for my family. Thanks!
Linda says
What a quick and easy cake to make when I need a dessert! And all the wonderful flavors of chocolate, caramel, and butterfingers were enough to make me freeze most of the cake right away so I didn't eat the whole thing in one sitting. lol
Sandra says
What an absolutely delicious cake. The flavors combine beautifully and our entire family loved it.
Holley says
Holy Butterfinger goodness!!!!! I love Butterfingers and I love how easy this is to make!!
Anita says
This cake is so easy to put together, looks pretty, and the flavors are awesome. I super love the topping.
Tara says
Such a fun cake! Looks so decadent and I especially love the addition of all the butterfingers.
Boss Lady says
Wow. Looks so yum!! Thank you for sharing your recipes and contributing to by "bottom-line" LOL.
Are you from Kentucky??? with the Kentucky Derby pie and the Kentucky butter cake recipes I have to ask. I live in So. Indiana, a small town which is basically suburb of Louisville. :-). I am familiar with Derby Pie but haven't seen nor heard about the Butter cake - I LOVE butter, love love love butter especially the expensive Irish variety. I am so crazy In love i can eat it plain. ok, enough about that.
I also do love butterfinger bars and researched how i may make that center brittle type of candy and from what i found it is actually a molasses based candy - probably the "magic" ingredient.
I have yet to make it...
Michelle says
No, I'm not. But my husband's side of the family is from Paducah, KY.
I do love butterfingers too, so if you figure it out, I'd love to know!
Crystal Norville says
I leave out sweet condensed milk and use chocolate cool whip it’s a family staple
Mallory Farris says
Hands down the BEST cake I have ever eaten! My husband is a HUGE sweets lover, I'm not much of a baker, so when he requested a Butterfinger cake my heart dropped and off to Google I went. I searched through several recipes and found this one(the picture of the cake was my selling point) and I gave it a go.....and I am SO glad I did! I have made this cake serveral times in the past couple of months and each time, my husband and children absolutely rave about how amazing it is! My husband's buddy even requested one for his birthday! It is that GOOD!! Thank you for sharing this recipe! My nonbaking self appreciates it so very much!
Christine L says
Rich cake that was loved by everyone. Will definately make again,
Jeffrey Jennings says
Yummy , great recipe
W. Stewart says
Would like to make this cake a day before my birthday. Will it be too soggy if I leave in the refrigerator overnight and then put the cool whip and candy the next day?
Michelle says
Nope! That would be perfect!