Snickers Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream & Salted Peanut Caramel

If you love Snickers, you NEED to make this cake. 🤎 Think layers of soft, fudgy chocolate sponge, fluffy peanut butter Swiss meringue buttercream, thick salted peanut caramel and glossy chocolate ganache. It's everything you love about a Snickers bar, but turned into a show-stopping layer cake.

The chocolate sponge is rich without being too heavy, the peanut butter buttercream is smooth and slightly salty, and the homemade caramel is packed with crunchy peanuts. Add a layer of chocolate ganache and all your favourite Snickers-inspired decorations, and you've got a cake that's made for birthdays, celebrations or any occasion that calls for something extra special.

It has a few components, but each one can be prepared ahead of time. And trust me, that first slice with all the layers of chocolate, caramel and peanut butter is worth every step.

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What makes this Snickers cake so good?

• Soft, fudgy chocolate sponge: Cocoa powder, oil and hot coffee-infused water create a moist, rich chocolate cake with a tender crumb.

• Fluffy peanut butter buttercream: Swiss meringue buttercream keeps the frosting silky and balanced, while peanut butter adds that unmistakable Snickers flavour.

• Homemade salted peanut caramel: Deep golden caramel, buttery richness and crunchy salted peanuts make every bite taste like the real thing.

• Glossy chocolate ganache: A simple two-ingredient ganache adds another layer of chocolate and makes the perfect finishing touch.

• The ultimate celebration cake: With its contrasting textures and generous layers, this cake looks impressive and tastes even better.

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Ingredients you'll need

Chocolate sponge

• All-purpose flour: Gives the cake its structure.

• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the sponge and helps keep it moist.

• Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and provide structure.

• Full-fat milk: Adds moisture and richness.

• Vegetable oil: Keeps the sponge soft and moist for days.

• Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder for a deep chocolate flavour.

• Boiling water: Helps bloom the cocoa powder, bringing out its flavour and creating a thinner, moist cake batter.

• Baking powder and baking soda: Help the sponge rise and create a light texture.

• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavour.

• Instant espresso powder: Enhances the chocolate without making the cake taste strongly of coffee.

• Salt: Balances the sweetness.

Salted peanut caramel

• Granulated sugar: Melts into a deep golden caramel.

• Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps create a smooth caramel sauce.

• Heavy cream: Gives the caramel its creamy texture. Use cream with a fat content of around 35%.

• Salted peanuts: Add the crunch and salty flavour that make this cake taste like a Snickers bar.

• Salt and vanilla: Adjust to taste for a balanced, buttery caramel.

Peanut butter buttercream

• Swiss meringue buttercream: Creates a smooth, stable frosting that isn't overly sweet.

• Creamy peanut butter: Use a smooth, conventional peanut butter rather than a natural variety with separated oil, for the most consistent texture.

• Salt: Helps balance the sweetness and intensify the peanut flavour.

For the Swiss meringue buttercream, prepare one batch of your favourite recipe and add the peanut butter gradually until you reach your preferred flavour and consistency.

Chocolate ganache

• Dark chocolate: Choose a good-quality chocolate with around 50–70% cocoa for a rich finish.

• Heavy cream: Creates a smooth, glossy ganache that's easy to spread once cooled.

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A few tips before you start

Make the components ahead. The caramel and chocolate sponge can be made a day in advance. Store the sponge tightly wrapped once completely cool, and keep the caramel in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring the caramel back to a spreadable consistency before assembling.

Let everything cool completely. Warm cake, caramel or ganache can melt your buttercream and make the layers slide. The sponge should be completely cool, and the caramel and ganache should be thick but spreadable.

Be careful with the caramel. Melt the sugar over medium heat and avoid stirring excessively once it begins melting. When adding the butter and cream, the mixture will bubble vigorously, so use a sufficiently large saucepan and add them carefully.

Use a piping dam if needed. If your caramel is quite loose, pipe a ring of peanut butter buttercream around the edge of each cake layer before adding the caramel. This helps keep the filling contained and prevents it from squeezing out when you stack the cake.

Don't add hot peanut butter to the buttercream. If you gently melt the peanut butter to make it easier to mix in, let it cool to room temperature first. It should be fluid but not warm enough to soften the buttercream.

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Enjoy loves xx