We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
This Better Than Sex Cake is a rich chocolate poke cake filled with caramel and sweetened condensed milk, then topped with fluffy whipped topping and crunchy toffee pieces. It starts with a simple cake mix, but once that caramel filling sinks into the cake, it tastes like the kind of dessert everyone asks for again.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This cake makes a great dessert for any occasion and is always one of the first one to go! So yummy!” – Wilhelmina
“The title of this recipe couldn’t be more accurate! SO GOOD!!!” – Krissy
“Made this for my family Easter celebration this year and it was a HUGE success! Everyone had seconds!” – Suzanne
Why I Love This Cake
This cake has been a family favorite for years. My kids have requested it for their birthdays many times, and it quickly became one of those desserts I knew I could count on for parties, birthdays, and family dinners. I love that it starts with a basic cake mix but tastes like so much more once the caramel and sweetened condensed milk soak down into the cake.
The name is not exactly family friendly, so around kids we usually call it “Better Than You Know What Cake” or “Better Than Anything Cake”. No matter what you call it, the combination of chocolate cake, caramel filling, whipped topping, and crunchy Heath or Skor candy bars is always a hit.
🩷 Erica
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Devil’s food cake mix – This gives the cake a rich chocolate base and keeps the recipe quick and easy.
- Sweetened condensed milk – This soaks into the cake and makes it extra moist and sweet.
- Caramel topping – Ice cream caramel topping works great, or you can use homemade caramel sauce.
- Whipped topping – Cool Whip is easy and holds up well, but homemade whipped cream also works.
- Heath or Skor candy bars – Chopped toffee bars add the best crunchy topping.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Cake mix: Devil’s food cake is my favorite, but German chocolate cake mix or regular chocolate cake mix also work well.
- Homemade cake mix: If you prefer to make the cake from scratch, use a Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix and bake it in a 9×13 pan.
- Candy topping: Try Butterfinger, Snickers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Pieces, mini M&M’s, crushed Oreos, mini Oreos, Fudge Stripe cookies, chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips.
- Caramel sauce: Store-bought caramel ice cream topping is easiest, but homemade caramel sauce makes it extra good.
- Whipped topping: Use thawed Cool Whip for convenience, or make homemade whipped cream with heavy cream and sugar. Avoid canned whipped cream because it melts too quickly.
- Extra chocolate: Drizzle chocolate syrup or hot fudge over the top before serving.
- Nut allergy note: Check the labels on Heath and Skor bars if you are serving someone with a nut allergy, since toffee candies may contain almonds or be made around nuts.
How to Make Better Than Sex Cake
- Bake the cake. Prepare the Devil’s food cake mix according to the package directions for a 9×13-inch pan. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes.
- Poke and fill. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes evenly over the warm cake, about halfway down. Stir together the sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, then slowly pour it over the cake so it sinks into the holes.
- Chill and spread. Cover and refrigerate the cake until completely cooled. This gives the caramel filling time to soak in and makes the cake easier to frost. Spread whipped topping over the chilled cake.
- Top and serve. Sprinkle chopped Heath or Skor candy bars on top. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t poke all the way through the cake. The filling should settle into the cake, not pool at the bottom of the pan.
- Pour slowly. Give the caramel mixture time to sink into the holes as you pour.
- Chill before topping. If the cake is still warm, the whipped topping can melt and slide around.
- Add the candy right before serving. This keeps the toffee pieces crunchy.
- Use a 9×13-inch pan. This size gives the right thickness and makes the cake easy to slice for a crowd.
- Make altitude adjustments if needed. Follow the high-altitude instructions on the cake mix box if you live at a higher elevation.
- Use toffee bits to save time. Heath bits from the baking aisle are easier than chopping candy bars.
- For a gooier cake, chill longer. This cake is even better once it has had time to soak in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Better Than Sex Cake is a chocolate poke cake made with caramel, sweetened condensed milk, whipped topping, and chopped toffee candy bars. The filling soaks into the cake and makes it extra moist, while the whipped topping and candy add a creamy, crunchy finish.
Yes! If you want a more family-friendly name, call it Better Than Anything Cake, Better Than You Know What Cake, or Chocolate Caramel Toffee Poke Cake.
Yes, homemade whipped cream cream works well. Just don’t use canned whipped cream because it melts quickly and can make the top of the cake runny.
Yes. Homemade caramel sauce works beautifully in this cake. You can use it warm or cooled, as long as it is pourable enough to soak into the holes.
Heath and Skor bars are both chocolate-covered toffee bars and either one works for this recipe. Skor tends to have a slightly more buttery flavor, while Heath has a classic toffee flavor that is easy to find in most grocery stores.
Yes. Devil’s food cake gives the richest chocolate flavor, but German chocolate cake mix, regular chocolate cake mix, yellow cake mix, or white cake mix can also be used.
The cake can get soggy if the holes go all the way to the bottom, if too much filling pools in one spot, or if it sits too long after being fully assembled. Pour slowly, spread the filling evenly, and enjoy the cake within a couple of days for the best texture.
Yes, you can make Better Than Sex Cake gluten-free by using a gluten-free chocolate cake mix. Also check the labels on the caramel topping, sweetened condensed milk, whipped topping, and candy bars to make sure they are gluten-free. Toffee bars can vary by brand, so gluten-free toffee bits or another certified gluten-free candy topping may be a safer option.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: Bake the cake and add the caramel filling up to one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then add the whipped topping and chopped candy bars before serving.
Storing: Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator. It is best within 2 to 3 days because the topping and cake can get softer the longer it sits.
Freezing: Freeze the baked cake before adding the filling and topping. Wrap it tightly, freeze, then thaw completely before finishing the recipe.
Serving: This cake is best served chilled. Keep it in the fridge until you are ready to slice and serve.
