Introduction

This Butterfinger Cake combines a rich chocolate base with a creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting, loaded with crunchy Butterfinger pieces for extra texture and flavor. It’s a perfect celebration cake that’s as stunning as it is addictive, sure to impress family and friends.

The image shows a round cake with four visible layers covered in light brown frosting that appears creamy with small chocolate bits mixed in. The top of the cake is coated with a thick, glossy dark chocolate ganache that drips slowly down the sides. On top of the ganache, there are eight swirled dollops of the same light brown frosting evenly spaced around the edge, each topped with a small piece of chocolate candy, some broken to reveal a soft inside. Crushed candy pieces are sprinkled over the ganache and the base of the cake, all set on a white plate against a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 ½ cups (300g) all purpose flour
⅓ cup (28g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter (1 stick, room temperature)
1 ½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
3 oz bittersweet chocolate baking bar (melted & cooled)
2 large eggs
1 cup (236ml) buttermilk
½ cup (118ml) hot tap water
8 oz (226g) cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter (2 sticks, room temperature)
1 cup (270g) creamy peanut butter
4 cups (454g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups finely chopped Butterfingers (divided)
1/3 cup (79ml) heavy whipping cream
¾ cup (129g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet preferred)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease two 8-inch springform pans with butter, including sides and bottoms, then line each pan with a parchment paper circle for easy removal. Set aside.
Step 2: Rough chop the bittersweet chocolate bar and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes, stirring and repeating until melted. Set aside to cool.
Step 3: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and cooled melted chocolate and beat for another 30 seconds.
Step 5: Add half of the buttermilk and beat for about 20 seconds. Then add half of the dry ingredients and mix. Add the remaining buttermilk and hot water, mixing just until combined, then add remaining dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined.
Step 6: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans (about 2 ½ cups per pan). If using, secure bake even strips around the pans.
Step 7: Bake on a center rack for 33–39 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 20–30 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool.
Step 8: For the frosting, beat together cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter on high speed for 2–3 minutes until smooth.
Step 9: Add 2 cups powdered sugar, beat on low until thick and combined. Add remaining powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, mixing on low.
Step 10: Fold in 1 cup chopped Butterfingers. If frosting is too thick, beat in an additional tablespoon of heavy cream or milk.
Step 11: For ganache, place chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20–30 seconds until cream bubbles. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Step 12: Level cooled cakes if needed. Spread a small amount of frosting on your cake plate to anchor the cake.
Step 13: Place one cake layer on the plate, spread ¾ to 1 cup frosting evenly over it. Top with second cake layer and cover top and sides with remaining frosting. Reserve ½ cup frosting for piping.
Step 14: Drizzle room-temperature ganache around cake edges, letting it drip down the sides, then fill and spread ganache evenly on top. Chill cake for 10 minutes to set ganache.
Step 15: Pipe reserved frosting around the edges with a large round tip. Decorate with remaining chopped Butterfingers.
Step 16: Slice and serve. Cover leftovers tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Tips & Variations

Use bake even strips on pans to promote an evenly baked cake with no doming.
For extra crunchy texture, lightly toast the chopped Butterfingers before adding to frosting.
If frosting feels too thick, add a bit of milk instead of cream for a lighter taste.
Substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark chocolate for a richer ganache.

Storage

Store leftover Butterfinger Cake covered tightly with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days but bring to room temperature before serving. Ganache may become firmer when chilled; warm slightly to soften.

How to Serve

A round cake with two visible layers covered in smooth light brown frosting with tiny bits inside, sitting on a white plate on a white marbled surface. On top of the cake, there is a thick dark brown chocolate glaze dripping down the sides unevenly. Eight swirls of light brown frosting are evenly spaced around the top edge, each topped with a piece of chocolate candy bar. Crushed bits of chocolate and toffee are scattered over the glaze and around the base of the cake, with a few pieces of the chocolate candy bar placed next to the cake on the plate. In the blurred background, there are glasses of milk on the white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular chocolate instead of bittersweet chocolate?

Yes, you can substitute with semi-sweet or dark chocolate bars if bittersweet is not available, but it may slightly change the flavor balance of the cake.

How do I prevent the ganache from running too much on the cake?

Ensure the ganache is cooled to room temperature before drizzling it on the cake. If it’s too warm, it will be too thin and run excessively. Chilling the cake slightly before adding ganache also helps control drips.