I have a bit of an obsession with homemade snickers desserts and today’s Snickers Cake is the latest result of that obsession! A triple chocolate cake with homemade nougat filling, caramel buttercream frosting, and topped with silky chocolate ganache and chopped up Snickers. For true Snicker’s fans only!

Snickers Cake Recipe

Snickers are one of the few desserts my whole family agrees on, so it’s my go-to inspiration for when I have to prepare a dessert for a family get-together.

I’ve made Snickers ice cream, Snickers coffees, Snickers Salad, Homemade Snickers, Snickers Cheesecake, and Snickers Bark. But nothing quite as decadent and elaborate as today’s Snickers Cake!

This cake is three layers of chocolate cake sandwiched with a homemade nougat filling, covered in salted caramel buttercream frosting, and given a gorgeous drip-chocolate effect with a super simple homemade ganache. It is a decadent, amazing dessert that is way easier to make than it may sound!

While I often make my cakes from scratch, I wanted to focus on the nougat filling, caramel buttercream, and chocolate ganache, so I took a shortcake with doctored boxed cake mix. We are using some swaps to make the boxed cake mix ultra-luxurious, but you can just stick to the ingredients called for on the box, if desired.

We’re also making our lives easier by using a marshmallow creme in the nougat and pre-made salted caramel sauce in the buttercream frosting. This is a cake with a lot of different components to it, and these shortcuts reduce the likelihood of an element going wrong and ruining the whole cake.

There is nothing worse than spending hours on a cake only to have one small aspect overpower and ruin all of your efforts. That is NOT going to happen with this cake!

The cake layers can be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months, if desired, and the caramel buttercream can be prepared two days before assembling your cake, but it will need to be whipped again before scooping into piping bags. The nougat and the chocolate ganache need to be made the day of assembly so they don’t set up and get hard.

Snickers Cake Ingredients

For the chocolate cake:

Triple chocolate cake mix
- Plus ingredients called for on the box

Nougat filling

For the Caramel frosting:

Unsalted Butter, softened
Cream Cheese, softened
Salted Caramel Sauce
Powdered Icing Sugar

For the Chocolate Ganache:

For Garnishing:

Mini Snickers, cut in half
Unsalted Peanuts, chopped

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

Measuring cups and spoons
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Three 9″ round cake pans
One 10″ round cake board
1 squeeze bottle
1 large piping bag fitted with star tip <– a basic piping set will have all you need
1 large disposable piping bag
Cooling racks <– I have these stacking ones and I love that they don’t take up a lot of counter space while I’m baking

How to Make a Snickers Cake

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Prepare cake pans by greasing and lining with parchment paper or flouring, and set aside

Using an electric mixer, beat together the cake mix, eggs, milk and butter until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes.

Split the batter between the 3 pans and bake for 25 -30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

(You may need to rotate the pans in the oven to ensure even baking.)

Once baked, remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 2-3 minutes before overturning onto a cooling rack.

Nougat directions:

Place a large sauce pan over medium heat, and melt the butter.

Whisk in the sugar and evaporated milk until fully combined.

Bring mixture to a boil, about 3-4 minutes.

Turn heat to low and allow to cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and whisk in the marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, and vanilla until smooth.

Fold in the peanuts until combined

Set aside and allow the nougat to cool to room temperature.

Caramel Frosting Directions:

Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then add the salted caramel and powdered sugar and beat until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.

Scoop 1 cup of frosting into a disposable piping bag.

Scoop 1 cup of frosting into a a large piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Chocolate Ganache directions:

Using a small pot, heat up the heavy whipping cream over medium heat until it starts to simmer

Place the chocolate chips in a medium, heat-proof bowl (glass preferably).

Pour the hot heavy whipping cream over the chocolate chips and allow to sit for 1 minute.

Whisk until smooth then pour into a squeeze bottle, if using.

Allow to cool to room temperature.

Building the cake :

Using a cake leveler (or our viral cake floss method), cut the domes off the tops of the cakes to even out the layers

Place one cake layer onto the cake board.

Using the frosting in the disposable piping bag, pipe a thick ring of frosting around the edge of the cake, about 1″ deep.

Scoop 3/4 cup of the nougat into the center of the cake and smooth down with an offset spatula.

Place the second cake layer on top.

Pipe another frosting ring around the edge and add remaining nougat to the center. Smooth down with an offset spatula.

Place the third layer on top and using the remaining frosting, frost the entire cake.

(Note: you can do a crumb coat, but since you will be adding chocolate ganache drips, you don’t have to.)

Place the cake in your fridge for an hour to set.

Remove cake from fridge and (optionally) drizzle salted caramel topping over the edges, if desired. (I ended up not really liking the final look of this, but it is what is shown in the pictures.)

Using the chocolate ganache in the squeeze bottle, pipe drips on the sides of the cake.

(Alternatively, use a spoon and allow 1/2 teaspoon for each drip.)

