No-Bake Candy Bar Cake Recipe
After my last icebox cake, I’m hooked for a few reasons. They’re ridiculously easy, there’s no cooking involved and no need to turn on a hot oven in the middle of summer, and my family raves about them. Sold. My last version was a twist on Boston Cream Pie and it was time to break out the serious chocolate mojo for this chocolate icebox cake. It’s made with a filling consisting of chocolate pudding, milk, and whipped topping. The filling goes in between layers of graham crackers and over time in the freezer the filling softens the crackers so you’re left with a ‘cake-like’ texture. Hence the name icebox cake. I topped the chocolate and graham cracker icebox cake with melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, Snickers, and Reese’s Minis because that’s what I had in my baking stash. Try Twix, Rolos, Crunch Bars, or your favorite candy. It’s a perfect dessert as is this one post-Halloween when you’re swimming in random candy. It’s also a perfect dessert when your chocolate tooth is speaking loudly.
What’s in This Candy Bar Cake?
To make this no-bake chocolate candy cake, you’ll need:
Instant chocolate pudding Whipped topping Cold milk Graham crackers Semi-sweet chocolate chips Unsalted butter Granulated sugar Vanilla extract Snickers bars Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
How to Make No-Bake Candy Bar Cake
Whisk together the pudding mix, whipped topping, and milk. Set aside. Cover the bottom of a foil-lined 9×13-inch pan with graham crackers. Add half the pudding mixture and spread evenly over graham crackers. Top with another layer of graham crackers. Repeat this process once more. To a saucepan, add the chocolate chips, butter, sugar, additional milk, and vanilla and heat over low heat to melt, whisking continuously. Evenly pour the chocolate mixture over the top graham cracker layer, then top with chopped candy. Cover pan and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
How Long Do Icebox Cakes Last?
You can store this chocolate candy cake in the fridge or freezer based on preference (fridge for more of a melty texture or freezer for a more solid texture) for up to 5 days, noting that the crackers will become softer as time passes.
Tips for Making a Candy Bar Cake
You can top this chocolate and graham cracker icebox cake with whatever candies your heart desires. Pretty much anything pairs well with the chocolate pudding and graham cracker layers! Note that you must use instant pudding in this candy cake. Cook and serve pudding won’t work, nor will sugar-free pudding. I’ve only made this particular candy bar cake with chocolate pudding, but I’m sure you can use another flavor, if desired.
More No-Bake Dessert Recipes:
Boston Cream Icebox Cake — Boston cream PIE meets an ECLAIR in an easy no-mixer, no-bake dessert! Vanilla pudding, whipped topping, graham crackers, and lots of chocolate! Perfect for parties or anytime you don’t want to turn on your oven! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Frozen Chocolate Pudding and Wafer Cake – Chocolate wafers, chocolate pudding, and M&M’s are so good together in this easy version of an icebox cake.
Death by Chocolate No-Bake Cheesecake Bars — Only for serious chocoholics because they’re rich, creamy, decadent, and loaded with chocolate!! NO-BAKE and an easy MAKE-AHEAD dessert!!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars — Can’t decide if you want PB or chocolate? Make these easy no-bake fudge bars! Chocolate + PB is sooo irresistible!!
No-Bake Peanut Butter Oreo Pie — The pie is easy, no-bake, and uses a store-bought Oreo cookie crust. It’s full of rich peanut butter flavor and perfectly sweet and creamy from whipped topping.
S’mores Bars — SO EASY, NO-BAKE, just FOUR ingredients, and ready in FIVE minutes!! It doesn’t get any better than that and no campfire required! A hit with kids and adults at parties, potlucks, and picnics!!
No-Bake Peanut Butter Snickers Pie — The pie is no-bake, fast and easy to assemble, but does need to freeze for at least 3 hours so it can set up.