Pairing Ideas
This cake is rich, so I like serving it after a simple dinner or alongside lighter party foods. It goes well with recipes like Grilled Balsamic Chicken, Tomato Basil Pasta, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, or a big Chef Salad and Breadtwists.
More Poke Cake Recipes
Better Than Sex Cake is one of those easy desserts that always gets people talking. It is rich, chocolatey, creamy, crunchy, and so simple to make with a cake mix and a few extra ingredients. Make it for a birthday, potluck, holiday, or Sunday dinner and watch how fast it disappears.
If you make this Better Than Sex Cake, leave a comment and let us know what your family calls it! 💛
Better Than Sex Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces Devil’s Food Cake Mix
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 12.25 ounces caramel flavored topping
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 4 Heath or Skor candy bars, chopped
Instructions
- Bake cake according to package directions for a 9×13 inch pan. Cool for about 15 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes into the cake.
- In a small bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping. Slowly pour caramel mixture over the cake, letting it sink into the holes.
- Let cake cool completely (I usually cover it and put it in the fridge until I'm ready to serve it). Top cooled cake with whipped topping.
- Decorate the top of the cake with chopped candy bars. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Equipment
- 9×13 Cake Pan
- Wooden Spoon
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
Notes
- Poke the holes about halfway into the cake, not all the way through.
- Pour the caramel mixture slowly so it has time to soak in.
- Chill the cake before adding the whipped topping.
- Add the chopped candy bars close to serving time so they stay crunchy.
- Cool Whip works well, but homemade whipped cream can also be used.
- Store covered in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2 to 3 days for the best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
This cake is amazing and so easy to make.
Oh man, this was amazing! I have room in my mouth for any dessert with a crushed up Heath bar.
This is called “Earthquake Cake” in a cookbook I have. It is so good.
Earthquake cake has coconut flakes, pecans and cream cheese, usually. 😊
Can you make this the day before and refrigerate overnight?
You can, although I would recommend waiting to frost and top the cake until right before you serve it. Otherwise it may be too soggy.
I love this recipe! My son wants this for graduation, which means I need to make about 10 of them! Can I make and freeze ahead of time? Before I freeze it should I drizzle the sweetened condensed milk and carmel on it, or make the cake, poke the holes, freeze, unthaw and then do the sweetened condensed milk and carmel?
Oh man, these are all great questions. If it were me, I would freeze right after baking. I would thaw completely and then poke holes and add the remaining ingredients. My concern about doing the holes before freezing would be the cake drying out. Hope this helps!
I loved this cake, I will definitely be making it again.
We love this cake. Skor bars do contain roasted almonds for anyone with nut allergies. My daughter-in-law has severe allergic allergies…..so I made this and will only put skor bar after she takes her piece.
It’s sweet that all those “extras” are already made!
what size can of condensed milk do you use? The very small can or 8 oz.?
8 oz
This is the best cake. Can I make this ahead and freeze it for a day or two?
Or, how long can I make the complete cake (including the cool whip topping) and refrigerate prior to serving? I need to make it two days in advance.
To make this about 1700 times better start with homemade cake and make your own whipped cream. It is worth the extra time, really good.
I’m making this for work tomorrow, but I don’t have fridge space at home. Can I make the cake tonight, put on the sweetened condensed milk and caramel, and leave it on the counter overnight? Then I would put the whipped topping on in the morning. Would that work? Thanks!
I don’t know if I would leave it on overnight… Is it still pretty cold where you are? You may want to store it where it is cooler like in a garage or outside.
I would not leave it on the counter overnight. you can make room in fridge, My hubby always makes room for me putting stuff up.
One of my favorite cakes. I’m going to make this cake for a work luncheon. If I make it the night before and put it in the fridge would it be ok until Lunch the next day or should I freeze it the night before and let it thaw? What’s your preference on this?
Yes, it will be totally fine. Just make sure it is covered well so it doesn’t dry out. You don’t need to freeze it. I actually like it best the next day anyway 😉
I make a similar cake using a yellow cake mix. Can of crushed pineapple (drained – keep the juice), container of cool whip – softened.
After baking cake, remove from oven and immediately pour the drained pineapple juice over the hot cake. Put cake into frig for a couple of hours. Mix the soft (but cold) cool whip with crushed pineapple and smoth over cold cake.
I call this my “Pig Pickin'” cake.
I’m Canadian so I don’t know if that has anything to do with the name but our version of Better Than Sex Cake is totally different. I think people just like calling it that for fun. I call this kind of dessert a slush cake. Our version if this cake has bananas, graham cracker crust, a sweet filling of whipping cream and pudding and cherries on top. Almost like a big ice box cake. Both are delicious!
My family of 9 is coming for my 52nd birthday, and they are bringing the dinner. I’m making this cake and calling it “Johnny Depp Cake”, after the pirate and the reader who called it Robert Redford or Tom Selleck Cake. We have to change with the times, you know? At this age, I think it WILL taste better than you-know-what. Haha (I just hope nobody ever calls it Justin Beiber Cake)! No matter the name this cake is amazing.
LOL… I definitely like “Johnny Depp Cake” the best 😀
Gotta try this for sure for a potluck party! Thanks Ladies!
Can you freeze this cake?
You can freeze it before putting all the toppings on, then thaw it out and add all the toppings 🙂
I’m making this right now for my daughter’s 4th birthday today. 🙂 I have heard of this recipe for many years but have never had the chance to try it. I’m sure it will be a hit!
Thank you! I can’t wait to try this.
Can you replace the condensed milk with anything else?
If you don’t want to use sweetened condensed milk, you can just use extra caramel or butterscotch topping. It works just as well. When I first started making this cake, that is all that I used. Thank you for asking!