Photo: Candy Bar Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 12-ounce frozen pound cake
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 1-pound box confectioners' sugar
- 3/4 cup salted roasted peanuts
- 2 cups dulce de leche
For the coating:
- 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions
Assemble the cake: Trim 1/2 inch off the short ends of the pound cake, then trim the domed top to make it flat. Stand the cake on its side and slice in half horizontally to make two equal-size rectangles.
Microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring until melted. Beat the butter, 3 tablespoons milk and the confectioners' sugar with a mixer. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add more milk, if needed, to make the frosting spreadable.
Lay the cake rectangles on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread some of the frosting on one short end of each cake and press together to form a long rectangle. (You can slide a thin piece of cardboard under the cake for moving to a platter later.)
Spread the remaining frosting on the cake in a 1-inch-thick layer, making the edges slightly higher than the center. Smooth the top and sides with an offset spatula. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
Mix the peanuts and dulce de leche in a bowl.
Remove the cake from the freezer. Spread the peanut mixture on the frosting in a flat, even layer. Freeze until the dulce de leche is firm, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the chocolate coating: Microwave the chocolate and butter in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth.
Pour the chocolate on the cake and spread it evenly over the top and sides with an offset spatula. Freeze until the chocolate cools slightly, 6 to 8 minutes.
Starting at a short end of the cake, dip the edge of an offset spatula into the chocolate at an angle and gently pull up, repeating along the top of the cake to create a wave pattern. Chill 10 minutes before serving.
Photograph by Kat Teutsch
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By evelyn11258064
Baltimore, MD
on October 08, 2012
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This cake was fun to make and it taste great. The cake is very sweet so I would steer clear if you don’t have a huge sweet tooth. I do have two helpful hints. If you can't find pre-made dulce de leche in can you can make it on stop of the stove. Simply boil a can of sweetened condensed milk for five hours. It might have a few lumps but simply beat it out with the mixer. If you want your cake to really look like the picture, make sure you hollow out the chocolate butter layer before putting on the peanut/dulce layer.
By diana.johnson68
Macclenny, FL
on October 05, 2012
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I made this for my daughter's birthday and everyone raved about how delicious and beautiful it was. Definitely a keeper.
By DeeDee5973
Indiana
on May 08, 2012
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Tasty or not, isn't the question, it is. I found this not as easy as everyone claims. In my case, the frosting for the center would not make 1". It was more like ½”. I'd double the amount of ingredients for that step. I recommend your dulce de leche be cool and not at room temperature. The problem was the weight of the peanuts pulled the sauce down; the boat where you set the edges of the frosting higher than the center - wasn't much of a barrier. Third thing: the chocolate that is poured over the top of the cake and spread along the sides -this didn't go over too bad, but there was not enough to truly give the cake the clean look of a candy bar that the photo promises. I'd double the supplies needed. Also take note that while pouring warm chocolate over the caramel sauce, you're introducing heat to the firmed cake, this causes the caramel to rise in temperature and then it is melting down the sides again. I will probably make this again, but only with the above changes.
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