A moist coffee layer cake is filled with coffee frosting and chopped up Heath toffee bars. A true coffee lovers dream cake. Just like the Ben & Jerry's Heath Bar Coffee Crunch Ice Cream! You will love this Coffee Heath Bar Crunch Cake recipe.

I like cake. I also like Ben & Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch Ice Cream. I like it and my boyfriend loves it. Those b&j tubs are so small that who doesn't go through a tub in one sitting?!
Things are not as hectic and crazy for me right now so I have had time to daydream about baking. Last week I made this cake and naturally cake was still on my mind. I just happened to be finishing off a tub of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch when I found myself thinking of cake.
I used my nan's coffee cake recipe and made a coffee buttercream and coffee whipped cream to fill the cake with. I also used an obnoxious amount of Heath Bar's cut up. Looking back on this cake my mother and I decided next time I make it (because there will be!!) chocolate covered coffee beans would be a fabulous addition
This cake is rich, decedent and you don't need a huge slice. But I don't need to go to Target every day either. Oops!
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Ingredients
For this coffee heath bar crunch cake recipe you'll need:
- All-Purpose Flour. Make sure you measure your flour properly, too much or too little will alter the structure of your cake.
- Chemical Leavening Agents. Baking soda and baking powder are both needed for this cake recipe. Both aide in the cake rising while baking. Helping create a light, tender, fluffy cake.
- Salt. The salt helps enhance all of the other ingredients flavor profiles.
- Instant Coffee. I use instant coffee or espresso powder, depending on what I have on hand. I have a suggested quantity in the recipe card below but you can adjust amount to your preference less or more.
- Hot Water. The hot water just helps dissolve the coffee or espresso powder.
- Large Eggs. Make sure your eggs at room temperature so they will fully incorporate into the rest of the ingredients.
- Granulated Sugar. The sugar provides sweetness and structure to the cake.
- Unsalted Butter. The butter needs to be at room temperature so it can whip with the sugar to provide lots of air pockets.
- Vegetable Oil. While butter provides great flavor to the cake adding some oil helps ensure the cake stays moist.
- Buttermilk. This moisture bomb helps create a soft, tender cake crumb. Make sure its at room temperature.
Now for the frosting you could use my whole recipe for coffee buttercream or I did buttercream in the center of the cake and coffee whipped cream on top of the cake.
- Butter. Should be softened to room temperature but not liquidy. You want this to whip up nicely.
- Instant Coffee. Same for the cake in the frosting I will use either instant coffee or espresso powder, depending on what I have on hand. I have a suggested quantity in the recipe card below but you can adjust amount to your preference less or more.
- Powdered/ Icing Sugar. Make sure to sift the confectioner's sugar to help prevent any lumps in the frosting.
- Heath Bars. I use four bars total, two for the center of the cake and two for the top of the cake.
- Heavy Whipping Cream. The whipped cream is used in the buttercream and of course the whipped cream.
For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350F/ 180C and grease two 8-inch cake pans, set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl mix together the instant coffee and water.
In another large bowl with a handheld mixer or your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter for 2 minutes, add the oil, and mix for an additional minute.
Add the sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time.
In a small cup or bowl add the coffee granulates and hot water- stir until the coffee granulates have disappeared. Add to the wet ingredients.
Gently fold in half of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk then repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Pour into prepared pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until you stick a toothpick in the center and only moist crumbs come out, no wet batter. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before inverting to cool completely.
If you want you can prepare the frosting and whipped cream while the cakes are baking and store the frosting at cool room temperature and whipped cream in the fridge while you wait for the cakes to cool completely.
Decoration
On the serving plate place one layer of cake, if desired level off the top and cut any dome. Then spread with coffee buttercream on in an even layer and sprinkle 2 of the chopped Heath bars on top and place the second cake on top.
Spread the whipped cream on top of the cake and sprinkle the remaining chopped Heath bars. We hope you love this coffee heath bar crunch cake.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating for the best flavor.
Tips for success
- Make sure your cake ingredients are at room temperature so they all incorporate together!
- To make sure you don't over-bake the cake look for the cake to start to pull from the sides and if you were to gently press the top of the cake it will bounce back quickly.
- Whatever you do, don't open the oven doors before the cake is almost done baking as if you open it too soon the cake will collapse.
More coffee recipes
- Coffee Creme Brulee
- Coffee Layer Cake - this is the recipe this coffee heath bar crunch cake is based on
- Coffee Pastry Cream
- Tiramisu
- Baked Coffee Cheesecake
★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!
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PrintRecipe Card
Coffee Heath Bar Crunch Cake
A moist coffee layer cake is filled with coffee frosting and chopped up Heath toffee bars. A true coffee lovers dream cake. Just like the Ben & Jerry's Heath Bar Coffee Crunch Ice Cream! You will love this Coffee Heath Bar Crunch Cake recipe.
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8-12 Slices 1x
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 375 grams (3 Cups) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1.5 Tablespoons Instant coffee (adjust amount to your preference less or more)
- 1oz Hot water (more or less depending on how strong you want the coffee flavor)
- 4 Large Eggs, at room temp.
- 300 grams (1 ½ Cup) Granulated Sugar/ Caster Sugar
- 6oz (¾ Cup) Unsalted Butter, at room temp.
