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This Better Than Sex Cake is a simple recipe that turns a basic cake mix into a decadent dessert. Chocolate cake filled with a sweet caramel filling, topped with chopped toffee bars, this Better Than Sex Cake is always our go-to when we need to whip up a quick dessert.
Featured With This Recipe
This Better Than Sex Cake is rich, creamy, and sinfully delicious, and it’s so easy to make! It can be made as far in advance as two days before serving, but store it in the refrigerator until just before serving time. Top with whipped topping and toppings right before serving.
Of course, the name of this cake is not exactly family friendly. In front of the kids we call it “Better Than You Know What Cake.” We have had many of our readers share with us what they call this dessert. Some people say they call it “Better Than Sex,” while others say they call it “Better Than Anything You Can Think Of.” Still others have told us they simply refer to it as their “secret weapon.” Whatever you want to call this delicious dessert, one thing is for sure: It’s easy to make, tastes incredible, and will leave everyone satisfied and smiling!
What is Better Than Sex Cake?
Better Than Sex Cake is a decadent chocolate poke cake that combines layers of moist chocolate cake, creamy whipped cream, rich caramel sauce, and a sprinkle of toffee bits. The result is a heavenly dessert with a combination of flavors and textures that will have you craving more.
It All Started with a Box Cake
You won’t believe that this sinfully delicious Better Than Sex Cake recipe starts out with just a regular box cake mix and a cake pan. The perfect combination to start this recipe off quick and easy. My favorite part of this recipe is poking the holes in the cake with a wooden spoon and pouring the caramel sauce over the top. It is so fun! Make sure the holes are evenly spaced and not too close together, otherwise your cake will end up soggy. Here’s what you need for this recipe:
- Devil’s Food Cake Mix
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Caramel ice cream topping
- frozen whipped topping (or fresh whipped cream)
- Heath candy bars (or Skor bars), chopped
Make Your Own Chocolate Cake Mix
Prefer to make your cake mix from scratch? We’ve got you covered! Make any kind of cake mix using our simple Homemade Cake Mix Recipe and pick the variation you are going for. After making the cake mix, just add eggs, butter, cocoa, and milk to make the perfect cake batter.
Better Than Sex Cake Variations
We have made this several different ways, we have even had a reader report that it is delicious with a white cake mix or yellow cake mix in place of the chocolate mix. If you can’t find Devil’s Food Cake mix, you can use a German chocolate cake mix or a regular chocolate cake mix instead. You can also add any kind of chopped up candy bars on the top, but we love Skor candy bars or Heath bars the best. The crunchy toffee candy is so good! Here are some more great topping ideas:
- Butterfinger Bars
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- M & Ms Minis
- Reese’s Pieces
- Snickers Bars
- Crushed Oreo Cookies or Mini Oreos
- Fudge Stripe Cookies
- Chocolate Chips
- Peanut Butter Chips
- Caramel ice cream topping (drizzle over the top in a fun design. YUM!)
- Hot fudge (can also be drizzled over the top)
All work great and are just as good, it just depends on the taste you are going for. Make it with your favorite candy to make it just right for YOU.
Storage Tips
To keep your “Better Than Sex” cake tasting fresh and delicious, here are some helpful storage tips:
- Refrigeration: Due to its whipped cream and caramel components, it’s best to store the cake in the refrigerator. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container to prevent drying out and to maintain its moisture.
- Slicing and Storing: If you have leftover slices, individually wrap them in plastic wrap or place them in individual airtight containers. This will help maintain the freshness and prevent the cake from absorbing any unwanted odors from the refrigerator.
- Freezing: If you anticipate longer storage, consider freezing the entire cake or individual portions. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag or simply place the entire cake in a freezer-safe container or bag. Ensure the cake or slices are well-protected to prevent freezer burn. The frozen cake can be enjoyed within 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Serve Chilled or Thawed: If you prefer a colder and firmer texture, you can serve the cake directly from the refrigerator. Otherwise, you can let it sit at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly.
Remember, the “Better Than Sex” cake is best enjoyed when fresh. So, aim to consume it within a few days for the ultimate flavor experience.
More Cake Recipes
If you love this Better Than Sex Cake, check out some of our favorite cake recipes!
