Heath Bar Cake

Dive into the delightful world of homemade baking with this irresistible Heath Bar Cake! Made from scratch with simple, wholesome ingredients, this cake boasts a perfect balance of sweetness and texture.

It’s a moist and buttery brown sugar cake with a tender crumb. It’s elevated with the crunch of chopped nuts and the rich, toffee flavor of crushed Heath bars. All topped with a mouth-watering crumb topping. Bake it fresh, let the inviting aroma fill your kitchen, and enjoy a slice of homemade heaven!

slices of Heath bar cake


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Homemade Heath Bar Cake

What’s better than a homemade cake from scratch? No frosting is needed, you will top your cake with Heath candy bars.

There is something that is just somehow more sophisticated about the word “toffee” than the word “caramel.” Many kids were gobbling up Snickers and Whatchamacallit chocolate bars growing up, but it seemed only adults ate Heath bars.

Maybe it was the candy’s simplicity that kept kids away, or perhaps the blame rests on greedy parents who never told their children how delicious the bars were. For whatever reason, Heath bars remained the domain of folks who could see over the counter at the grocery store.

This Heath Bar Cake recipe recreates the flavor of the candy bar and then goes above and beyond by topping it with a layer of crushed candy. No matter when you discovered the joy of Heath bars, you are sure to love this cake. And, don’t be stingy. Go ahead and share this cake with the little ones. You can still keep the candy bars a secret!

What Makes Heath Bar Cake So Good?

This fluffy cake is delicious with a simple yet tasty vanilla base that allows the indulgent Heath Bar pieces to take center stage.

Additionally, the crumble topping makes it so unique that it might remind you of a fancier version of coffee cake. With the moist cake, sweet streusel, and crunchy toffee bits from the Heath Bar, this dessert tastes like a dream!

What Makes This Recipe Special?

Many Heath Bar Cake recipes are floating around on the internet, but most of them use a chocolate box cake mix and whipped cream with a sprinkling of Heath bar pieces on top. This recipe is very different. It is based on a classic crumble topping.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You can skip the cake mixes and impress your friends and family by easily making a delicious cake from scratch with this recipe. Often, people rely on pre-made mixes because they are super quick, but this recipe is quick, too; it only requires 10 minutes of preparation time, and you can easily mix it by hand.

Furthermore, homemade cake always has such a better flavor and texture than anything out of the box! I love that this cake doesn’t have frosting because it is so easy to serve. You can slice it and put it in goody bags or put it on a serving platter, and you don’t need to worry about icing melting or the cake becoming messy.

Lastly, It’s a treat that appeals to everyone, whether they prefer chocolate, vanilla, or nutty desserts, as this recipe has it all!

Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need:

  • Butter
  • Brown sugar
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Vanilla extract
  • Egg
  • Milk
  • Nuts
  • Heath candy bars
Heath bar cake ingredients

How to Make the Crumble Topping

  1. Combine the butter, flour, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
  2. The butter should be very cold and cut into small cubes.
  3. Quickly use your hands to push all the ingredients into a solid block. Make sure there are no dry bits on the bottom of the bowl or stuck to the outside of the block.
  4. Use the back of a fork or a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to break apart the block into a crumble, not crumbs.
  5. Reserve a cup of the crumble and place it in the fridge.
  6. Continue with the recipe with the remaining crumble.
Heath bar cake crumb mixture in a bowl

How to Make Heath Bar Cake

  1. Add baking soda, salt, vanilla, egg, milk, and nuts to the crumble mixture.
  2. Pour the batter into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly.
  3. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crumbs on top of the cake.
  4. Sprinkle crushed Heath bars on top.
Heath bar cake in a pan before baking
  1. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
  2. Let the cake cool to room temperature.
  3. Cut the cake into square slices and enjoy!
several slices of Heath bar cake

Tips for Making a Heath Bar Cake from Scratch

Keep the Heath bars in the freezer. Popping the chocolate bars in the freezer overnight makes them easier to break into small pieces. Place the frozen bars in a plastic bag and hit them with the back of a heavy spoon. Don’t smash the bars too hard. You want the pieces to be about the same size as your crumble.

Keep things light. Use a light-colored baking pan for this recipe. Darker pans will bake the cake faster and color the exterior, two things you don’t want in this recipe. If you only have dark-colored baking pans, there is no need to buy a new one for this recipe. All you need to do is wrap the outside of the entire pan with tinfoil with the shiny side facing out.

Recipe Variations

  • You can purchase the heath bar bits from your local grocery store to make it easier. You can find them in the baking aisle. Standard-sized bars are 1.4 ounces, and the Heath Bar bits come in an 8-oz bag. So, one bag is a few ounces less than what you need for this recipe. You can purchase two bags if you would rather have a surplus!
  • Did you know that Heath Bars are naturally gluten-free? You can easily make this cake gluten-free by substituting the flour with your preferred alternative flour.
  • Add some chocolate chips to the cake batter if you want it more chocolaty. You can also include other mixed-ins like shredded coconut, which tastes amazing with the Heath candy.
  • Experiment with different candy bars. For instance, use crushed Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, 100 Grand Bars, Snickers, or even plain toffee! You can also create a mix of multiple types of candy bars if you want to take it up a notch.

What to Serve with This Dessert

To make this cake more special, serve it with a dollop of whipped topping or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, toasted almonds, and chocolate syrup or caramel sauce. You can also enjoy it with fresh fruits, like strawberries, a dollop of Cool Whip, or simply with a cup of hot coffee!

How to Store This Cake

Keep the cake covered on the counter for 2-3 days. If you plan on storing it longer, let the cake cool completely and then wrap it well with plastic wrap and then again with aluminum foil. Store it flat in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow frozen Heath Bar Cake to thaw on the counter or in the refrigerator before eating.

overhead view of slices of Heath bar cake on parchment paper

Love homemade cakes? Try these recipes!

Favorite Dessert Recipes

Check out more of my easy cake recipes and the best dessert recipes here on CopyKat!

And take a look at my other creative cakes on YouTube!

slices of Heath bar cake

Heath Bar Cake

You have got to try this delicious Heath Bar cake with crumb topping. No cake mix or frosting is needed for this recipe.
5 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cake Recipes, Heath Bar Cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 170kcal

Ingredients

  • ¼ pound butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup nuts chopped
  • 8 Heath candy bars crushed

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Combine butter, brown sugar, and flour until the mixture is crumbly.
  • Set aside 1 cup of crumb mixture.
  • Add baking soda, salt, vanilla, egg, milk, and nuts.
  • Spread cake batter into a 9 x 13 pan.
  • Sprinkle reserved 1 cup of crumbs evenly over the batter.
  • Sprinkle crushed Heath bars on top.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
  • Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.8mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Stephanie Manley

      If the cake was warm you might want to wait a bit before cutting. If the cake was cold when you tried to do this, I would use a bread knife on this, that may help. It may also help if you dampen the knife before cutting.

  1. Patsy

    5 stars
    I’ve been making this recipe for many years, but mine calls for buttermilk instead of regular milk…either way, it’s delish!! Thanks for reminding me it’s time to make it again!

  2. Karen Pollard

    5 stars
    You can get milk chocolate Heath bar bits now which would make this a step easier. Going to bake this to take to my church quilting group on Monday!

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