Milky Way Cake

5 from 4 votes

Milky Way Sheet Cake is a rich, buttery chocolate 9×13 cake made with melted candy bars and topped with a glossy marshmallow fudge frosting. It's an easy, old-fashioned dessert that's perfect for potlucks, holidays, and chocolate lovers and one of our favorite cake recipes!

A No-Fuss Chocolate Cake That Always Gets Talked About

This is the kind of cake that feels like it came straight from a church cookbook. It's sweet, nostalgic, and unapologetically rich. The melted Milky Way bars bake right into the batter, creating a soft chocolate crumb with hints of caramel throughout. Then it's finished with a warm, pourable frosting that sets into a shiny, fudge-like layer on top.

A piece of Milky Way sheet cake topped with candy bar pieces, sitting on a plate.

It's simple to make, feeds a crowd, and tastes even better the next day.

FAQs

Can I use full-size Milky Way bars instead of fun-size?

Yes. You'll need about 6 to 7 ounces total. Chop them into small pieces so they melt evenly.

Can I freeze Milky Way cake?

Yes. Wrap the unfrosted or frosted cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.

Can I reduce the sweetness?

You can reduce the powdered sugar in the frosting by about ½ cup without significantly affecting the texture. The cake itself is meant to be sweet.

Why did my cake sink slightly in the middle?

Usually one of three reasons: the oven door was opened too early, the batter was overmixed, or the cake needed a few more minutes in the oven. It's forgiving and still tastes great.

How do you store Milky Way Cake?

Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. This cake actually tastes even better the next day.

Do I have to use nuts in this Milky Way cake?

As you know, Milky Ways don’t have nuts but I love the added texture this cake has with nuts. You can absolutely leave them out.

Ingredients

For the Cake

Fun-size Milky Way candy bars - Chopped and melted into the batter for chocolate and caramel flavor throughout.
Unsalted butter (divided) - One stick melts with the candy bars, the rest creates a rich, buttery cake base.
Granulated sugar - Sweetens the cake and helps create a soft, tender crumb.
Large eggs - Add structure and richness.
Milk - Keeps the cake moist and smooth.
All-purpose flour - Gives the cake its structure.
Baking soda - Helps the cake rise properly.
Vanilla extract - Rounds out the chocolate flavor.
Chopped pecans (optional) - Add texture and a slight nutty crunch.

For the Frosting

Unsalted butter - Forms the rich base of the frosting.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips - Melt into a smooth, chocolatey layer.
Sweetened condensed milk - Makes the frosting creamy and slightly fudgy.
Marshmallow cream - Gives that glossy, old-fashioned fudge finish.
Powdered sugar - Sweetens and thickens the frosting to the perfect spreadable consistency.

Ingredients to make Milky Way cake on kitchen counter.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt one stick of butter with the chopped Milky Way bars. Stir constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the remaining butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Butter and sugar creamed together in mixing bowl, with eggs and vanilla sitting on the side.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Eggs and vanilla added to flour and butter sugar mixture.

Add the flour mixture to the batter, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined.

Flour and buttermilk sitting next to cake batter.

Stir in the cooled Milky Way mixture until fully incorporated. Fold in the pecans if using.

Pecans and chocolate mixture ready to be added to cake batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Milky Way cake batter poured in to 9x13 baking pan.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and the center springs back lightly when touched.

Baked Milky Way cake in a 9x13 baking pan.

Cool completely before frosting.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate chips together, stirring until smooth.

Chocolate chips and butter in sauce pan.

Stir in the sweetened condensed milk until fully combined.

Melted chocolate mixture with sweetened condensed milk and marshmallow cream sitting next to it.

Mix in the marshmallow cream until smooth.
Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and pourable.

Powdered sugar sitting next to chocolate frosting mixture in sauce pan.

Immediately pour the warm frosting over the cooled cake and spread evenly.
Allow the frosting to cool and set completely before slicing. The top will firm up into a glossy, fudge-like finish.

Melted chocolate frosting poured on top of Milky Way cake.

Tips

Melt the candy bars over low heat to prevent the caramel from scorching.

Do not overmix once the flour is added.
The cake is done when the toothpick shows moist crumbs, not wet batter.
If the frosting thickens too quickly, gently rewarm it over low heat and stir until pourable.
This is one of those cakes that tastes even better the next day.

A slice of Milky Way cake on a plate, that has a fork sitting next to it.

Milky Way Sheet Cake is a rich chocolate candy bar cake baked in a 9×13 pan and topped with warm marshmallow fudge frosting. It's a nostalgic, crowd-pleasing dessert that's perfect for sharing.