If you like toffee, you will love this Heath Bar Cake! The soft and tender homemade cake is topped with a toffee crumble. Whipped cream on top is a must!
Candy bars meet cake in this old fashioned recipe for Heath Bar Cake!
I love a good 13×9 inch cake recipe. Ding Dong Cake and Old Fashioned Banana Cake are two of my favorites. They’re just so easy to put together, transport, and serve to a crowd.
Now, this Heath Bar Cake recipe is high on my list of really delicious desserts made in a 13×9 inch pan.
I found the recipe in a 1970s church cookbook, so it’s been around for awhile! After a few simple tweaks (like swapping in Heath Bar bits instead of chopping the candy bars myself), it has come to life again 50 years later.
The cake is homemade, and employs an interesting technique of using a pastry crumble (butter, flour, and brown sugar) for the base. It creates a soft and tender cake, which is topped with a toffee crumble with walnuts for extra crunch.
It seemed fitting to use Cool Whip for topping the cake, but you can use whipped cream if you’d like. It really completes the cake!
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Top tips
- Make this cake easier by purchasing Heath toffee bits (already chopped). If you can’t find them, just use full-size Heath Bars and chop them yourself.
- Swap pecans for the walnuts, if you’d like.
- Don’t forget the whipped cream! It contrasts nicely with the soft cake and crunchy topping.
Ingredients
- This recipe uses brown sugar to create a moist, tender crumb for the cake.
- Flour and butter combine with the brown sugar to create a crumble for both the cake and the topping.
- The topping is made with Heath toffee bits and walnuts for lots of crunch! You can substitute 6 Heath candy bars (chopped) for the toffee bits if you’d like.
How to make Heath Bar Cake
The first step is to create a crumble. Part of it will be for the cake, and the other part will be for the topping.
Start by cutting one stick of butter into half-inch pieces.
Place the butter in a large bowl along with the flour and brown sugar. Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour and sugar until the butter is in pea-sized clumps.
Reserve 1 cup of the crumble, and set it aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla.
Stir the salt and baking soda into the crumble. Then pour in the egg/milk mixture. Stir gently just until combined.
The clumps of butter will still be there—that is ok!
Pour the cake batter into a greased 13×9 inch pan.
Place the reserved 1 cup of crumble in a large bowl, along with the walnuts and Heath toffee bits. Stir to combine.
Gently distribute the crumble mixture evenly over the cake batter. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the Heath Bar Cake cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Serve while warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Substitute 6 chopped Heath Bars for the Heath toffee bits.
You can omit the nuts and proceed with the recipe as directed. Or you can substitute another type of nut, such as chopped pecans, instead of the walnuts.
To freeze the cake, bake it as directed and let it cool. Cut into slices and transfer to a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost on the countertop at room temperature.
Storage and freezing instructions
Store Heath Bar Cake in a covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The crumble topping will get slightly softer as it sits.
You can also refrigerate the cake if you prefer.
To freeze the cake, cut it into slices and place in a freezer bag or freezer safe dish. Freeze for up to 1 month and defrost at room temperature.
Serving suggestions
Heath Bar Cake is pretty rich, so you’ll get at least 15 servings out of this cake.
Whipped cream on top is a must! You can also use Cool Whip. It contrasts really nicely with the tender cake and crunchy crumble.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Heath Bar Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 (8 oz) bag Heath bits (or 6 chopped Heath Bars)
- To serve: whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9 inch pan with cooking spray.
- Cut the butter into ½ inch pieces.
- Place the flour, brown sugar, and butter in a large bowl. Mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Reserve 1 cup for the topping.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, and milk.
- Add the salt and baking soda to the remaining brown sugar mixture. Stir to combine. Stir in the milk mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Mix the reserved crumbs with the walnuts and Heath toffee bits. Sprinkle over the cake batter.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before serving with whipped cream.
Nancy says
Hi Kate, Your Heath Bar Cake recipe is almost identical to one my husband’s grandmother used to make, except hers calls for 2 eggs. I’ve tried both versions recently, but the topping sinks into the cake and solidifies at the bottom. Any suggestions? I’m beginning to think his grandma might have baked the cake and topped it with the Heath Bar crumble after it was done.
Kate Shungu says
Hi Nancy! I love hearing how recipes have evolved over the years. 🙂 I’m stumped on what might be going on—it makes me think the cake might be too wet somehow? Are you using a glass measuring cup for the milk, and a large-sized egg?