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There’s a reason they call it a Better Than Sex Cake. This easy poke cake recipe is made from mind-blowing layers of moist chocolate cake drenched in caramel sauce and topped with fluffy whipped cream. It’s totally irresistible!
When it comes to chocolate desserts, a classic Better Than Sex Cake takes the … well, cake! This is a simple yet oh-so-moist and rich Devil’s food cake topped with caramel and fluffy Cool Whip, then sprinkled with crushed chocolate caramel candy bars. If you’re a fan of a classic chocolate poke cake, wait until you get a taste of this blissful, caramel-soaked variation.
A Better Than Sex Cake That Lives Up to Its Name
- Great to make ahead. This tantalizing dessert is great to make ahead because the flavors develop while it rests in the fridge. See storage tips below.
- So luscious. Better Than Sex Cake is a chocolate cake recipe that’s SO good, with sweet, moist layers of chocolate and caramel.
- Easy! I use a boxed cake mix to streamline the process, plus Cool Whip so there’s no need to make homemade whipped cream. However, if you would like to make whipped cream from scratch, my no-bake chocolate eclair cake recipe can help.
What is a Better Than Sex Cake?
This classic cake recipe goes by a few different names. Notoriously called a Better Than Sex cake, it’s also known as the Better Than Robert Redford cake, or Better Than Anything cake. The recipe consists of a chocolate cake mix with a rich and moist filling topped with whipped cream.
A Better Than Sex cake definitely rivals other desserts in the flavor department. Does this chocolate cake recipe match the hype? You be the judge.
What You’ll Need
Below you’ll find an overview of everything you’ll need to make this unbelievably moist, caramel-infused cake. Don’t forget to refer to the recipe card for the full recipe details.
- Chocolate Cake Mix – I used Devil’s food cake mix for this recipe. However, you can use any chocolate cake mix of your choosing. Make sure you also pick up any other ingredients you’ll need that are listed on the box (oil, eggs, milk, etc.). But, if you’d like to make a from-scratch cake, make my easy chocolate cake instead and follow the rest of the directions here.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – Make sure you’re buying the sweetened kind, and not regular condensed milk. Pouring over sweetened condensed milk to soak in with the caramel sauce makes the cake crumb insanely rich and moist.
- Caramel Sauce – Store-bought caramel sauce does the trick and is extra convenient.
- Cool Whip – Or whipped cream, for topping. If you’re using Cool Whip, remember to take the tub out of the freezer ahead of time so that it can thaw.
- Candy Bars – To sprinkle over top of the finished cake. You can use chopped Heath toffee candy bars like we do here, or go all out with your own favorite candy. See below for easy cake variations and topping ideas to try.
Variation Ideas
Want to amp up the wow factor even more? Try customizing your Better Than Sex cake with easy variation ideas:
- Chocolate Sauce – Drizzle the cake with chocolate sauce (or soak the cake in chocolate sauce in place of caramel sauce).
- Chocolate Chips – Top with chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips.
- Chopped Candy – Top with chopped Reese’s cups, Snickers, Skor bars, Hershey’s chocolate, or M&M candy.
- Crushed Cookies – Sprinkle over crushed Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, Graham crackers, etc. in place of chopped Heath candy bars in this recipe.
- Different Cake Mix – Instead of Devil’s food cake, try this recipe with a German chocolate cake mix, or dark chocolate cake. Really, you can use any cake mix your heart desires.
- Whipped Cream – Cool Whip can be traded out for real whipped cream. I like Cabot’s brand. Or you can make homemade whipped cream too!
Helpful Tips
What’s the secret to the ultimate chocolate cake? Here are some tips to bring out the best in this better-than-best cake:
- Use homemade ingredients. If you have the time, nothing beats homemade. Everything from the cake to the caramel sauce to the whipped cream can be made from scratch instead of store-bought. See below for easy variation ideas.
- Don’t poke all the way through. Make sure to poke the cake just enough for the topping to soak in, but not all the way to the pan underneath. You don’t want a leaky cake.
- Serve chilled. This Better Than Sex cake is at its best after a good cold stint in the fridge. Aim to chill it for at least two hours, or even overnight before serving. This gives the caramel sauce and condensed milk enough time to absorb into the cake, for a texture that’s incredibly moist and full of flavor.
Can I Make This Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes – and it’s actually better to make this cake ahead. Soaking the poke cake in advance gives the sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce even more time to absorb and develop the flavors. Go ahead and prepare the cake right up until it’s in the fridge chilling, and then leave it overnight.
Finish the cake with whipped cream and crushed candy bars before serving. The result is a Better Than Sex cake that’s extra moist and full of flavor.
Alternatively, you can bake the chocolate cake ahead and freeze it tightly wrapped. Once the cake is thawed, poke the holes and proceed with the recipe as usual.
Proper Storage
- Fridge: Store any leftover cake refrigerated airtight. It will be at its best for up to 3 days when properly stored.
- Can I freeze it? Yes! After it’s cooled completely, store the finished cake in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. Freeze a Better Than Sex cake for up to 2-3 months, and thaw the cake in the fridge before serving.
More Tempting Cakes to Try
Better Than Sex Cake
Ingredients
- 13.25 ounces box of Devil’s food cake mix, + ingredients listed on the cake box
- 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 8 ounce container Cool Whip
- 4 Heath bars, chopped
Instructions
- Prep your tools. Spray the 9×13 baking dish with oil and preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Make the cake. Mix all the ingredients for the Devil’s Food cake and make the cake according to the instructions listed on the cake box. Leave it for 20 minutes to cool. Then, using wooden sticks, poke holes all over the cake.
- Soak and chill. Spread the condensed milk over the cake and top it with caramel sauce. Let the cake cool completely, then place it in the fridge for at least two hours.
- Add toppings. Spread the Cool whip over the cake and decorate with chopped Heath bars.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Better Than Sex Cake
This easy poke cake recipe is perfect for a 9” x 13” sheet cake. Follow along with these step-by-step photos and instructions to keep things simple.
- Prep your tools. While your oven preheats to 350ºF, take out your 9×13 baking pan and give it a light coating with cooking spray.
- Prepare the cake. First, mix your Devil’s food cake mix with the necessary ingredients to make the batter. Bake according to the package directions, then leave the cake to cool. After about 20 minutes, use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
- Soak and chill. While the cake is still a little warm, pour over the condensed milk, spreading it out evenly. Next, add the caramel sauce and leave the cake to sit while it cools completely. Finally, pop it into the fridge to chill.
- Add whipped cream and toppings. After a couple of hours in the fridge, your cake is ready for topping. Spread a generous layer of Cool Whip all over the cake, then give it a sprinkle with chopped Heath bars. Slice your better-than-sex-cake into squares, and dig in.
