There’s something magical about the combination of buttery toffee and tender cake that makes Heath bars irresistible. This homemade Heath Bar Cake captures all that nostalgic flavor while elevating it into an elegant dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. Unlike many recipes that rely on boxed mixes, this version is made completely from scratch with a rich brown sugar base and a gorgeous crumb topping.

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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The secret lies in building layers of flavor and texture. Starting with a brown sugar cake base creates deeper, more complex sweetness than white sugar alone. The crumb topping serves double duty as both a cake component and a finishing touch, while the Heath bar pieces provide delightful bursts of toffee crunch throughout every bite.
What Makes Heath Bar Cake So Good?
This fluffy cake is delicious. Its simple yet tasty vanilla base 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!
Ingredients
Crumb Topping Base:
- Butter – Creates rich, flaky texture when cold and worked into flour mixture
- Brown sugar – Provides molasses depth and helps create tender crumbs that won’t become too hard
- All-purpose flour – Forms structure for both crumb topping and cake base
Cake Enhancement:
- Baking soda – Provides lift and helps create a tender crumb structure in the brown sugar cake
- Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances the sweetness throughout the cake
- Vanilla extract – Adds aromatic depth that complements the toffee flavors beautifully
Binding Elements:
- Large egg – Provides structure rand ichness, and helps bind all ingredients together
- Milk – Creates tender texture and helps dissolve the brown sugar for even distribution
Flavor Additions:
- Chopped nuts – Add complementary crunch and nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with toffee
- Heath candy bars – Provide signature toffee flavor and satisfying textural contrast throughout
How to Make the Crumble Topping
- Combine the butter, flour, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
- The butter should be very cold and cut into small cubes.
- 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.
- Use the back of a fork or a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to break apart the block into a crumble, not crumbs.
- Reserve a cup of the crumble and place it in the fridge.
- Continue with the recipe with the remaining crumble.
How to Make Heath Bar Cake
- Add baking soda, salt, vanilla, egg, milk, and nuts to the crumble mixture.
- Pour the batter into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crumbs on top of the cake.
- Sprinkle crushed Heath bars on top.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature.
- Cut the cake into square slices and enjoy!
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
- To make it easier, you can purchase the health bar bits from your local grocery store. You can find them in the baking aisle. Standard-sized bars weigh 1.4 ounces, and the Health Bar bits come in an 8-oz bag. So, one bag is a few ounces less than 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 make this cake gluten-free by substituting the flour with your preferred alternative.
- If you want the cake batter to be more chocolaty, add chocolate chips. You can also include 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 plain toffee! You can also mix multiple types of candy bars 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!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Freezing: Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for several hours before serving.
- Room Temperature Storage: Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in airtight container for up to 3 days for optimal freshness.
- Reheating Method: Not typically necessary, but can warm individual pieces in microwave for 10-15 seconds if desired.
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Favorite Dessert Recipes
Check out my easy cake recipes and the best dessert recipes here on CopyKat!
And take a look at my other creative cakes on YouTube!
Heath Bar Cake Recipe from Scratch
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.
I love this cake, but the topping comes off when I cut it. What am I doing wrong?
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.
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!
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!
This sound so good! I will try this soon!
This sound so good! I will try this soon!