Heath Bar Cake

A rich chocolate cake soaked in butterscotch and sweetened condensed milk with creamy topping makes this amazing Heath Bar Cake recipe.

As good as a bakery cake, this poke cake is super easy to make. Start with a box mix and add four extra ingredients to create a memorable dessert.

Heath Bar Poke Cake Recipe

An easy dessert with gooey sauces added make a truly unforgettable poke cake.  This chocolate and toffee bar cake recipe is one of our most popular on Pinterest! 

In addition to this Heath Bar Poke Cake recipe, we have several great cakes from a box mix.  My absolute favorite is our Chocolate Cake With Pudding.  One of the reasons I prefer this toffee butterscotch cake is that rich chocolate base can be made and soaked in the rich flavorings a day ahead.

Growing up I was regularly involved in cooking and baking contests.  We collected as many community cookbooks as we could get our hands on and my mom’s hobby is pouring over the recipes.  This recipe as well as our Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake and Coconut Cake came from one of those fabulous 90s community cookbooks!

These are the type of recipes that I love and make regularly!  The first time I made this cake was to take along to the Easter celebration with my in-laws.  There were only two pieces left in the pan.  I almost wonder if my husband put the lid on the pan or hid it so that he could have a couple of pieces to enjoy at home?

We have a sister candy bar cake made out of Snickers Bars and sometimes crave this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake that’s also amazing.

Why This Butterscotch Poke Cake Recipe Works

• We love how special this cake tastes, but there is really not much effort involved.
• The chocolate poke cake is best made a day ahead to be able to absorb the butterscoth and condensed milk – frost with Cool Whip and add crushed Heath bars just before serving.
• Great to share with family and friends at Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and for a unique birthday cake that is always popular.
• This Heath bar dessert recipe is simple enough to memorize.

Heath Bar Cake Ingredients

• Box of Devil’s Food Cake Mix
• Eggs
• Oil
• Water
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Butterscotch Ice Cream Topping
• Frozen Whipped Topping
• Heath Candy Bars

How Do I Make a Cake More Moist?

This Heath Bar Cake from a box mix is so moist because of the added can of sweetened condensed milk and an added jar of butterscotch ice cream topping.  Poke holes in the baked cake and then pour the extra toppings over the top of the cake and allow them to soak in. 

Allowing at least an hour to soak in makes the cake so moist and delicious! The cake tastes super moist after 24 hours when given more time to soak up all the added goodness.

Another tip to keeping cake moister is covering the cake with foil immediately after removing it from the oven.  This will prevent moisture from escaping as the cake cools.

How Do I Make Store-Bought Cake Mix Better?

Adding extra ingredients to help enhance the flavors that you desire will make a basic cake mix taste so much better.  This Heath Bar Cake is really rich and moist with a sweet crunch from the Heath Bars on top.  The whipped topping is a perfect way to add additional texture and creaminess and perfectly compliments the richness that the sweetened condensed milk and butterscotch topping add.

We’re already planning what variations of this cake we’ll make next.  My husband thinks that Butterfinger Candy Bars would make another great option.  I think about any candy bar with a little bit of crunch would be fun to try.

It would be easy to try a variety of candy bars on a single cake by making strips with different flavors. 

How To Make A Heath Bar Cake

1.  Bake chocolate cake per directions on the box.  Poke holes over the entire top of cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
2. Pour condensed milk evenly over top of cake.  Allow milk to soak into the holes.  Repeat with the butterscotch topping.  Allow cake additional time to soak up all of the goodness in the toppings.
3. Spread whipped topping over the cake making it like frosting.
4. Crush Heath bars and sprinkle over top of cake.  Refrigerate for at least one hour and chill thoroughly before serving.

Step By Step Instructions

Make a box of Devil’s Food cake mix according to the directions on the box. Use a 9 x 13″ pan with a light coat of non-stick cooking spray.

Allow the cake to cool. Find a wooden spoon with a small, round end and poke several holes in the cake.

Pour a can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top. I like to use a mini spatula to clean out the can and jar.

The spatula is also great to help spread out the toppings more evenly.

Add a jar of butterscotch topping. We typically find that jars are higher quality than bottles and sometimes there’s a local brand of ice cream that makes premium toppings.

Cover tightly and chill through. This allows time for the toppings to be absorbed as well as creates a chilled base for the Cool Whip to rest on.

Finally sprinkle with a bag of English toffee bits or crumbled up Heath candy bars to add the final touch.

We use one and a half tubs of whipped topping. If you have an extra deep dish two tubs make a delicious frosting.

Store in the refrigerator and enjoy.

More Cake Recipes to Love

• Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake
• Glazed Rum Bundt Cake
• Milky Way Cake
• Banana Split Cake
• Chocolate Spice Cake

Originally shared on April 24, 2019 with updates made on November 29, 2023.