Butterfinger Cake*

Poke cakes are the ultimate party trick, and this one goes all in on the Butterfinger theme. A German chocolate cake baked in a 9×13 pan gets stabbed with holes while still hot, then drenched in butterscotch ice cream topping that seeps down into every crevice. That warm soak is what makes each bite impossibly moist.

Once cooled, the topping is a mix of crushed Butterfinger bars and chopped pecans folded into whipped topping. The combination of crunchy peanut-buttery candy shards, toasted pecans, and fluffy whipped cream against that soaked chocolate cake is ridiculous. Reserve some crushed Butterfinger for the top so everyone knows what they’re in for.

This cake actually gets better after a night in the fridge. The butterscotch continues to soak in and the flavors meld.

Chef Tips

• Poke the holes while the cake is still hot. The warm cake absorbs the butterscotch topping much better than a cooled one.
• Use the handle end of a wooden spoon for poking. It makes wider holes than a toothpick, so more topping gets inside.
• Crush the Butterfinger bars in their wrappers with a rolling pin. Less mess, more even pieces.
• Cool the cake completely before adding the whipped topping or it will melt and slide off.

Variations

• Use chocolate cake mix instead of German chocolate for a darker, more intense base.
• Swap butterscotch topping for caramel sauce for a deeper, richer soak.
• Try crushed Heath bars or Snickers instead of Butterfinger for a different candy bar twist.