Hershey Bar Cake
A birthday party or potluck dessert table always seems to need one deeply chocolate cake, and this one earns its place by melting eight Hershey bars straight into the batter. The result is a dense, rich bundt cake with chopped pecans folded through the crumb. Buttermilk keeps the texture moist rather than dry, and the whole thing comes together with a short ingredient list and no fancy technique. It bakes for 90 minutes and needs nothing more than a dusting of powdered sugar or a simple frosting to finish.
Add this site as a preferred Google source!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This cake starts the way most butter cakes do, by creaming butter and sugar, then beating in eggs one at a time. What sets it apart is the melted Hershey’s milk chocolate bars folded into the batter, along with buttermilk and flour, which give the cake its deep chocolate flavor and moist crumb.
Chopped pecans are stirred in at the end, then the batter bakes low and slow in a bundt pan for 90 minutes. The long bake time at a moderate 325°F lets the dense batter cook through evenly without drying out the edges.
Why this recipe works
Melting real chocolate bars into the batter, rather than relying on cocoa powder, gives the cake a richer flavor and a moister crumb since the bars contain cocoa butter along with sugar and milk solids. Buttermilk adds tang and reacts with the baking soda to keep the crumb tender despite the cake’s density. Creaming the butter and sugar first, then adding eggs one at a time, builds structure so the cake holds together in a Bundt pan rather than collapsing. The 90-minute bake at 325°F is slower than a typical cake, which suits the dense, chocolate-heavy batter.
Hershey Cake Recipe Ingredients
Another wonderful thing about this delicious chocolate cake recipe is that you do not need any crazy ingredients! You should already have everything you need.
Here’s a list of what you need for a Hershey Candy Bar Cake:
- Butter – Creamed with sugar to build the base structure and richness of the cake.
- Sugar – Sweetens the batter and helps create a tender crumb when creamed with the butter.
- Eggs – Bind the batter and add structure as they are beaten in one at a time.
- Hershey’s milk chocolate bars – Melted and folded into the batter for the cake’s signature deep chocolate flavor.
- Baking soda – Reacts with the buttermilk to help the dense batter rise.
- Buttermilk – Adds tang and keeps the crumb moist despite the cake’s density.
- All-purpose flour – Provides the structure that holds the batter together in the bundt pan.
- Vanilla extract – Rounds out the chocolate flavor with warm background notes.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness of the chocolate and sugar.
- Chopped pecans – Add crunch and nutty flavor throughout the crumb.
Ingredient Notes
- No buttermilk on hand? Stir 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Toss the chopped pecans with a little flour before folding them in; this helps keep them suspended in the batter instead of sinking to the bottom.
- Use room temperature butter and eggs so the batter creams smoothly and mixes evenly.
How to Make a Hershey Candy Bar Cake
- Start by creaming the butter and sugar together. Then you’ll add one egg at a time.
- Melt the chocolate and gradually add it to the creamed mixture.
- Add the buttermilk and flour, and then stir in the vanilla extract, salt, and the chopped pecans.
- Pour the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake the cake for 90 minutes at 325 degrees.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Freezer Storage: Recommended. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Refrigerator Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Reheating Method: This cake is best served at room temperature; a slice can be warmed in the microwave for about 10 seconds if a softer bite is preferred.
Best Frosting for Hershey Bar Cake
You can pair this cake with a few different cakes, depending on your favorite flavors. I love pairing this with either peanut butter frosting or cream cheese frosting.
You can also sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar or drizzle some Hershey’s chocolate syrup on top.
Love to bake cakes? Try these recipes!
- Ambrosia Cake
- Angel Food Pineapple Cake
- Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
- Double Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake
- Heath Bar Cake
- Italian Lemon Cream Cake
- Jello Poke Cake
- Pistachio Cake
- Sock It To Me Cake
- Zucchini Cake
Favorite Chocolate Dessert Recipes
Check out more of my easy cake recipes and the best family dessert recipes here on CopyKat!
Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Hershey Bar Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened + extra for Bundt pan
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 8 1.55-ounce Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Grease and flour a Bundt pan.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, beating after each addition.
- Melt the Hershey bars. Add a little melted chocolate to the egg mixture and beat. Continue to add chocolate and beat until it is all combined.
- Add the buttermilk and flour alternately. Stir in the vanilla, salt, and pecans. (I dust my pecans with a little flour to help keep them suspended throughout the cake, rather than sinking to the bottom.)
- Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 90 minutes.
How long would you bake it in 9×13 pan? 90 minutes seems very long for the bundt cake to cook?
This should take about 40 to 45 minutes to bake in a 9 x 13-inch pan.
What size of pan does this cake make?
I have made this with a tube pan, so that is an angel food cake pan. You could also use a 9 x 13 inch pan, or two 8 inch round pans.
erm…i live in london and so do not know what or how much 8 hershey bars are, so could you please tell me the weight, since i would love to try this recipe! 🙂
what are the ounce size for the hershey bars?
These are your normal single serving full size candy bars.