Soft peanut butter cake layers, crunchy Butterfinger filling, and creamy chocolate peanut butter buttercream make this Butterfinger cake a dream for chocolate and peanut butter lovers!
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One of my most vivid Halloween memories is of being 7 and asking my mom to inspect my candy for razor blades (because I was that kid) and her telling me it all looked fine except the Butterfingers, which she needed to confiscate.
I knew she was full of it but let her keep them anyway—it was the Snickers I really cared about. As I’ve grown, though, I’ve come to appreciate the Butterfinger for all its chocolate-and-peanut-butter deliciousness. Can one really go wrong with those two flavors?
No need to respond. The answer is clearly NO! In ALL CAPS. With that in mind I bring you this Butterfinger cake, an ode to one of my favorite candy bars. (After Payday and Snickers. And anything shaped like an Easter egg.)
Three layers of peanut butter cake sandwiching creamy, crunchy, Butterfinger-y filling and all of that topped with chocolate peanut butter buttercream. I ate way more than my share, gave away the rest, and now wish I’d kept just a smidge for myself to satisfy my afternoon sugar cravings.
So obviously I’ll be making another one of these soon. And I think you need to make one for yourself! Because I most likely will not be sharing this one. (OK, if you show up at my house I’ll share. Especially if you come bearing coffee.)
Why you’ll love this Butterfinger cake
- No need to break out the stand mixer! You can use a handheld mixer for this one
- It’s simple to make and doesn’t require any special skills
- It’s a great way to use up leftover Halloween candy!
Peanut butter cake, step by step
Start by combining water, butter, vegetable oil, and creamy peanut butter (don’t use natural pb!) in a saucepan. Heat until the butter and peanut butter have both melted and the mixture is smooth. Set that aside to cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, combine your dry ingredients (including the sugar) in a large mixing bowl and beat briefly to mix. Add eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla.
Beat that until the batter is smooth, then add the cooled peanut butter mixture—the peanut butter doesn’t need to be cold or anything; it just needs to have cooled down enough that you don’t scramble your eggs when you add it.
Beat that until smooth and divide between 3 8-inch round cake pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray AND lined with parchment paper.
Note: The second time I made this cake I was being lazy and didn’t line my cake pans with parchment. HUGE MISTAKE. Don’t be like me. Use the parchment so your cake layers come out of the pans intact.
Bake for about half an hour, then let the cake layers cool before proceeding with the recipe.
Butterfinger filling, step by step
The filling for this Butterfinger cake is so easy it’s ridiculous. It’s just a standard American buttercream with chopped up Butterfingers mixed in.
Combine butter, powdered sugar, a little milk, and some salt and beat until smooth. Add some chopped Butterfingers (from about 4 1/2 ounces of candy) and mix with a spatula to combine. That’s it. Set aside and make your frosting!
Chocolate peanut butter frosting, step by step
Beat unsalted butter and creamy peanut butter (again, don’t use natural) in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
Add cocoa powder and beat to combine. Add powdered sugar, milk, and some salt and beat until the frosting is smooth; don’t forget to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl periodically. And now you’re ready to assemble your Butterfinger cake. . .
Assembling your Butterfinger cake
Use a pastry bag and a large round tip to pipe a circle (or two) of frosting around the perimeter of one of your cake layers. Spread half of the filling into an even layer inside the circle; I like to use a small offset spatula for this.
Top with another cake layer, another circle of frosting, and the rest of the filling. Top with the final cake layer and frost the cake with the remaining chocolate peanut butter buttercream.
Baker’s tip: If you don’t have pastry bags and tips, you can just spread the filling over the cake layer without going all the way to the edge. This will prevent the filling from leaking out into the final coat of frosting; I just like to have some frosting inside the cake layers to act as a buffer and hold the filling in.
To decorate my cake, I used the same large round tip mentioned above to pipe dollops of frosting around the top of the finished cake. I also pressed chopped Butterfingers into the sides of the cake—I love covering a cake with sprinkles/cookie crumbs/candy/nuts because it hides any imperfections in the frosting. But decorate yours however you want! No matter what, your Butterfinger cake will be delicious.
Just don’t be surprised when you eat too much. . .and then have a moment where you never want to see another slice of cake. . .and then five minutes after that eat too much all over again.
