This decadent Hershey Bar Cake is the ultimate chocolate dessert. Not only is it rich and delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy to make, making it the perfect dessert for birthdays, holidays, or any celebration. Your guests will be coming back for seconds, so be sure to save this recipe!
Hershey Bar Cake Recipe
When you first look at this Hershey bar cake, there are several layers. I promise, each one has a purpose to make the best chocolate cake you’ve ever had. It has a luscious cream cheese frosting to cover the whole cake and a chocolate buttercream frosting to decorate the top. Not only is it loved for its taste, but it’s also a showstopper! I’ve impressed many family members and friends when I bring this cake to serve at a cookout or holiday party.
We love using candy bars as our inspiration in the kitchen! Our homemade Twix Cookies, Heath Bar Poke Cake and Snickers Pie Recipe are just a few of my favorites.
Why You’ll Love This Hershey Cake
- Easy to make. There may be several steps to make this cake recipe, but I promise it’s not difficult!
- Great to prepare ahead. Make this cake up to 48 hours ahead of serving and store it in the refrigerator.
- Budget-friendly. Several ingredients used are baking staples and are very inexpensive.
What You’ll Need
Below you will find the important ingredients needed for each layer of this showstopping Hershey bar cake. Take a look at the recipe card provided below for a complete list and measurements.
Chocolate Cake
- German chocolate cake mix: I love the German chocolate variety for this recipe because it has the perfect amount of flavor. Feel free to use any type of chocolate cake mix you want.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix: This adds so much moisture to the cake. It prevents it from having a crumbly, dry texture.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese: The tangy cream cheese prevents the frosting from being overly sweet. Ensure that you take it out at least 30 minutes ahead of time to soften. This prevents lumps.
- Cool Whip: To make it light and creamy, I fold in Cool Whip. It’s one of my favorite shortcuts.
- Sugar: I use a combination of granulated sugar and powdered sugar for the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Pecans: Chopped pecans add a subtle crunch to the frosting. I love the texture it adds to the cake layers.
- Hershey bars: To enforce the Hershey chocolate flavor, I add chopped Hershey bars as well. It also makes a great garnish!
Ganache
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Any good melting chocolate is perfect for the ganache. I prefer semi-sweet to add a little bitterness. Chocolate chips also melt a little faster!
- Heavy cream: This is a key ingredient to achieving a velvety chocolate ganache. It helps it set, too.
Chocolate frosting
- Butter: Ensure you let your butter soften for a bit at room temperature. I also like to use unsalted butter so it doesn’t have a salty taste.
- Cocoa powder: Adding cocoa powder adds the perfect amount of rich chocolatey flavor.
- Powdered sugar: For this frosting, I use only powdered sugar for sweetness.
- Heavy cream: I whip up heavy cream to add volume and creaminess to the chocolate frosting.
- Hershey bars and sprinkles: These are garnishes for the finished Hershey bar cake!
How To Make A Hershey Bar Cake
The basic part of the cake layers is from a boxed cake mix with a special ingredient mixed in: pudding! This makes the cake extra moist and will be a cake hack you’ll probably use all the time.
You will make this Hershey Bar cake extra tall by cutting your two round cakes in half to make four thin layers. To do this I highly recommend a cake slicer. Of course, you can do this with a bread knife if you’re up for it, but the cake slicer ensures the layers are even. I can never get them even with a knife! They’re usually at Walmart or a craft store and are under about $15.
Alternating your cake with frosting makes a moist cake that is absolutely delicious. Then we coat it with melted chocolate ganache and pieces of a Hershey bar! This cake is definitely worth every minute of work it takes to create it.
Below you will find that each component is separated into its own section to make it easier to make and combine into a delicious Hershey cake. The steps are super easy to follow, too!
To Make The Cake
- Prep the oven and cake pans. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two 9-inch round cake pans (or springform pans) with parchment. Then, spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the cake batter. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and water in a large mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients with a stand mixer or hand mixer until they are well combined.
- Transfer and bake. Divide the cake batter between each prepared pan. Put them in the oven and bake them for 35-45 minutes.
- Cool. Remove the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice. Once cooled, slice each cake into 2 layers with a cake slicer. Set them aside.
How To Make Cream Cheese Frosting
- Grate the chocolate. Grate some of the Hershey bars and set them in the fridge.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugars. Add the cream cheese and white sugar to a clean bowl. Beat the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Then, add the powdered sugar and mix well.
- Fold in the remaining ingredients. Fold in the Cool Whip, pecans, and grated chocolate.
To Make The Chocolate Ganache
- Heat the cream. Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until simmering.
