Butterfinger Layer Cake is made with rich, moist, chocolate cake layers filled with creamy peanut butter layers and topped with crushed Butterfinger candy bars for texture. It does not get any better than this scrumptious dessert! Unless you count the beautiful and deceptively easy pointillism piping technique that you can use to impress everyone! Watch the full video to see how easy it is!
How to Make This EASY Layer Cake
Make the Cake Layers
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Prepare your pans by greasing two 8-inch round cake pans and lining them with parchment paper. Lightly spray the top of the parchment with baking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, yolk, and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients with the mixer running on low.
- Continue mixing on low and slowly add the hot coffee until just combined. Turn off the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Mix again briefly to ensure an even mixture. I often have to mix in the last of the coffee by hand because this is a large amount of batter and is also very wet. If it begins to splash out of your mixing bowl, just stir in the coffee by hand.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly touched and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes and then remove from the pans. Cool on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
Make the Filling
- Cream the room-temperature cream cheese and peanut butter with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix until well incorporated.
- Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until completely combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Place the egg whites and granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to combine.
- Place the stand mixer bowl over a double boiler (a pan with simmering water) on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch and reaches 160°F.
- Place the bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins).
- Switch to the paddle attachment and slowly add the cubed butter. Mix until smooth and thick. This is the point that I ALWAYS think something is wrong and that my Swiss meringue buttercream is not going to come together. Just keep going! It will come together!
- Add vanilla and continue to whip until smooth.
- NOTE: This should be enough buttercream for this cake if you are not doing a lot of piping for decoration. If you need more icing, you can double this buttercream recipe.
Assemble and Decorate
- Torte the two layers of cake (cut them in half to make four thin layers – you can use a long knife or a cake leveler/slicer).
- Place one layer of cake on a cake board. Spread a layer of filling evenly, sprinkle crushed Butterfinger candy bar crumbs to cover the buttercream, and add another layer of cake. Then continue until you’ve stacked all the cake layers with filling and crushed candy bars in between.
- Apply a thin layer of buttercream on the sides and top of the cake and smooth out as much as possible. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes or the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up the buttercream.
- Decorate as desired. Watch the video to see how to make the pointillism piping technique!
- Cake must be stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
How to Make This Layer Cake Even Easier!
This cake is simple to use but there are a couple of different elements. If you need to save time, try one of these tricks to make this Butterfinger Layer Cake even faster and easier!
A Shortcut
A simple shortcut to making this Butterfinger Layer Cake is to use a boxed cake mix! There will be no judgment here!
I firmly believe that cake box mixes are still on the shelves of every grocery store in the world because they are just darn good!
Now, I know that some people will say that using a box mix is 'cheating' and that real bakers only bake from scratch. But that is just plain poppycock!
Some of the best bakeries use cake mixes every day. You can even make your own cake mix at home to keep on hand and make cake baking more accessible!
So use that store-bought cake mix! For this recipe, go for the Devil's Food Cake or Rich Chocolate Cake.
You can make a store-bought cake mix EVEN BETTER with a couple of tricks:
- Use room-temperature butter instead of oil. Use the same amount that the box calls for.
- Mix the dry cake mix and the room-temperature butter in the stand mixer for about 30 to 60 seconds. This is using the reverse creaming method that will give the cake a denser, more velvety crumb.
- Use whole milk instead of the water that is called for on the box.
- Add an extra egg i.e. if the box says to add 3 eggs, use 4 instead.
- For a richer flavor, add extra egg yolks. Two extra yolks will work!
Make the Elements Ahead of Time
Another way to save your sanity is to make each of the individual elements ahead of time. You can:
- Bake the cake layers, wrap them tightly in cling film and foil, and freeze the cake layers for up to three months.
- Make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream up to three days before you need to use it. Store it in the refrigerator and re-whip it before use.
- You can make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream up to one month before you need it. Place cling film on the surface of the buttercream to keep skin from forming, store in an airtight container, and freeze for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and re-whip it before using.
- Make the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Filling up to one week before you need it. Store it in the refrigerator for a week. Bring to room temperature before spreading on the cake layers.
Thaw all of the elements and then assemble them the day of serving or the day before.
How do You Store Butterfinger Layer Cake?
Butterfinger Layer Cake should be stored in the refrigerator. (Both the cream cheese peanut butter filling and the Swiss meringue buttercream need to be stored cold.) Bring the cake to room temperature before serving. Sitting on the counter for about 30 minutes should do it.
You can make each element and freeze them in air-tight containers until needed. Thaw them in the refrigerator and then assemble the cake. Make sure to re-whip the filling and buttercream after thawing but before assembling the layer cake.
You may also assemble the cake as described in the recipe and freeze on a cake plate, uncovered. Once the buttercream is frozen solid, wrap the cake in cling wrap and then in foil.
When ready to thaw, remove the foil and cling wrap while the cake is still frozen solid! If the buttercream begins to thaw while still wrapped, the piping decor will be removed with the cling wrap.
Pointillism Art on a Cake
Pointillism is a well-known art technique and, of course, it has made its way into cake decorating! It is easier than you would think to do, but I will warn you, your hand will cramp and you will need to take breaks!
Plan to take several breaks while doing this piping technique. Your hand will need breaks and the buttercream will be warmed by your hand and will need to be chilled a bit in the refrigerator.
There are details in the video below on how to transfer the design to your cake and how to accomplish a multi-colored design.
More Recipes That You Will Love!
Hello Dolly (Magic Bars) Bundt Cake
Butterfinger Layer Cake
Ingredients
Make the Cakes
- 220 grams 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 400 grams 2 cups granulated sugar
- 75 grams ¾ cups cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 240 mL 1 cup buttermilk
- 120 mL ½ cup coconut oil
- 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 240 mL 1 cup hot coffee
Make the Filling
- 226 grams 8-ounce block of cream cheese
- 180 grams ¾ cup of creamy peanut butter
- 125 grams 1 cup powdered sugar
- 8 ounces whipped cream store-bought or homemade
- 2 Butterfinger Candy Bars crushed into small pieces
Make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 3 large egg whites at room temperature
- 150 grams ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 226 grams 1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed, cool but not cold
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cakes
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper and lightly spray top of parchment.
- Into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if using a hand mixer, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, yolk and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients with the mixer running on low.
- Continue mixing on low and slowly add the hot coffee until just combined. Turn off the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Mix again briefly to ensure an even mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly touched and a cake tested comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes and then remove from pans. Cool on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
Make the Filling
- Cream the cream cheese and peanut butter with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix until well incorporated.
- Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture until completely combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to combine.
- Place bowl over a double boiler (a pan with simmering water) on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch and reaches 160°.
- Place the bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins).
- Switch to mixer to the paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
- Add vanilla and continue to whip until smooth.
- NOTE: This should be enough buttercream for this cake if you are not doing a lot of piping for decoration. If you need more icing, you can double this buttercream recipe.
Assemble and Decorate
- Torte the two layers of cake (cut them in half to make for thin layers – you can use a long knife or a cake leveler/slicer).
- Place one layer of cake on a cake board. Spread a layer of filling on evenly, sprinkle crushed Butterfinger candy bar crumbs to cover the buttercream, add another layer of cake, and then continue until you’ve stacked all the cake layers with filling and crushed candy bars in between.
- Apply a thin layer of buttercream on the sides and top of cake and smooth out as much as possible. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes or the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up the buttercream.
- Decorate as desired. Watch the video to see how to make the pointillism piping technique!
- Cake must be stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
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