- Strawberries and Cream Cake– Strawberries and Cream Cake is a great summer dessert, loaded with fresh strawberries in both the cake and frosting! Perfect for a family get together.
- Cinnamon Swirl Cake– This Cinnamon Swirl Cake is one of my favorite desserts because it’s quick, easy and so yummy! It’s like a cinnamon roll in a cake, end everyone loves it!
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Nothing Bundt Cake Copycat– Our copycat version of Nothing Bundt Cake’s Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake is a MUST TRY! It is one of our most popular recipes for a good reason.
- Carnival Cruise Warm Melting Cake– Have you tried the Carnival Cruise Line Warm Chocolate Melting Cake? If you’ve been on a Carnival Cruise, you know how amazing it is. If not, you can indulge in this decadent chocolate melting cake at home.
- Flourless Chocolate Cake– This Flourless Chocolate Cake is by far the easiest version I have ever made and it tastes just as good as more difficult recipes. It is light and decadent and has a rich chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate Pudding Cake– This Chocolate Pudding Cake is probably the easiest chocolate cake recipe out there. There are only 4 ingredients! If you love our Better Than Sex Cake, you are going to love this chocolatey moist cake.
- Orange Pineapple Cake– Orange Pineapple cake is a light, fruity cake with an island flair. You will love the delicious whipped creamy topping! Perfect for potlucks and parties!
- Coconut Cream Cake with Coconut Frosting– This Coconut Cream Cake is a coconut lovers dream! It is a coconut infused cake, with a rich and creamy coconut cream cheese frosting, sprinkled with even more toasted coconut.
- Coca-Cola Cake – This Coca-Cola Cake is a moist, chocolatey dessert flavored with the popular, fizzy, soft drink. Topped with frosting and maraschino cherries.
More Poke Cake Recipes
What makes this Better Than Sex Cake so moist and delicious is poking holes in the cake and pouring a caramel sauce over the holes. We call this a “Poke Cake”. Try some of our other delicious poke cake recipes!
- Raspberry Lemon Poke Cake – Raspberry Lemon Jello Poke Cake is a cold, refreshing treat! You’ll love this moist, tangy lemon and raspberry flavor with light pudding frosting.
- Pumpkin Poke Cake – This Pumpkin Poke Cake is a deliciously rich and ultra moist cake with a creamy, crunchy topping. Every bite tastes like fall!
- Piña Colada Poke Cake – This Piña Colada Cake is bursting with coconut and pineapple. The topping on this cake is simple, yet so delicious. It is the perfect summer dessert!
- 4th of July Poke Cake – This 4th of July Cake is the perfect chilled dessert for your Independence Day celebrations. It is so fun with the red, white, and blue colors inside.
Frequently Asked Questions
Heath and Skor Candy Bars are English toffee bars covered in milk chocolate. The Hershey Company makes the Heath Toffee bars and also sells Heath Toffee Bits which are great for baking in cookies and as a topping on this cake. The Hershey Company, makers of Skor Bars, markets them as “buttery toffee enrobed in milk chocolate.” There are no nuts in either bar. They can be found in typical grocery stores.
Yes, make it a day or two before serving if needed, but store it in the refrigerator. Add the whipped topping and toppings just before serving.
Absolutely! However, don’t use the whipped cream that comes in a can. It melts quickly and becomes runny, and won’t work for this recipe. You can make your own whipped cream with heavy cream and sugar, and it will taste amazing!
Better Than Sex Cake
Video
Equipment
- 9×13 Cake Pan
- Wooden Spoon
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
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.
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!
Margaretthib@yahoo.com
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 is the nutrition facts?
We don’t have the nutrition info on our recipes but you can copy them and paste them into a recipe calculator like livestrong.com and that should give you a good idea of the nutritional info! Hope this helps!
what size can of condensed milk do you use? The very small can or 8 oz.?
8 oz
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. Cool Whip is just…..not right
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.
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 use 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 that dessert 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.
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)!
LOL… I definitely like “Johnny Depp Cake” the best 😀
Gotta try this for sure a potluck parties! 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!
This recipe is also on Claudia’s Kitchen’s website so who’s recipe is it?
It’s ours.
Thank you! I can’t wait to try this. No, I did not read through all the comments but did you mean Heath bars? Instead of ‘Health’ bars? 🙂
haha great catch! I will fix it on the recipe :/
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!