- Combine the cream and chocolate. Put the chocolate chips into a large bowl and pour the hot cream over the top. Whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Transfer to a squeeze bottle. Carefully pour the ganache into a squeeze bottle and set it aside.
How To Make Chocolate Frosting
- Combine the ingredients. Add the butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream to the stand mixer bowl. Beat the ingredients until they are well combined and smooth. Transfer the chocolate frosting to a piping bag and set it aside.
Assembling
- Stack and frost the cake. Scoop some cream cheese frosting on the bottom cake layer and spread it evenly. Stack the remaining layers and add frosting in between each of them. Cover the outside of the cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting.
- Add the ganache. Drizzle the warm chocolate ganache on the edges of the cake, allowing it to drip down. Cover the top of the cake with the rest of the ganache.
- Let it cool. Allow the ganache to fully cool and set.
- Pipe the chocolate frosting. Pipe dollops of chocolate frosting all around the edge of the cake.
- Garnish. Alternate Hershey bars and sprinkles on each dollop of chocolate frosting.
Tips for Success
- Use a Ziploc bag for piping. If you don’t have a piping bag, you may place the chocolate frosting into a large zipper bag and cut off one of the tips.
- Try a bread knife. You may use a bread knife instead of a cake slicer but keep in mind that they won’t be as even as clean.
- Chill the bowls. When making the frosting, keep the mixing bowls in the refrigerator until you need them. When they are cold, it helps the cream whip the best.
Proper Storage
Store leftovers of this Hershey cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, you may leave it whole or slice it. Tightly cover the whole cake in plastic wrap and place it in a large freezer-safe bag. Do the same with smaller bags for the slices. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying them. Freeze for up to 2 months!
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
Hershey Bar Cake
Ingredients
Cake layers Ingredients
- 2 boxes German Chocolate cake mix
- 6.8 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix (I used 2 3.4-oz boxes)
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 1/2 cups water
Frosting Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 24 ounces cool whip
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups finely chopped pecans
- 2 Large Hershey chocolate bars
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3-5 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 6 mini hershey chocolate bars
- 1 container chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
Cake Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two 9 inch springform pans with parchment paper and spray with pam baking spray.
- Using a standing mixer, combine the cake mix, vanilla pudding, eggs, canola oil, and water and mix until combined.
- Divide batter between the two springform pans and bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
- Once baked, allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
Frosting Directions:
- Grate the Hershey chocolate bars and set aside.
- Using a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar for 5-10 minutes until combined. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.
- Fold in the cool whip, pecan chips, and grated chocolate. Mix until combined.
- Using a cake slicer, slice the two cakes into two layers each. You should have a total of 4 layers.
Chocolate Ganache Directions:
- Using a small sauce pan, heat up the heavy whipping cream until slightly simmering.
- Place the chocolate chips into a heat proof bowl.
- Pour the hot whipping cream into the bowl with the chocolate chips and whisk until smooth.
- Pour ganache into a squeeze bottle and set aside.
Cake Decorating Directions:
- Place one of the cake layers onto the cake board.
- Scoop two cups of the frosting onto the top of the cake. Smooth with a knife.
- Place the second layer onto the top of the first. Scoop another cup of frosting onto the cake and smooth.
- Repeat steps with the last two cake layers.
- Once the layers are stacked frost the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Using the chocolate ganache, drizzle around the top edge of the cake that way it drips down. Cover the top of the cake with the remaining chocolate ganache.
- Set aside so that the ganache can cool.
Chocolate frosting directions:
- Using a standing mixer, beat together the butter, cocoa, powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy whipping cream until smooth and thick.
- Add in a few tbsp of heavy whipping cream to thin out your frosting if its to thick.
- Scoop frosting into the piping bag. Pipe dollops of frosting around the top of the cake.
- Place Hershey bars on alternating dollops of frosting.
- Sprinkle the chocolate sprinkles onto the dollops of frosting that don’t have a Hershey bar.
Last Step:
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5 comments on “Hershey Bar Cake”
Can the whip cream be omitted?
Hi Amy. We have a recipe for homemade whipped cream that you could use. If not, I would probably try to modify into a cream cheese frosting by omitting the granulated sugar, adding more powdered sugar and butter.
I have made this several times and everyone loves it.
I do not use the granache because of the sugar overload, but that being said definitely a keeper
So, I noticed that they’re no comments for this recipe. If you all haven’t tried this, please do.
The cake layers came out so good, and moist from the vanilla pudding, and the frosting and decorating was simply easy as well. Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
So glad you loved it Glenda and thanks for sharing.