I’m telling you: Butterfinger cake is highly addictive! Fair warning.
More layer cakes (in case you’re hungry)
Butterfinger Pie
Tuxedo Cake
Death by Chocolate Cake
Black and White Cake
Mango Coconut Cake
Did you make this Butterfinger cake? That’s great! Let me know what you think with a comment and a rating below. And post a pic on Instagram! Tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see! And like IBK on Facebook and follow on Pinterest for more delicious recipes.
Butterfinger cake combines peanut butter cake layers, Butterfinger filling, and chocolate peanut butter frosting to make a delicious chocolate-y and peanut butter-y cake!
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter don’t use natural
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup full fat sour cream
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup finely chopped Butterfingers from about 4 to 4 1/2 ounces of candy
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter don’t use natural
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 5 to 8 tablespoons milk or cream
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- Additional chopped butterfingers for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pans with parchment. Spray the parchment with cooking spray and set pans aside.
- Combine the water, butter, vegetable oil, and peanut butter together in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until peanut butter and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool while you continue with the cake.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer to combine. Add the sour cream, milk, eggs, and vanilla and beat on low speed until combined.
- Add the cooled peanut butter mixture and beat on low until batter is smooth, stopping mixer to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl several times. Batter will be fairly thin.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 29 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the pans comes out clean.
- Cool cake layers in the pans for 30 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
- Combine the butter, powdered sugar, milk, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the chopped Butterfingers.
- Beat the butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until very smooth. Add the cocoa powder and salt and beat to combine.
- Add 5 tablespoons of the milk and 4 cups of the powdered sugar and beat on low to combine, then increase speed to medium and beat until smooth. Add more milk if frosting is too thick and more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin.
- Assembly:
- Place one layer on a cake stand or cardboard cake circle.
- Transfer about a 1/2 cup of frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe a circle of frosting around the perimeter of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread half of the filling into an even layer inside the circle of frosting.
- Top with another cake layer and repeat the filling process. Top with the remaining cake layer. Frost your cake and decorate with additional chopped butterfingers if desired. Serve.
- Don't skip lining your pans with parchment! Even with cooking spray, the cake layers will stick!
- If you don’t have pastry bags and tips, you can just spread the filling over the cake layer without going all the way to the edge. This will prevent the filling from leaking out into the final coat of frosting.
Cake layers adapted from Allrecipes.com
grace says
i love every aspect of this, kelsie! there are only a few candy bars i’ll go out of my way to get, and butterfinger is one!
Kelsie says
Thank you!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
Your pictures are making me drool. That icing!!! I used to be allergic to peanuts, so every Halloween my parents confiscated all of my peanut treats and divided them up between my siblings. I would cry every time, haha! Luckily I grew out of that allergy and I can eat ALL of the Butterfingers. I think I’ll celebrate with a giant slice of this beauty!
Kelsie says
OHHH MY GOSH! I’m so glad you’re over the allergy! Thanks, Katherine!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Fun cake! We eat Butterfingers once a year, during Halloween time. It’s one of the candies we always buy to give out — and always save a few for ourselves. I’ll have to save more this year and make this fun looking cake. Very creative — thanks.
Kelsie says
Thank you, John!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
What a coincidence! We’ve just had a huge package of butterfinger bars (If you need an excuse, these were mini bars… What’s healthy to eat: 10gr. x 50 candy bars or 100gr. x 5 bars? I think mini bars have fewer calories, don’t you think so?) The bottom line is that I literally cannot look at any sweets right now (This cake looks gorgeous!); but by the time a huge slice of this beauty is delivered to me (Hopefully tomorrow morning), I’ll be fine. Have you heard anything of a cake as a remedy for a sugar hangover? 🙂
Kelsie says
I’m pretty sure cake is the only known remedy for a sugar hangover, haha! 🙂
Marissa says
I literally laughed out loud at your mom confiscating your Butterfingers for ‘safety concerns’ – lol!!
I love Butterfingers – totally worth all those little bits that get crammed in my teeth. 😉 But I’ve never had those flavors in cake form – even better! Love, love your dessert creations, Kelsie!
