Name: Kit Kat Candy Bar Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 box chocolate cake mix, prepared according to package instructions (I used Pillsbury) (15.25 ounce ); 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick); 16 ounces chocolate fudge frosting (I used Pillsbury); 3 3/4 cup powdered sugar (1 pound); 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons heavy cream (more if needed); 11 1.5 ounce Kit Kat candy bars (you'll need 42 sticks total); 2 bags M&M's (I used 19.20 ounce bags); 12- inch cake board; Ribbon of your choice ((I found mine at the dollar store))

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Kit Kat Candy Bar Cake is a chocolate layer cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, surrounded by Kit Kat candy bars, then topped with M&M's and tied with a big bow for a festive, fun party cake!

I have been wanting to make this cake for the longest time. And I finally had the perfect occasion.

I was asked to donate a cake for a charity golf tournament over the weekend. The cake would be auctioned off to raise money for a young man named Trent Jones who was in an automobile accident and is now a quadriplegic. (Click here to learn more about his story and donate to his injury fund.)

A cake that was extra special!

Kit Kat Candy Bar Cake is a chocolate frosted chocolate layer cake, surrounded by over 40 Kit Kat bars, topped with 2 large bags of M&M's and wrapped with a beautiful ribbon that's tied in a bow. Not only is it completely delicious, it also traveled well. Since the frosting was covered by the candy, it was easy to wrap it up in clear plastic (gift basket style) and display on the auction table.

If you haven't noticed, I have a thing for M&M's. I love baking with them! They're so colorful. And not to mention, super yummy!

Needless to say, the cake was a hit! I will definitely be making a Kit Kat Candy Bar Cake again when I need to bake something festive. It would be perfect for any holiday. In fact, it would be so cute using limited edition M&M's for various holidays and adding coordinating ribbon colors. I'm already thinking Halloween, what do you think?

How to Make a Kit Kat Candy Bar Cake

Step 1: Line cake pans with parchment paper

The first thing I always do when baking a cake is cut parchment paper to line the bottom. I simply place the pan on top of the paper, trace the shape of the pan onto the paper with a permanent marker and cut it out. I cut about an ⅛" inside the line to make it fit perfectly. Then spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spray on the bottom and sides of pan. Place the paper liner, then spray more on top of the liner. That baby will not be sticking to your pan. No way, no how!

Step 2: Bake the cake

Since this cake is sort of umm... EPIC, I thought it would be a good idea to just use a cake mix. You know, to save some time. Feel free to use your favorite chocolate cake recipe, if you're feeling ambitious. I used two 9-inch round cake pans and divided the batter from one cake mix equally between the two pans. Then baked them according to the package instructions.

Step 3: Freeze the cakes

After the cakes are baked and cooled, cover and freeze for about an hour. They're easier to work with that way. Then they need to be leveled. Using a large bread knife, slice horizontally across the top of each cake, just so you can remove the dome like shape.

Step 4: Make the frosting

For the frosting, I used a little short cut. Let's call it semi-homemade chocolate frosting. Start by adding one can of chocolate fudge frosting (I used Pillsbury) to a large mixing bowl. Then add 1 stick of softened butter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for about a minute. With the mixer on low, gradually add half a bag of powdered sugar and ¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Once all is combined, turn up to medium and beat for 2 minutes.

Note: If you want to make homemade, try this recipe: The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Step 5: Frost the cake & add the candy bars

Place one cake on a 12-inch cake board or large round plate. Frost the first layer, then add the second layer and spread frosting all over the cake. After you unwrap all of the Kit Kat bars (it takes a little bit of time, be patient), then you can start pressing them into the side of the cake. If the icing has formed a crust, then you will need to take a butter knife and rough up the edges a bit to get the candy bar to stick. Place the Kit Kat Bars side by side, all the way around the cake. I used about 11 Kit Kat bars or 42 sections.

And voila! Your candy bar cake fence is complete. You should be left with about an inch and a half of vertical space to add your M&M's.

Step 6: Tie a ribbon around cake, add M&M's

Before adding the M&M's, carefully wrap a ribbon around the cake and tie in a bow. To measure the ribbon, I used a very technical method. I eyeballed it!

Then I used almost two entire large bags of M&M's to fill the cake. Each bag was 19.20 ounces. If you wanted to get fancy, you could color coordinate your ribbon and your M&M's by going to the candy store and picking out your own custom colors. Like for a baby girl shower, you could use pink ribbon and several shades of pink and white M&M's. Of course, the M&M's are more expensive that way.

What Kit Kat Candy Bar Cake color combination would you like best? Let me know in the comments. I love hearing from you! 🙂

Tools for success

KitchenAid Mixer

Bench Scraper - For smoothing frosting on sides of cake.

Cake Turntable with Icing Spatula

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