Mary's Milky Way Cake

This bundt cake hides its secret in plain sight: Milky Way candy bars, melted down with butter and stirred straight into the batter. As they melt, the caramel, nougat and milk chocolate blend into the cake, giving it a deep candy-bar flavor and a remarkably moist, tender crumb.

Buttermilk does its usual magic, keeping things soft and adding a faint tang that balances all that sweetness, while a cup of coarsely chopped pecans folds in for buttery crunch.

Baked in a bundt pan until a tester comes clean, it turns out so rich and flavorful it needs no frosting, though a simple glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar never hurts. Cool it in the pan before turning out so it releases in one clean piece.

Chef Tips

• Melt the candy bars gently in a double boiler and let the mixture cool before adding it, so it doesn’t cook the eggs or seize.
• Grease and flour the bundt pan thoroughly, into every crevice, so the cake releases cleanly.
• Don’t overbake. Pull it the moment a tester comes out clean, since this cake is best moist.
• Cool 15 minutes in the pan as directed before turning out, so it firms enough to hold its shape.

Variations

• Use Snickers or another caramel candy bar for a different candy-bar cake.
• Drizzle with a chocolate or caramel glaze for extra decadence.
• Swap the pecans for walnuts, or leave the nuts out entirely.