- 2oz (¼ Cup) Vegetable Oil
- 8oz (1 Cup) Buttermilk, at room temp
Coffee Frosting
- 4oz (½ Cup) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Instant Coffee/ Espresso Powder + Splash of Hot Water
- 240 grams (2 Cups) Powdered/ Icing Sugar
- 2 Heath Bars, chopped
Whipped Cream Frosting
- 8oz (1 Cup) Heavy Whipping Cream
- 32 grams (¼ Cup) Powdered/ Icing Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Dry Milk Powder* (Optional but helps stabilize the whipped cream)
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Instant coffee (adjust amount to your preference less or more) + Splash of Hot Water
- 2 Heath Bars, chopped
Instructions
Coffee Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350F/ 180C and grease two 8-inch cake pans, set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a small bowl mix together the instant coffee and water.
- In another large bowl with a handheld mixer or your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter for 2 minutes, add the oil, and mix for an additional minute.
- Add the sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs.
- In a small cup or bowl add the coffee granulates and hot water- stir until the coffee granulates have disappeared. Add to the wet ingredients.
- Gently fold in half of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk then repeat with the remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until you stick a toothpick in the center and only moist crumbs come out, no wet batter. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before inverting to cool completely. If you want you can prepare the frosting and whipped cream while the cakes are baking and store the frosting at cool room temperature and whipped cream in the fridge while you wait for the cakes to cool completely.
Coffe Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or large bowl with a hand held mixer beat the butter for 5 full minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Sieve the powdered sugar to prevent any lumps and add half to butter. Beat for another 5 minutes then add the remaining powdered sugar and mix for 3 more minutes.
- While powdered sugar is mixing into butter, in a small bowl add instant coffee and hot water. Add the coffee mixture to frosting with heavy cream and beat for another 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the whipped cream.
Coffee Whipped Cream
- In a small bowl mix together the instant coffee and hot water and set aside. In a mixing bowl beat the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, dry milk powder (if using) and the coffee mixture. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- On the serving plate place one layer of cake, if desired level off the top and cut any dome. Then spread with coffee buttercream on in an even layer and sprinkle 2 of the chopped Heath bars on top and place the second cake on top.
- Spread the whipped cream on top of the cake and sprinkle the remaining chopped Heath bars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating for the best flavor.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: coffee layer cake, coffee heath bar recipes, coffee dessert recipe
This post was originally published May 13, 2013 as of September 17, 2023 the post has been updated.
Here's to the last bite!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
OMG. OH. EM. GEE. This cake is amazeballs!
laurasmess says
Hahaa... when I read the title of this blog I thought it said 'coffee HEALTH bar crunch cake'. I was thinking... "Uh, what? Those things are HEALTHY?! I want!". And then I realised that I misread the word. Sad face. I've never heard of a Heath bar (which I guess is partly why I got the word wrong) as they're not sold here in Australia. What do they taste like? Is there another bar that would be a good substitute? Thanks lovely!
tanya says
Thats why I don't buy B & J ice cream, I'd eat in all in a few short minutes! The buttercream alone is amazing!
Rebecca says
This looks amazing! Can't wait to try it.
I'm confused on steps 6-8. Is there a filling and a frosting? What are the measurements on each?
Thanks!
Elizabeth says
Thanks Rebecca it was amazing! There is a coffee infused whipped cream (step 6) that is placed in between the cake layers and then there is a coffee buttercream (step 8) that is on top of the second cake layer- with heath bars on top of both the whipped cream and butter cream. Hope that makes sense and LMK if you make it 🙂
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
WOW this looks amazing!!!!
Elizabeth says
Thanks Julie 🙂
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
AHHHH I love heath bars, this cake looks omgyumyumyummmyyy!!
Elizabeth says
Thanks Kayle
Ashley says
Oh gosh this cake is so amazingly decadent! I think the chocolate covered coffee beans would definitely be a great addition : )
Elizabeth says
Yes!! Ashley 🙂
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen says
You are on a roll this week! I am drooling every time I stop by! I just love it all! How do you stay so cute and thin?
Elizabeth says
LOL thanks!! And thin isn't exactly a word I would use to describe myself but I try to eat healthier for every meal other than dessert but some times pizza and beer or pulled pork and mac and cheese, I just can't say no to! Haha
Ellen says
How can 1 1/3 cups flour make a 2 layer cake? Seems like it should only be one layer. Is this correct?
Elizabeth says
Hi Ellen, yes sorry that was a typo- I have fixed it now. Thank you for letting me know! LMK if I can help with anything else 🙂
my web page says
To keep your coffee at the perfect temperature use a double wall foam insulated coffee mug.
Marjorie McLellan says
I’ll never make this again I was wondering how you could make a cake with just a cup and 1/2 of flour. I came out so dry and didn’t even come to the top of the pans. I didn’t like it at all!!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Marjorie, the recipe calls for two cups of flour so not sure where you got a 1 1/2 cups from. Sorry, you didn't enjoy the recipe. XX Liz
Claudia Moran says
I am confused, the icing says it is a coffee butter cream, but there is no coffee added to the butter cream ?
Elizabeth Waterson says
Hi Claudia, I am so sorry about that. The instant coffee should be mixed with some hot water to make it a smooth liquid. I updated the recipe card. You can also check out my post on how to make coffee frosting that shows step by step photos. Please let em know if you try the recipe or if you have any other questions! XX Liz
Dede Reeves says
It’s a super yummy fancy looking cake. I think it would be a perfect party cake !! Maybe remind less experienced folks like me to refrigerate the cake because of the Whipped Cream
★★★★★
Elizabeth Waterson says
Thank you so much for the lovely 5-star review Dede!! Sp happy you enjoyed the cake and yes good going on refrigerating the cake!! Take care. XX Liz