{Photos by Alana Landsberry via Fruity Beauty}
Last December I mentioned that I made a wedding cake, a Snickers wedding cake. Wedding cakes aren’t usually my thing, but when an email pops up that a friend is in dire need of a cake that tastes great, what’s a girl to do? Bake. Right?
Hamish and Zoe wanted a cake that tasted like their favourite chocolate bar – and I had no idea how I was going to make it happen – but I’m stubborn and determined, and I knew I’d eventually do it. You can read Zoe’s tales of her wedding over on her blog. For those that don’t know who on earth Zoe and Hamish are {I’m talking to those not from Australia}, Zoe is my sister’s BFF and Hamish is one of Australia’s most well known and funniest personalities.
The cake making was top secret business. I knew that it had to be a mix of peanuty, caramel, chocolate goodness. I made one cake and it was a total flop. It was too sweet and just not right. And then second attempt was below. {Yes, it’s messy – but I was just trying to nail the flavour}.
{Crappy cake photos by me}
Nervously, I sent a few slices of the cake down to the couple and anxiously awaited the verdict. It’s was an excitable, “YUM!”
The first version had a vanilla white icing on the outside, but it wasn’t white enough. I also trialled a white chocolate ganache and sent it down in a container to see if they preferred that. Eventually it was decided. I’d make two cakes; one with white chocolate ganache, and another {for the table} with royal icing.
So it’s super complicated – because I like really simple recipes – but a delicious treat if you feel like going to the effort. Here’s how I made it:
I followed this recipe for making the peanut cake, the chocolate cake and the caramel icing. For the peanut cake I just used normal caster sugar and for the dulce de leche I used this caramel, and the same again for the buttercream {I doubled the buttercream recipe because I wanted it to be generous}. I’m not usually a fan of using tinned goods like that, but it worked perfectly and saved a lot of work.
And then in between each layer of the cake, in the buttercream – I knew it needed some sort of texture to be more like a Snickers bar. So in the first layer I roasted some peanuts and crushed them. In the second layer I melted some chewy caramels {these ones} and drizzled them in. And then in the final layer I melted a mix of milk and dark chocolate and drizzled them in. At this stage I filled up all the gaps with the buttercream, making sure it was the perfect shape, and then placed it in the fridge to set/harden while I made the ganache and royal icing.
For the white chocolate ganache, I used this recipe {doubling it because again I wanted a generous, thick outer layer. You can see in the top picture just how thick it was}. And for the royal icing I used this recipe.
I tested the cake by making the cake fresh, and also freezing the cakes {uniced of course} the day before – and freezing them definitely made it easier to ice and decorate.
And that’s how it was done.
How clever you are! It looks and sounds divine!
Thanks Melissa. x
Wow! This looks amazing, totally want to try it one day. My favourite chocolate bar would probably be a mars bar. Would love to have a go at turning that into a cake!
Have you ever tried Mars Bar slice? Heaven.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us, Snickers is my all time favourite chocolate bar. I am going to make this cake for my birthday at the end of the month 🙂
OMG it’s like picking a favourite child, Can’t be done. Picnic, Cherry Ripe, Peppermint Crisp…anything really but no Bounty…nah, don’t do Bounty. However if someone whipped up a coconut cake and smothered it in chocolate well then I’d certainly give it a red hot go. 😉
Chantelle, this must have taken so much time and effort! What an exceptional job! I would not have had the patience!
Oh my giddyaunt! I’ve gone into a sugar coma just reading this <3 sounds divine you clever clever thing!
YUM!
You blow my mind with your talents Chantelle! x
Yet again something I need to try out! I just need the occasion now (can’t do with me and hubby sharing the whole cake between ourselves everytime I want to try something new! 😉
My absolute favourite is the Rolo bars (just munching one now), but basically anything with soft caramel filling is a big hit got me.
Amazing! I’m not a huge chocolate person, but if I am to indulge – I go for a Boost. Wonder if there is a cake for that! 🙂 xx
Thank you again Chan! Let it be known the cake was P E R F E C T and Chantelle is an I N C R E D I B L E baking super queen and that I am a G I G A P I G: when the sample arrived, I pulled over in the car and gorged myself on an entire slice, before texting Hamish with grubby paws to tell him we’d finally found our dream cake. On the wedding night it was equally delicious, our guests loved it a lot, but the night after, served warm with ice cream… oh my.
Attempted this last night for my birthday cake, with a few small changes. So amazing!
That looks AMAZING! What changes did you make? Just the two layers? I want a slice. xx
OMG. Looks amazing! And now you can tick off cake maker to the stars to your resume. You’re so very clever! xx
Oh, by the way. After that post I just ate a party sized Snickers. Okay, I really had two. (Your post made me hungry!)
Looks amazing Chantelle.
We had a cherry ripe layer in our wedding cake ! And the top tier of Kahlua dark choc is in the freezer awaiting our 1st anniversary.
Thanks for the mention and glad you liked the cake! 🙂
Hi Chantelle,
I just want to mention that I remember reading this post a while ago- was stunned is a better term!- and I vowed to make it. Well, last week I made this beauty (halved it, and it was still an impressive size) for my brother’s birthday and it was divine. So good that i promised to never make it or I myself would devour it. So good, two thumbs up!