The Butterfinger Cake has been around since at least 1985, when it was first featured on the box of a Nestle Crunch Bar.
It’s an iconic dessert that combines two classic flavors—chocolate and peanut butter.
What Is The Recipe For A Butterfinger Cake?
Butterfinger cakes are made from chocolate cake batter mixed with a quarter cup (57 grams) of Butterfinger candy bars or other chocolate-covered peanuts.
The batter is then poured into greased cake pans and baked until set before being cooled completely.
Once cool, each layer is sliced horizontally to create two thin layers which are then stacked together, alternating between the chocolate cake and peanut butter filling.
After stacking, the entire cake is covered with a thick layer of creamy peanut butter icing, making sure not to cover all of the top surface area.
This creates a crisscross pattern of lines where the cake meets the icing.
Finally, the whole thing is dusted lightly with powdered sugar so as not to obscure the visual effect.
If this sounds like too much work, there are simpler ways to make your own Butterfinger cake.
You can use just one flavor of chocolate or even mix up your own combination using different flavors of chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
But if you’re looking for something more elaborate, here’s how to make a Butterfinger cake step by step.
How Do You Make A Butterfinger Cake?
A lot more than just chocolate and peanut butter go into making this delicious treat.
The Butterfinger Cake requires some advanced baking skills to get right.
But if done correctly, your family will be thrilled by its taste and texture.
Here’s what you need to know about how to bake this unique dessert.
- Ingredients: You can use any store-bought or homemade chocolate cake as long as it’s moist enough to hold together after cooling.
- If you don’t have one already, you might want to try using a boxed mix instead of a homemade version.
- Buttercream Frosting: A buttercream frosting with peanut butter flavor is key to creating the perfect Butterfinger experience.
- You can either buy one from the grocery store or make your own.
- For best results, follow these tips.
- Directions: First, preheat oven to 350 F (177 C).
- Then grease a 9×13 inch pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, then lightly coat the sides with flour.
- Next, cut the edges off the cake so they are square.
- Bake at 350 F (177 C) until cooked through, approximately 25 minutes.
- Cool completely before frosting.
What Are The Ingredients For A Butterfinger Cake?
You will need the following ingredients if you want to bake a Butterfinger cake:
- .25 ounces (71 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- .12 ounce (34 gram) package instant chocolate pudding mix
- .8 ounces (22 gram) cream cheese, room temperature
- .64 ounces (180 grams) confectioners sugar
- .4 ounces (11 gram) unsweetened cocoa powder
- .1 cup (100 ml) milk
- .3 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- .2 teaspoons baking soda
- .1 teaspoon salt
- .5 cups (250 grams) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
- .6 tablespoons (45 ml) creamy or crunchy peanut butter
- .3 ounces (85 g) Butterfinger bars
If you don’t have any Butterfingers handy, you can substitute mini white chocolate chips instead.
The total amount of fat should be equal to 1 cup (200 grams).
How Long Does It Take To Make A Butterfinger Cake?
You can find many recipes online for this delicious chocolate-peanut butter confection, but there isn’t much information about how long they actually take to prepare.
To start off, you need to make some basic chocolate cakes.
These cakes usually require one 9×13 pan or three 8 inch round pans (I used my favorite mini cupcake tin).
You will also need a stand mixer if your kitchen is anything like mine! I recommend using the paddle attachment because it makes mixing easier.
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup hot water
Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl then add wet ingredients and mix well until combined.
Spray your prepared pans with nonstick spray, pour the batter into each pan, and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F.
Once cooled, cut them into squares and enjoy!
What Is The Nutritional Value Of A Butterfinger Cake?
A traditional Butterfinger Cake is a rich chocolate cake topped with creamy peanut butter frosting.
The cake itself contains both peanuts (which have some fat) and chocolate chips.
You can find this combination in most grocery stores today, but you may not know how much nutrition these ingredients provide.
Nutrition Facts for Peanut Butter Frosting
- Fat: 20 grams
- Saturated Fat: 3 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Cholesterol: 11 milligrams
- Total Carbohydrate: 5 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 1 gram
- Protein: 2 grams
Nutrition Facts for Chocolate Chips
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Fats: 9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 4 grams
- Dietary fiber: 0 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Iron: 0.1 milligram
How Many Calories Are In A Butterfinger Cake?
