Disclaimer: The recipes I share on this blog are beloved family traditions passed down from my late mother. The recipe below has been lovingly shared through generations, and similar versions may be found elsewhere. This post is not intended as an original creation, but rather as a heartfelt tribute to a classic recipe that has long been part of our family’s story.
I can still remember the smell that filled our house whenever Mom made her Milky Way cake. There was something magical about it—the warmth of melting chocolate and caramel wafting through every room, wrapping itself around me like a soft blanket. The moment she pulled out the Milky Way bars from the pantry, I’d start hovering, hoping she wouldn’t notice if a snack-size bar or two mysteriously disappeared.
Watching her bake was almost as good as eating the cake itself. She’d unwrap each candy bar, drop it into a pot, and stir as it melted into a glossy, dark caramel swirl. The soft hum of the mixer, the steady rhythm of her hands folding the chocolate into the batter—all of it felt like a comforting ritual. And I waited, like I always did, for my favorite part: licking the bowl. As soon as she scraped the last of the batter into the pan, I’d be right there to receive the bowl with my spoon already in hand. It was the perfect preview, a little taste of what was to come.
The hardest part, though, was waiting. The minutes seemed like hours as the cake baked. The smell would grow stronger and richer until I could hardly stand it. Finally, she’d set the cake on the counter to cool; and after dinner, we’d cut a slice, soft and rich with melted bits of Milky Way in every bite.
Still some days, I think back on those weekend afternoons and smile. And when I get a craving for that familiar flavor, I know just what to do. Here’s Mom’s recipe for Milky Way cake, just as she made it—because some things, like this, should never change.
Vernice's Milky Way Cake
Ingredients
The CAKE Part 🙂
- 8 Milky Way bars (snack size, around 1.7 oz each), chopped
- 2½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 sticks UNSALTED butter (divided: 1 stick for melting Milky Way bars, 1 stick softened for batter)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup buttermilk (optional but adds a nice tang and moist texture)
- Optional Frosting: Chocolate glaze, caramel drizzle, or powdered sugar for dusting
for the FROSTING/ICING
- 12 oz milk chocalte or dark chocolate chips
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 16 oz package of powdered sugar
- 2 cup softened UNSALTED butter
- 1 cup cocoa or Ovaltine
- 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Garnish (Optional):
- 2 sliced milky way candy bars feel free to use more Milky Ways for your preference
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan or three 9-inch round cake pans.
Melt Milky Way Bars:
- In a small saucepan, combine and melt 1 stick of butter + the chopped Milky Way bars stirring frequently until they’ve melted into a smooth mixture. Remove from heat and set aside to cool (about 5 minutes)
Prepare Dry Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Blend Sugar and Butter:
- In another large mixing bowl using an electric mixer--beat together the remaining 1 stick of softened butter and 2 cups of sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes on medium speed).
The Eggs:
- Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
Combine Ingredients:
- Pour the melted Milky Way mixture and vanilla into the batter, mixing well.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture, beating at low speed.
Bake:
- Pour/divide the batter into the prepared pan(s) and smooth the top.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes (9x13 pan) or 45-50 minutes (for round pans) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
COOL BEFORE FROSTING!
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack (or wherever you plan on frosting the cake) to cool completely.
for the FROSTING/ICING
- Melt chocolate chips for about 1-2 minute or until melted and smooth. Allow it to cool about 3-5 minutes. Keep in mind, Mom did this back before microwaves; so feel free to "microwave melt" these chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl!
- Beat butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth.
- Add cocoa (or Ovaltime), vanilla, and salt and beat on low speed for about 2 minutes.
- Add melted chocolate and beat on low speed (2 mins).
- Add 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream and beat on medium speed until smooth and spreadable. You are in charge of the consistency; so if you don't like it, add a little more heavy whipping cream or a little less.
- FROST YOUR CAKE! Don't forget to spread the frosting between your cake layers before frosting the top and sides of cake.
- Garnish with candy bars to your liking.
- ENJOY THE UPCOMING COMPLIMENTS!
Notes
I hope you enjoy baking (and eating) this sinfully delicious Milky Way Cake as much as my family does. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out in the comments! Did you make any tweaks or add a special topping? I’d love to hear your experience and any delicious twists you added to make it your own.