After placing drips along all sides of the cake, cover the top of the cake with remaining ganache. Smooth down with an offset spatula.

Sprinkle the peanuts onto the top of the wet ganache.

Pipe dollops of frosting onto the cake using the star-tipped piping bag.

Cut the mini Snickers in half and place onto the frosting dollops.

Cut into slices and enjoy.

Pin this Homemade Snickers Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream:

Grab your free printable for our Snickers Cake recipe:

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Sugar, Spice and Glitter.

Yield: One 3-layer cake, 8-10 slices

Snickers Cake

Name: Snickers Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 1 h 18 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 2 boxes triple chocolate cake mix; 6 large eggs; 2 cups whole milk; 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1/2 cup unsalted butter; 2 cups sugar; 1/2 cup evaporated milk; 3 cups marshmallow creme fluff; 1/2 cup peanut butter; 3 cups unsalted peanuts, chopped; 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 12 oz cream cheese frosting, softened; 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce; 6 cups powdered icing sugar; 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips; 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream; Mini Snickers, cut in half; 1/2 cup chopped peanut topping

Three layers of chocolate cake with homemade nougat filling, salted caramel buttercream frosting, and chocolate ganache drips. This Snickers cake is a delicious chocolate caramel cake.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 28 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 18 minutes

Ingredients

For the chocolate cake:

2 boxes triple chocolate cake mix
6 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

For the Nougat filling:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 cups marshmallow creme fluff
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups unsalted peanuts, chopped

For the Caramel frosting:

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
12 oz cream cheese frosting, softened
1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
6 cups powdered icing sugar

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

For Garnishing:

Mini Snickers, cut in half
1/2 cup chopped peanut topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Prepare cake pans by greasing and lining with parchment paper or flouring, and set aside
Using an electric mixer, beat together the cake mix, eggs, milk and butter until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes.
Split the batter between the 3 pans and bake for 25 -30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
(You may need to rotate the pans in the oven to ensure even baking.)
Once baked, remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 2-3 minutes before overturning onto a cooling rack.

Nougat directions:

Place a large sauce pan over medium heat, and melt the butter.
Whisk in the sugar and evaporated milk until fully combined.
Bring mixture to a boil, about 3-4 minutes.
Turn heat to low and allow to cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and whisk in the marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, and vanilla until smooth.
Fold in the peanuts until combined
Set aside and allow the nougat to cool to room temperature.

Caramel Frosting Directions:

Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then add the salted caramel and powdered sugar and beat until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
Scoop 1 cup of frosting into a disposable piping bag.
Scoop 1 cup of frosting into a a large piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Chocolate Ganache directions:

Using a small pot, heat up the heavy whipping cream over medium heat until it starts to simmer
Place the chocolate chips in a medium, heat-proof bowl (glass preferably).
Pour the hot heavy whipping cream over the chocolate chips and allow to sit for 1 minute.
Whisk until smooth then pour into a squeeze bottle, if using.
Allow to cool to room temperature.

Building the cake :

Using a cake leveler (or our viral cake floss method), cut the domes off the tops of the cakes to even out the layers
Place one cake layer onto the cake board.
Using the frosting in the disposable piping bag, pipe a thick ring of frosting around the edge of the cake, about 1" deep.
Scoop 3/4 cup of the nougat into the center of the cake and smooth down with an offset spatula.
Place the second cake layer on top.
Pipe another frosting ring around the edge and add remaining nougat to the center. Smooth down with an offset spatula.
Place the third layer on top and using the remaining frosting, frost the entire cake.
(Note: you can do a crumb coat, but since you will be adding chocolate ganache drips, you don't have to.)
Place the cake in your fridge for an hour to set.
Remove cake from fridge and (optionally) drizzle salted caramel topping over the edges, if desired. (I ended up not really liking the final look of this, but it is what is shown in the pictures.)
Using the chocolate ganache in the squeeze bottle, pipe drips on the sides of the cake.
(Alternatively, use a spoon and allow 1/2 teaspoon for each drip.)
After placing drips along all sides of the cake, cover the top of the cake with remaining ganache. Smooth down with an offset spatula.
Sprinkle the peanuts onto the top of the wet ganache.
Pipe dollops of frosting onto the cake using the star-tipped piping bag.
Cut the mini Snickers in half and place onto the frosting dollops.
Cut into slices and enjoy.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1070Total Fat: 89gSaturated Fat: 41gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 41gCholesterol: 226mgSodium: 278mgCarbohydrates: 162gFiber: 6gSugar: 141gProtein: 20g

Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.

My lucky little brother will be enjoying this homemade Snickers cake as his birthday cake this year! It is the ultimate birthday cake for the Snickers fan in your life – or just a decadent treat to cap off your week!

For more delicious Snickers-inspired recipes, check out our Snickers Ice Cream or our Homemade Snickers Bars.

Snickers Cake