A single slice of this chocolate-peanut butter confection contains about 300 calories, which makes it one of the most popular snack cakes available today.
In addition to its high caloric count, there are other reasons why Butterfingers are so delicious.
They contain 70% peanuts, which means you only have to eat half as much of them as you would any other type of nut.
Butterfingers also contain no trans fat or saturated fats, making them a healthy choice for anyone looking to cut down their intake of both types of unhealthy fats.
The Chocolate coating on the outside of each candy bar provides additional antioxidants and vitamins A and E.
However, these nutrients aren’t enough to make up for all of the sugar content in Butterfinger bars.
Each piece contains 21 grams of sugar, which isn’t a lot compared to some other treats like Oreos (which contain 30 grams per cookie) but still more than what your body needs.
It can be hard to resist those tempting little candies, especially if they look good and sound delicious.
But remember that although they taste great, there may not be anything else better for you!
What Is The History Of The Butterfinger Cake?
It’s no secret that the Butterfinger cake comes from an American candy bar called the Butterfinger, which debuted to much fanfare in 1965.
The candy bar features a chocolate coating with caramel swirls, a creamy center, and a whole milk chocolate shell.
While most people associate the Butterfinger cookie-bar with Halloween, they were actually released during the summer months.
Because of this, they became known as “summer treats.” But by the late 1970s, their popularity began to wane, so the company decided to change the name to the “Nestlé Crunch Bar” (the same name used on today’s version).
They eventually retired the old brand altogether in 1998.
As you can see, the original recipe for the Butterfinger cake came out of necessity because the new snack didn’t have enough sugar or other ingredients to make its own flavorings.
So instead, Nestlé created a cake using the ingredients from the candy bar itself!
Since then, the recipe has remained fairly consistent over time.
You won’t find any major changes between different versions, except perhaps the addition of more peanuts.
In fact, the only official Butterfinger cakes sold in stores are those that contain just one layer of chocolate and one layer of peanut butter.
If you want to add additional layers, you need to make your own.
Where Did The Recipe For The Butterfinger Cake Come From?
The Butterfinger Cake owes its existence to a confectionary company called Whelan’s.
The original Butterfinger Candy Bar was invented by James B.
Whelan Jr., who opened his first store in 1923.
He later created other chocolate-covered candies before retiring in 1961.
His son took over the business until he passed away in 1983.
Afterward, the Whelan family sold off their remaining interests in the brand to General Mills.
In 1993, General Mills decided to rebrand some of their products under new names.
They chose to keep the old name for one product, which they renamed “Butterfinger.”
The reason behind this decision hasn’t been documented in any official sources or interviews, but several people have claimed that there were legal issues involved.
For example, one person said that the trademark had already been registered by another confectionary company, so the use of the word “Butterfinger” would be considered confusingly similar.
Regardless of what actually happened, the company wanted to give the Butterfinger Candy Bar something different than just plain chocolate.
In the early 1990s, General Mills introduced a variety of mini chocolate bars with unique flavor profiles.
One of these was the Chocolate Mint Bar, which came out in 1991.
The idea for the Butterfinger Cake emerged soon after, as part of a marketing campaign tied to the release of the Chocolate Mint Bar.
(The Chocolate Mint Bar itself wasn’t available outside North America.)
According to reports from the time, the recipe for the Butterfinger Cake consisted of three main ingredients: Butterfingers, Cool Whip, and vanilla ice cream.
There are no exact details about how many servings each ingredient should make, although people have estimated that it could contain between four and six servings per layer.
The final result was supposed to look like a giant sandwich cookie covered in whipped topping.
But instead of being rectangular, it was square.
It seems that the Butterfinger Cake was originally intended only for promotional purposes.
The fact that it eventually became such a popular treat suggests otherwise.
When the Chocolate Mint Bar debuted, it quickly reached number five on the list of best-selling chocolates in the United States.
As of 2014, it remained among the top ten bestselling candies in the country.
Today, most Butterfinger cakes feature both Butterfingers and Cool Whip in the batter.
Some recipes even call for miniature Butterfinger pieces, which are often used to decorate the top of the cake.
Other variations exist, too.
How Popular Is The Butterfinger Cake?
In 2019 alone, the Butterfinger Cake ranked as one of the most-searched recipes on Google.
