There are two things that I love about Halloween: seeing my girls all dressed up to go trick or treating, and raiding their candy stash to make some amazing desserts like my personal favorite twix cake! Twix is my all time favorite candy and it's always a big score for my kids at Halloween. That being said, I guarantee this cake recipe will be a hit at any time of year!
This graham cracker cake is super easy to make because it uses Betty Crocker's Yellow Cake Mix. It's all about simple when you're a busy mama of two little ones.
Ingredients (Full Printable Recipe Below)
For the cake you'll need the yellow cake mix, 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup water, ½ cup of sour cream, ⅓ cup of vegetable oil and 3 eggs.
For the frosting you'll need 2 sticks of softened butter, ½ cup of baking cocoa powder {unsweetened}, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of milk and 4 cups of confectioners sugar.
Finally, you'll also need some caramel sauce that you'll spread between the cake layers to give it that twix taste! For the caramel sauce you'll need 1 cup of brown sugar, ½ cup melted butter, ¼ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
How To Make A Twix Cake
Base Twix cake:
Mix everything together and blend on low speed with an electric mixer for 30 seconds, until combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for another minute or so until smooth.Divide the batter between the pans, and place the pans in the oven. Bake according to the yellow cake box directions at 350 degrees F. Run a knife around the edges of the pans, and invert the layers right-side up onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Twix Cake Frosting:
I debated which kind of frosting to go with, but after preparing my husband's birthday cake earlier in the month with homemade chocolate frosting, I just had to use it again. The frosting is definitely worth the work!
- First, soften your butter in the microwave for ~30 seconds or until sufficiently softened
- Then add the baking cocoa powder, the vanilla extract, and the milk.
- Next, start adding in the confectioner's sugar but be sure you add it just one cup at a time, unless you want it to look like it snowed in your kitchen {been there and done that}!
Caramel Sauce:
Mix all the ingredients except the vanilla extract and bring to a slight boil. Cook for a minute or two until thickened. Then let it cool and add the vanilla extract, mixing it all together.
Putting It All Together:
- Before applying the frosting put a layer of caramel sauce in between the cakes, which creates the caramel layer of the Twix bars.
- When frosting the cake with the homemade chocolate frosting don't go easy on it. You'll want a nice thick layer of frosting. In my eyes, the more frosting the better the cake. The finishing touch is the mini Twix bars arranged on top of the cake.
FAQs
Although this twix cake recipe is super easy, I've made it so many times over the years that I've gathered quite a few tips to share with you.
Bake The Cake Ahead of Time
I always make sure to make my cakes the day before I want to frost them and then freeze them overnight. I take the cakes out of the freezer about an hour before frosting and shape them so that they're flat. It'll get rid of the majority of the crumbs and make your frosting look clean.
Cooling the cake
After you take the cake out of the oven, let it cool for about ten minutes and then run a knife around the edges of the pans, invert the layers right-side up and place onto a wire rack to cool for longer.
Buy the caramel sauce instead of making it
If you are running short on time or just want to simplify this recipe a bit, you can always buy some yummy caramel sauce instead of making it. I recommend this caramel sauce by Torani or this one by Ghirardelli is also great!
Twix Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix
https://amzn.to/2KumffE - 1 cup graham crackers crumbled
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 3 sticks butter
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder unsweetened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup milk
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 4-6 Mini Twix Bars
Instructions
- Mix the yellow cake mix, graham cracker crumbs, water, sour cream, vegetable oil and eggs
- Pour into 2 round cake pans and bake according to the box directions at 350 F. Removed and allow to cool.
- For the frosting: Beat 2 sticks of the butter (softened) and add in the cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tbsp milk
- Add in the confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time. 4 cups total
- For the caramel sauce: Mix 1 cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of milk, ½ cup melted butter. Heat until a gentle boil.
- Let boil for 1-2 minutes until thick
- Remove from heat and allow to cool; add 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix well
- Once cakes are cool, spread a layer of caramel sauce in between the cakes, which creates the caramel layer of the twix bars.
- Place one cake on top of the other and apply frosting all over cake. Be sure to lay it on thick and cover completely
- Garnish the cake with mini Twix bars on top. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Delectable Candy Desserts to Try
- Got more Milky Ways leftover from trick or treating this year? Try making these awesome Milky Way Cupcakes instead!
- These Eclair Cookie Cups are filled with a delicious vanilla cream and topped with a chocolate ganache frosting that will have your taste-buds singing.
- An Almond Joy fan at heart? Give these Almond Joy Cupcakes a try and let us know what you think!
Shane
Hey so with the amounts of ingredients shown, about how large cake pans should I use if I doing 2 layers?
Becky
Should directions were clear
How much better for the caramel sauce and how much better for the frosting
I am making this for my granddaughter’s birthday and I’m having to guess at how much to use for the caramel sauce I’m thinking one cube of butter for the caramel sauce two cubes for the frosting but I may use a good gaNash instead
Jenny Melrose
Hi Becky-
I just updated the recipe to make it clearer. Hope that helps! xoxo Jenny
Chloe Crabtree
This sounds wonderful! I have some family members who I know would love for me to whip up one of these!
ColleenB. ~ Texas
The cakes look W9onderful.
I was thinking on the Twix cake I might take some Twix candy bars and putting them all around the cake and kinda pressing up against the frosting so they stick; a cake framed in Twix candy bars sorta speak
Christie
Oh man, these cakes look so good! I love Twix, so that cake is right up my alley!