Kelsie says
Haha! She doesn’t eat sugar anymore but I bet if I offered her a Butterfinger she’d still take it. . .thanks, Marissa!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
My parent inspected my candy too.. But not because I was that kid, more like they were those parents. Lol. Still, better safe than sorry! This cake is all sorts of amazing, girlie!! The hubs loves butterfingers!! And chocolate and peanut butter for that matter, so he’d go nuts for this!! Deeeeelish! Cheers!!
Kelsie says
Haha! Thanks, Chey!
Laura says
Kelsie – you are soooo speaking my language here! Like you, PAYDAY is my most favorite candy bar, but Butterfinger is a close 2nd. Although that new Hershey’s Gold could actually give either a run for their money. Just sayin’. This is a gorgeous cake – printed the recipe and already looking for an occasion to make it. Maybe just Saturday is occasion enough! Thanks!
Kelsie says
OMG I’ve never tried Hershey’s gold. If you say it’s good then I’m changing that soon! Thanks, Laura!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Seriously, this cake sounds sooooo good Kelsie! I’m may need to hoard all the Butterfingers from my Halloween basket this year and whip this one up!
Kelsie says
Aww thanks, Mary Ann!
Milena says
Seriously? Your mom is just like Chris – taking all the Butterfingers. I never knew about them until I moved here and I remember my first US Halloween I had bought bags of mixed candy to give out on my own because he was going to be working that night. He told me to reserve all the Butterfinger ones…Uugh. They are good! Cannot believe you made a cake with them! Not sure if I should make it for Chris or not, lol. But think that I will get a kick of crushing them. Great idea. Pinned!
Kelsie says
Haha! They’re actually really satisfying to chop up :). Thanks, Milena!
Carlee says
Holy yum! I need you to come to my house with one of these asap!
Kelsie says
I’ll be right over!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
I feel like I say this a lot, but I think you out did yourself this time Kelsie! Butterfingers always remind me of Halloween. I don’t remember them as much as a kid, but as an adult, they are one of my favourites. And the pairing with PB cake is just perfect! Have a great week!
Kelsie says
Awww thanks, Leanne!
Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Nobody lays a finger on my Butterfinger!! Hahaha. OMG….and this Butterfinger cake. It’s my little kid dreams come true 🙂 I love Butterfingers and would keep this cake ALL to myself hehehe. I always say I wish we were neighbors (and I do), but it’s probably a good thing we aren’t, or we would both probably gain 20 lbs. hahaha.
Kelsie says
Haha! Thanks, Kelly!
Kim Lange says
Love love love this awesome Butterfinger cake Kelsie! Looks so luscious and delectable! I wouldn’t be able to stop! Pinning!!
Kelsie says
Thank you Kim!
Shashi at Savory Spin says
Haha -too funny about your mom confiscating those butterfingers – I wish I knew her when my daughter was younger so I could have enjoyed ALL the kit kat from my daughter’s Halloween candy hoard!
Kelsie,this is such a masterpiece – not only are the layers pretty perfect – but those 2 types of frosting! YUM! Cakes like these make sharing so hard!
Kelsie says
Haha! She was sneaky when I was a kid :). Thank you, Shashi!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
It’s been forever since I’ve had a butterfinger, but I would imagine that this cake would be like that, only a million times better!! Too funny that your mom had to nab your candy. I think all parents did that, didn’t they, lol. How fun it would be to dump all the candy on the floor and sort through them by topic, like chocolate, suckers, etc. I know, right?! Hope you have a fab week, Kelsie 🙂
Kelsie says
Thank you, Dawn! You too!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
Yep – Butterfingers are always the ones I go for first! And this would most certainly be the cake I go for first! Perfect for the season! As usual! Pinned!
Kelsie says
Thank you, Annie!
David @ Spiced says
You know what’s funny? I gave Robbie a Butterfinger (one of those “fun size” bars) just last week. He’d never had Butterfingers before, and he proceeded to go all in. I did have to break it in half for him, but somewhere in the middle he proclaimed “I like this!” 🙂 I wonder what he would think about this cake? I’m guessing he’d be all-in…just like his Dad. In fact, I’d go face first into this bad boy. I love the 2 types of frosting here, Kelsie! You nailed it!
Kelsie says
Haha! Robbie is so cute! Thanks, David!