Milky Way cake is a rich chocolate and caramel cake; made from scratch with melted Milky Way candy bars and instead of frosting is topped with an easy milk chocolate ganache.
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This candy bar cake is a perfect homemade cake for any kind of celebration. It is a great alternative from a layer cake and bakes up in a bundt pan. It's a perfect birthday cake for someone like my dad or friend Jenny, that don't like a cake with frosting {can't relate, #teamfrostingforlife}!
Little side note ~ this recipe is one Mr. two sugar bugs made for me very early on in our dating days.💗
what is a milky way cake?
A Milky Way cake is the ultimate cake for people who love the nougat, caramel and chocolate flavor of this candy bar! The recipe uses melted candy bars in the cake batter and bakes up to a moist and buttery cake with a tender crumb.
ingredients needed for this candy bar cake
- Milky Way candy bars ~ give the cake the classic chocolate and caramel flavor profile.
- Unsalted butter {divided} ~ helps create the buttery and moist texture.
- Granulated sugar ~ for sweetness and structure.
- Large eggs ~ for structure.
- Buttermilk ~ helps to create the moist and tender crumb. I prefer using store bought buttermilk. You can make your own in a pinch {see this coconut cake recipe for how to}.
- Cake flour ~ contributes to the structure and tenderness of the cake.
- Baking soda ~ just a little to add some leavening.
- Kosher salt ~ to balance the sweet. If you only have table salt, use half the amount.
- Vanilla ~ for flavor.
- Heavy whipping cream {not shown} ~ for the ganache.
- Quality milk chocolate bar {not shown} ~ for the ganache. I like Callebaut, but Guittard, Scharffen Berger, Ghirardelli, Lindt and Baker's are other good choices.
how to make a milky way cake
Start by preheating the oven and melting together part of the butter and the milky way bars. It is best to use the double boiler method ~ place a glass {this set is my favorite for the kitchen} or metal bowl over the top of a simmering pot of water on the stovetop.
It takes about 10 minutes for the candy bars to fully melt and incorporate together with the butter. You might think the Milky Ways aren't ever going to give in, but after about 6 minutes, they start to melt. Start stirring consistently at this point and stir until the mixture becomes smooth. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the rest of the batter.
Next, measure the cake flour and THEN sift it together with the baking soda and set aside.
Now place the room temperature butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and cream it together with the kosher salt and granulated sugar. The ratio of sugar to butter is higher on the sugar, so it takes a good 10 minutes for the two ingredients to cream fully. Stop and scrape up and down the mixer bowl as needed.
Next add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each egg before adding the next. The batter will start to look quite fluffy after all the eggs have been added.
Then alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk. Do this in three additions of dry and two of wet, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Finally add in the vanilla and the melted milky way bars. When only a few larger pockets of flour are still showing, stop the mixer and use a spatula to finish mixing the batter.
how to prepare a bundt pan
I don't know about you, but I always get a little nervous making anything in a bundt pan! I have one pan that is more intricate and deeper and I have about a 75% rate of getting my bakes out of it successfully.
For this cake, I use a Nordic Ware bundt pan that I bought at Target. I butter the pan, making sure to get every surface covered in a light layer of butter {I use clean fingers to do this part}. Then add a little flour and turn and move the pan around until you get the flour distributed in a light and even layer. You can hold the pan upside down over the sink and tap it all around to remove any excess flour.
Some people swear by using shortening instead of butter. I have always used butter, but if shortening is more your comfort zone; go with it!
I've also found it's best to prepare the bundt pan just before adding the batter.
Next add the Milky Way cake batter to the prepared pan and bake until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
how to remove the cake from a bundt pan
Once the cake is baked, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. This is the sweet spot; the cake has cooled enough to not be too fragile, but not enough that the sugars have firmed up and will stick to the pan.
When the 10 minutes are up, place a wire cooling rack or plate over the bundt pan. Then gently flip the whole thing over while holding the pan and rack/plate over the top. If you are anything like me, you'll feel very awkward at this moment. One hand will be on the bundt pan and one on the rack/plate.
If the pan was greased properly, the cake should just slide right out once it's flipped over.
how to make the easy milk chocolate ganache
Instead of an icing or frosting, we will use an easy milk chocolate ganache for the cake topping.
Once the cake is cooling out of the bundt pan, make the ganache. Start by chopping a milk chocolate baking bar into small pieces and place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl.
Next place the heavy cream into a small sauce pan and heat until warm and just starting to simmer at the edges. Pour the heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes before stirring until a smooth ganache is formed.
Let the ganache sit for a few minutes until it has slightly cooled. Then pour the ganache over the top of the cake. Use a spatula or an off set spatula to lightly push the ganache over the edges. Garnish with some chopped pieces of Milky Way bars, if desired.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make this Milky Way Cake with Milk Chocolate Ganache. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more cake recipes to enjoy
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
Milky Way Cake with Milk Chocolate Ganache
A rich chocolate and caramel cake; made from scratch with melted Milky Way candy bars and topped with an easy milk chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
Milky Way Cake
- 5 Milky Way bars, chopped (260*g)
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in cubes (142g)
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons cake flour (360g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (142g)
- 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar (450g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk, room temperature ( mL)
- 2 ½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract
milk chocolate ganache**
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (60mL)
- 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped small (114g)
- 1-2 additional Milky Way candy bars, chopped for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- For the cake: preheat the oven to 350°F. Pull out your bundt pan, but don’t prepare it yet.