According to the website Food Network Kitchen, there are more than 1 million people who have searched for “Butterfinger Cake” in some form or another.
The popularity of this snack can be attributed to its versatility.
Whether you want something sweet or savory, warm or cold, you can find a version of the Butterfinger Cake that will suit your needs.
Sweet Butterfinger cakes
- A moist chocolate sponge topped with chocolate ganache (or cream cheese icing)
- An airy vanilla sponge filled with fluffy marshmallow creme
- A rich brownie cake baked in a 9×13 pan and covered with white chocolate fudge glaze
- A dense layer cake with a thick layer of creamy caramel filling between layers of chocolate cake
- Chocolate chip cookies dipped into melted chocolate then rolled in crushed Butterfingers
Savory Butterfinger cakes
- Crispy potato cakes layered with spicy chili sauce and garnished with crispy fried onions
- Bacon cheddar biscuits stacked high and drizzled with maple syrup
- Cheese grits topped with a slice of grilled chicken breast smothered in creamy butterfinger cheesecake dip
- Chicken parmesan pizza stuffed with cheesy breadsticks coated with butteredfinger dipping sauce
- Peanut butter-glazed ham served alongside a scooped out Butterfinger cake
Cold Butterfinger cakes
- A fluffy ice cream sandwich layered with whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs
- A frozen yogurt cup with a spoonful of chocolate fudge ripple sandwiched inside
- A bowl of creamy vanilla soft serve topped with a big scoop of Butterfinger cookie dough
- Frozen Butterfinger bars mixed with fresh strawberries and sprinkled with powdered sugar
Family-friendly Butterfinger cakes
- A large sheet cake studded with mini Butterfinger candies
- A family-size portion of chocolate cake slathered in homemade Marshmallow Fluff
- A triple layer red velvet cake baked in a 13 x 18 inch baking dish and decorated with a generous amount of Butterfinger sprinkles
- A giant batch of brownies topped with a scoop of vanilla bean gelato and finished with a scoop of Butterfinger Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Why Is The Butterfinger Cake So Popular?
The popularity of this cake comes down to three things: chocolate, peanut butter, and nostalgia.
The combination of these ingredients makes for a delicious treat that people love to eat and share.
- Chocolate + Peanut Butter = Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake | Food Network
It’s hard not to like chocolate and peanut butter together because they have such contrasting tastes.
But if you add them together into one dish, something magical happens! You get a delicious and indulgent dessert that everyone loves to enjoy.
You can find many recipes online that call for making Butterfinger cakes from scratch.
However, if you want to make your own Butterfinger cake, there are some tips that will help you get better results.
Tips for baking the perfect Butterfinger cake
There are a few tricks that you should know before starting to bake your very own Butterfinger cake.
First off, you need to use the right type of pan.
For best results, you should choose a non-stick 9 x 13 inch baking tray.
The reason behind this is that using a metal baking tin will cause the sides of your cake to be too thick, while a glass or plastic baking tin will give you a smoother top layer.
Next, you should ensure that your oven temperature matches up with the instructions given by the manufacturer.
If you don’t follow the instructions correctly, then you could end up with a burnt or undercooked cake.
Also, never leave the cake unattended during cooking as this could result in the whole thing burning out quickly.
If you’re going to create your own Butterfinger cake, then you may consider adding extra layers of icing onto the finished product.
This way, you can achieve a more even distribution of both the chocolate and peanut butter throughout the entire cake.
Another option would be to cover half of the cake with the traditional buttercream frosting and the other side with brownie batter.
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix
- Ingredients on the box to prepare cake eggs, oil, water
- 12 ounces caramel topping
- 12 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 5 regular-sized Butterfinger Bars chopped
- 12 ounces whipped topping thawed
- Chocolate syrup for garnish/decorating
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix and preparation ingredients according to package directions. Bake according to package directions in a 9″x13″ baking dish.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the caramel topping and sweetened condensed milk.
- Poke holes in the cake with the back of a wooden spoon or a fork while it is still warm. Allow the caramel mixture to soak into the cake slowly.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
- When the cake has cooled, combine it with the whipped topping in a large mixing bowl. Half of the chopped Butterfingers should be folded in. Spread over the cooled cake.
- Finish with the remaining Butterfingers and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
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Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.