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Better than Anything Cake

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Better than Anything Cake (aka Better than Sex Cake) made with homemade caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream. This recipe is one of our favorite cakes, ever!

A slice of Better than Anything Cake on a small white plate topped with heath bits.

I love any excuse to make a delicious and beautiful cake! In the past I’ve always stuck with 2 or 3-layer cakes that I can decorate pretty with piping or fruit. Naked cakes (like this berry cake) are fun, easy and beautiful.

A cake pan filled with layered cake including caramel sauce, whipped topping, and bits of health bar.

Lately life has been BUSY! A new baby that attends Physical therapy, two toddlers in preschool, and a full-time business has kept me on my toes. I’ve had to make dessert for a few different occasions lately and I’ve come to love the ease of a cake made in a 9×13” pan.

A chocolate cake in a cake pan with whole poked throughout and caramel sauce being poured over top.

Please tell me you’ve heard of this cake before? Some people refer to it as “Better than Sex” Cake, but we call it Better than Anything Cake!

A square piece of chocolate cake topped with a whipped topping and toffee bits.

If it’s new to you, then you’re in for a treat! If you’re familiar with it, read on, because there are a few things that make this recipe even tastier than most!

A fork taking a bite of a small piece of better than anything cake.

My tips for success:
1. You just can’t go wrong making this recipe with homemade caramel sauce!

I’ve used a jar of Mrs Richardson’s caramel topping when I was in a hurry, but honestly, it’s amazing with the homemade caramel! You could make the homemade caramel sauce several days in advance, to save time. It can be poured on the cake warm or cold.

2. as a general rule I always use fresh whipped cream instead of Cool Whip (which most recipes for this cake call for).

I don’t like the processed, fake taste of cool whip, especially when fresh whipped cream is just as easy to make and tastes SOO much better! Just pour some in a bowl, add a little bit of sugar to sweeten it, and beat it until it’s thick and fluffy.

3. For topping, you can chop up a couple health bars, or just use a bag of heath bits, to save time!

You can find them by the chocolate chips at your grocery store, or online. Sprinkle on however much you want–you don’t have to use the entire bag. Store leftover heath bits in your freezer, and use them another time to make this cake again, or in this yummy trifle.

4. Lastly, this cake really tastes better if you wait a few hours before eating it.

Let the flavors soak into the cake, and serve it cold. It’s completely heavenly!  Here’s a little video tutorial to show you just how easy it really is!

 

Consider trying some of my other favorite cake recipes:

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5 from 4 votes
Better than Anything Cake made with caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream. This recipe is one of our favorite cakes ever!
Better than Anything Caramel Cake
Print Recipe
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

This cake gets it's name for a reason! Chocolate poke cake with caramel and sweetened condensed milk, topped with fresh whipped cream and heath bits.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: better than sex cake, chocolate poke cake
Unit: cup, ounce can
Servings: 16
Calories: 201 kcal
Author: Lauren Allen
Ingredients
  • 1 chocolate cake , baked in a 9x13'' pan
  • 1 recipe caramel sauce , or one 16oz jar caramel topping
  • 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 3-4 heath candy bars , chopped*
Instructions
  1. Bake cake according to directions in a 9x13 pan.
  2. Allow cake cool for about 5 minutes, then poke holes in it with a fork or the handle end of a wooden spoon.
  3. Immediately pour caramel sauce all over the cake. Then pour the sweetened condensed milk (I only usually use about 1/2 of the can of sweetened condensed milk because I think it's sweet enough with just half. But, the traditional recipe uses the entire can. It's up to you!)
  4. Allow the cake to cool completely.

  5. While the cake cools, add the whipping cream to a mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks. 

  6. Add powdered sugar and then beat the mixture until stiff peaks. Smooth the fresh whipped cream over the cooled cake. 

  7. Sprinkle with heath candy pieces. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to one day, before serving. 

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

*Heath bars also makes a bag of chopped heath bits. It can be found near the chocolate chips at the grocery store. I use about half of the bag for this recipe

 

Don't miss my tips for making this cake -> found in the post above.

Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

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Better than Anything Cake made with caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream. This recipe is one of our favorite cakes ever! | Tastes Better From Scratch

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Comments

  3. I have made this cake before, and took it to a potluck at the hospital where I worked here in Denver. It disappeared in just a very short time! I had people coming to me and asking me when I was going to bake another one and bring it in… Seriously! It is an extremely good cake, so if you haven’t already you’ve got to try it. Using a 9 by 13 pan definitely makes it easy. The hard part is staying away from it when it’s done and letting it settle a little bit.

    Reply

    • For me personally, I think it might be too sweet. I would suggest only adding the caramel sauce (not the sweetened condensed milk) and then frost with a light whipped buttercream!

      Reply

  9. I’m not a fan of caramel. But this sounds so good. Does it taste really “caramel-ly”? Also can you suggest a different sauce that would taste good? Chocolate maybe? It just sounds so wonderful. Thanks!

    Reply

    • I don’t think it tastes overly “caramel-y” but you could leave the caramel out completely and just use the sweetened condensed milk, if you want. Or you could pour a butterscotch or chocolate sauce over top instead.

      Reply

  10. Hi. I’ve made the Better Than Sex Cake, but it’s made quite different than your cake. Mine is actually made in layers and I use cream cheese, powdered sugar and cool whip on top of a flour and chopped pecans or walnut mixture that is baked to make a crust and 3rd layer is instant chocolate pudding and then garnished with rest of cool whip. It’s been very popular at get together. Do I have the wrong name for it? Because that is what I was told by the person I first got the recipe from? You’re sounds very yummy also. Thanks for sharing it!

    Reply

    • I make the recipe you are talking about. We call it “Chocolate Dream Dessert “ . It is also also known as “Better than Sex Dessert” . It has the crust on bottom, but it does not have a cake layer like this one.

      Reply

  11. LOVED this cake! It was delicious. Heath bits aren’t available in my area so I used chopped Butterfingers instead.
    Please note that you have to whip the cream for at least 5 mins before it starts to thicken.
    Love this recipe!

    Reply

  12. I was first introduced to the Better than Cake back in 2001 approximately.
    My only change was a from scratch German Chocolate Cake, not a fan of the convienence boxed cakes.
    I use the entire can of sweetened condensed milk and also the complete jar of caramel topping……might do from scratch. I have a buttermilk caramel sauce which is delicious so can see trying that.
    The longer this sits the better the flavour, I made last month for Easter and allowed three days before tasting, delicious. Did not last long and a favourite in my house. Enjoy!

    Reply

  15. When I bake this type of cake, I use a German Chocolate cake mix. It’s not so chocolate forward, and actually brings out more caramel flavor.

    Reply

    • It is great with just the sweetened condensed milk. That is how I make it for my son. It’s his favorite. I over it lightly with plastic wrap and serve it the next day. I also like it with a German chocolate cake.

      Reply

  21. Delicious!!! I have made this twice. The firat time I used the candy bars and crushed them. The second time I cheated and bought the bits in a bag. It is worth the extra effort to crush the candy bars. Great cake for busy moms.

    Reply

  22. Do you still need to use powdered sugar if you use cool whip instead of heavy cream? If so do I just fold onto whip cream?

    Reply

    • Hi Trudy, I haven’t tried freezing this cake, but I probably wouldn’t suggest freezing it with the toppings on it (and definitely not with the whipped cream). If it were me I would bake the chocolate cake, let it cool, poke holes in it and then freeze it. Then the day of, or 1-2 days in advance you could pour the sauces over it and add the whipped cream. Good luck!

      Reply

  27. This was my first time making better than sex cake, at let me just say, I see how it got its name!! I made two, one with birthday cake oreo topping & one with butterfinger topping! BOTH were to die for!! THANK YOU!!

    Reply

  28. I made this for the first time, but one of my coworkers doesn’t like chocolate so I had to completely change everything. So I used a French vanilla cake, Carmel sauce, condensed milk, your whipped cream topping and added chopped pecans and Carmel chips. I hope it’s not too sweet. I’m on a ketogenic diet so I won’t be able to taste it, so I hope my coworkers like it.

    Reply

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