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Chocolate Snickers Cake Recipe

★★★★★

4.4 from 77 reviews
  • Author: Lana
  • Total Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
  • Yield: 24 servings 1x

Description

This decadent Chocolate Snickers Cake combines rich, moist cocoa layers with a luscious peanut caramel, creamy peanut butter buttercream, and a glossy chocolate ganache. Topped with chopped peanuts and mini Snickers bars, it’s an indulgent treat perfect for chocolate and peanut butter lovers.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Cake Layers

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (310g)
  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (500g)
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (100g)
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (10g)
  • 2 tsp baking soda (12g)
  • 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water (300g)
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature (300g)
  • 2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil (150g)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature (168g)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)

Peanut Caramel

  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (120g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
  • 3/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped (110g)

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (339g)
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (250g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
  • 7 cups powdered sugar (904g or 2 lb. bag)
  • 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (160g)

Chocolate Ganache

  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (80g)
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (85g)

Decoration

  • 8 Mini Snickers bars, chopped
  • 1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped (75g)
  • Sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line four 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray sides with non-stick spray. If fewer than four pans, bake layers in batches.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift or whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk warm water, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
  4. Combine Batter: Gently whisk dry ingredients into wet until just smooth, avoiding overmixing.
  5. Bake Cake Layers: Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  6. Cool Cake Layers: Let pans cool 10 minutes. Slide spatula around edges to loosen. Freeze pans for 30 minutes to lock in moisture or cool fully on wire racks. Remove layers and level if desired.
  7. Make Peanut Caramel: In medium saucepan over medium heat, gradually add sugar in 1/4 cup increments, stirring until mostly dissolved and turning amber. Remove from heat, slowly stir in butter 2 tbsp at a time, then cream and salt. Cool to room temperature, then whip with mixer 1-2 minutes until lighter and thickened. Reserve 1/3 cup caramel in piping bag. Fold peanuts into remaining caramel.
  8. Prepare Peanut Butter Buttercream: Beat butter and peanut butter on medium-high speed until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar and heavy cream on low speed, scraping bowl as needed until desired consistency. Adjust cream or sugar to perfect texture. Reserve one-third of frosting in a piping bag.
  9. Assemble Cake: Place first cake layer on board, secure with a dab of buttercream. Spread even layer of buttercream on top, pipe a ring around edge, fill center with a third of peanut caramel. Repeat layers. Flip top layer upside down for easier frosting and less crumbs.
  10. Chill Cake: Refrigerate 20 minutes or freeze 10 minutes to firm layers and prevent sliding.
  11. Frost Cake: Use remaining buttercream to cover cake smoothly with bench scraper or offset spatula. Press chopped peanuts around base. Chill again until frosting is firm.
  12. Make Chocolate Ganache: Heat heavy cream in microwave until bubbles form. Pour over chocolate chips, let sit 1 minute, then stir smooth. Adjust consistency with more chocolate or cream if needed.
  13. Decorate Cake: Drizzle reserved caramel from piping bag around cake edges. Pour ganache over top, spreading gently over edges to create drips. Arrange chopped mini Snickers bars on top, sprinkle with sea salt, and serve.

Notes

  • You can bake fewer layers at a time if you don’t have four pans; let batter rest at room temperature between baking.
  • Freezing pans briefly after baking locks in moisture and improves cake texture.
  • If caramel hardens while mixing butter in, stir gently as it cools to reincorporate.
  • Adjust frosting thickness with cream or powdered sugar as needed.
  • Flip the top cake layer upside down to reduce crumbs while frosting.
  • Chilling the cake between steps helps achieve clean layers and easier decorating.
  • Use a piping bag for neat caramel drips; warm caramel if too stiff to pipe.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Chocolate cake, Snickers cake, peanut caramel, peanut butter frosting, chocolate ganache, dessert, layer cake, chocolate peanut butter cake

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Find it online: https://mealsbylana.com/chocolate-snickers-cake-recipe/