- Melt the chopped Milky Way candy bars and first 10 tablespoons of butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring off and on initially. The candy bars are slow to melt and you may feel like they will never give in! After about 5-7 minutes the bars start to melt enough that you can see the butter and candy bars coming together; start stirring constantly at this point. It takes about 10 minutes for the two to fully melt and become cohesive together. Once melted and combined, remove from the heat and set aside.
- Measure the cake flour, THEN sift it together with the baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached, cream the room temperature butter (10 tablespoons) on medium (speed 6 on KitchenAid) for 2 minutes. Then scrape up and down the bowl, add the granulated sugar and kosher salt and mix on medium (speed 6) until the mixture gets well incorporated, about 10 minutes. You will have to stop the mixer every few minutes and scrape the bowl.
- Once the butter and sugar are well creamed (about 10-12 minutes), add the eggs one at a time on medium-low (speed 4), mixing each egg until incorporated before adding the next. It takes about 30-45 seconds for each egg to incorporate.
- With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, then half the buttermilk, followed by the next ⅓ of flour. Stop and scrape up and down the bowl. Then add the second half of the buttermilk, followed by the final ⅓ of the flour. Mix until barely combined and several large streaks of flour remain. Then add the vanilla and melted Milky Way and butter mixture (give it a quick stir before adding). Mix on low until the mixture starts to come together, then turn off the mixer and finish stirring with a spatula until combined. I like to do this to avoid over mixing the batter.
- Generously butter a 12 cup bundt pan, making sure to get the butter on every nook and cranny of the interior surface. Then dust over the butter with flour (cake or all-purpose works here). Tap the flour around in the bundt, again making sure every surface of the butter is lightly coated in flour. You can also use a baking release spray here, if your pan advises it. I have a Nordic Ware pan and it recommends butter or shortening with flour or a baking spray containing flour, but not regular cooking spray.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 45-50 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes (set a timer!), then place a metal cooling rack over the top of the bundt pan and turn the pan over onto the cooling rack and release the cake. Allow the cake to cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before adding the chocolate ganache.
- For the milk chocolate ganache: Add the chopped milk chocolate to a heatproof glass or metal bowl. Heat the cream on the stovetop until just simmering around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, making sure it is completely submerged. Let the cream sit for 2 minutes without disturbing it. Gently stir the cream until it is fully combined with the milk chocolate and the result is a smooth ganache. Let the ganache sit for a few minutes, then pour over the top of the cake. Top with additional chopped Milky Way candy bars, if desired.
Notes
*Milky Way candy bars come in many different sizes; this recipe is based upon a standard size bar, which is about 52g. I provided the weight so you can use whatever variety of bars you have on hand. I bought the "2 packs", which makes each individual bar 51g.
**We like this cake with the glaze not fully covering the entire cake. If you want more glaze use 6 ounces (170g) of chocolate and 3 ounces of heavy cream (80mL).
The cake can be left covered at room temperature for up to two days. Alternately, you can refrigerate it, covered well, for up to 5-7 days. This cake also freezes well for 2-3 months; double wrap in plastic wrap and then place in a zip top bag. I freeze it glazed and with the candy bars on top. Allow to defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 445Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 190mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 1gSugar: 49gProtein: 5g
The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.
Lily
OMG I just saw this in your newsletter! Looks so delicious and indulgent. On my to-do list very soon!
Tasia
Yay! Thank you Lily! Definitely indulgent and oh-so-good!
Kathleen Pope
I now plan to hoard every Milky Way candy that my kids get if they go trick-or-treating this year! Oh my word, this looks amazing! Way to go Mr. Two Sugar Bugs!!
Tasia
Sounds like the perfect plan Kathleen! I'm pretty sure your boys would devour this buttery candy bar cake too!;-). Thank you!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I loved the simplicity of your homemade ganache... and it is absolutely perfect with those tasty little pieces of Milky Way bars on top!
Tasia
Thank you Heidi! The ganache is such an easy {and delicious} way to dress up a cake!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Fun fact. I realized I hadn't had, nor seen, Milky Way bars for so long (Basically since we moved to Canada.) So I assumed it's sold under a different name in Canada and here we go: it's called Mars bars everywhere else except the US. Of course I do love Mars,but I never realized that these two are the same thing (In my excuse, according to Mt.. Google, the caramel / nougat layers are slightly different.)
Anyway, this cake looks and sounds terrific! Loving the addition of Milky Way / Mars bars.
Tasia
Ah, yes! I always forget that candy bars are different based on where you live! I actually love to go shopping for candy when traveling to compare the differences to what we get in the US. Thank you Ben!
Irene
Exactly 🙂 In the Netherlands the bars in the recipe are also called Mars bars 🙂
Tasia
Hi Irene, thank you for sharing that information!
Josiah - DIY Thrill
This milky way cake is such a decadent treat, looks amazing!
Tasia
Thank you Josiah! It is definitely a decadent cake that is quite easy to make and always seems to disappear quickly!
Jayne
I would love to try this but don't have a bundt pan, is there an alternative. Thank you.
Tasia
Hi Jayne! You could use a tube pan {which should bake in about the same time} a 9x13 pan or two 9-inch rounds should also work. The bake time will be less if you go with the more traditional pans. I've not baked them in the other size pans, but think the time should be about half; maybe check them about 25-30 minutes into baking. Please let me know how it goes, happy baking!
2pots2cook
Wow ! My son loves Milky Ways ! This is going to be such a surprise for him !!!!!!!! Thank you so much Tasia and I wish you have a pleasant week end !
Tasia
Yay! I hope you get a chance to make this cake for your son Davorka, I know he will love the chocolate and caramel flavors that shine through!