Better Than “Anything” Cake

While this cake is better known with a slightly different title, I cleaned it up and called it Better Than Anything Cake (sometimes also known as BTS cake). The flavor combination is unmistakable: a phenomenal chocolate poke cake recipe infused with sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce, then topped with Cool Whip and crushed Heath candy bars. This is ALWAYS a crowd favorite!

Do you remember how, back in the early 2000s, there were recipe exchanges via email? I don't remember exactly how it worked, but there was a list of people in an email chain… you sent a recipe to everyone on the list, and got a recipe back in return from each person. Many of the recipes that are my favorites to this day were procured through this email recipe exchange, this cake chief among them. 

Since then, my mom made a modified version based on a cookbook she bought on vacation, and that version included chocolate chips, which I LOVED, and incorporated it into my old recipe.

Do you have any old recipes from recipe exchanges? What about a favorite poke cake flavor combination?

The Six Ingredients You Need

I love that this recipe uses things that can easily be kept in the pantry and pulled out when you need a quick and easy dessert that doesn’t require a trip to the grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need, and as always, be sure to check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

• Boxed Cake Mix – Any chocolate variety will work, the original recipe calls for devil’s food cake mix, but I’ve used German chocolate cake mix, chocolate fudge, etc. Whatever you like or have available is fine!
• Chocolate Chips – I love the extra little texture these provide; I use semisweet since I always have a big bag in the pantry, but you can use milk, dark, even white or peanut butter chips, if you’d like!
• Sweetened Condensed Milk – A standard 14-ounce can is used.
• Caramel Sauce – You can use homemade caramel sauce, store-bought sauce, or caramel ice cream topping, any of those will work! While I love the contrast of the caramel and chocolate cake, you could also choose to use hot fudge (homemade or store-bought) instead.
• Cool Whip – Any type of whipped topping will work here (just be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator before using and not take it straight from the freezer), or you can make homemade whipped cream. If you’re not feeling whipped cream, you could always top it with your favorite frosting, too!
• Heath Bars – You can crush up the candy bars or use bagged toffee bits (found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips).

How to Make the Cake

This is a really simple cake to make, here’s what you’ll do:

Step 1: Prepare the Cake Batter – Prepare the cake according to the instructions on the box (including the temperature for the type of pan you are using), then spread in a 9×13-inch cake pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Sprinkle Chocolate Chips and Finish Baking – After 10 minutes, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the surface of the cake, then return to the oven. Finish baking according to the times listed on the box.

Step 3: Poke Holes and Pour Sweetened Condensed Milk – Using the handle of a wooden spoon, a skewer or large fork, poke holes all over the surface of the hot cake, then slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk over top. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Step 4: Spread Caramel, Cool Whip & Toppings – Spread the caramel over top of the chilled cake, then top with the Cool Whip and sprinkle the crushed Heath bars over top. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Topping Ideas

While Heath bars (or toffee bits) are the traditional topping for this cake, you could use so many different (and delicious) things! Some ideas:

• Shredded toasted coconut
• Chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups
• Chopped Skor bars
• Mini chocolate chips
• Chopped Snickers bars
• Chopped Oreos
• Drizzle of hot fudge or more caramel sauce
• Chopped nuts (peanuts, pecans, almonds, etc.)

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing Instructions

This is the perfect cake to make ahead of time! See below for how to store it, and even freeze it:

• Make-Ahead: I typically make this cake completely the day before serving it and keep it covered in the refrigerator until serving. You could probably prepare it through step #3 (the caramel sauce) up to two days before you need to serve it, cover and refrigerate, then top with Cool Whip and toppings the day of or night before serving.
• Storage: After assembling, the cake should be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: This cake can be frozen; wrap well in double layer of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Recipe Tips

• A 9×13-inch pan is used for this recipe; you can use glass or metal.
• While chocolate is the traditional base flavor for this cake recipe, you can also use a yellow cake mix or white cake mix, if you prefer.
• The original recipe called for using the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cake, but depending on the size of your spoon that can result in some pretty large holes. I like using a skewer or large fork to distribute the sweetened condensed milk that seeps through the cake more evenly.
• When poking the holes in the cake, take care not to poke the hole through to the bottom of the cake, or the sweetened condensed milk will seep out of the bottom of the cake and puddle in the bottom of the pan.
• The original version of this recipe called for pouring the caramel sauce over the cake immediately after pouring the sweetened condensed milk over; you can make it either way! I like the layer of caramel resting on top of the cake that gets absorbed a little bit, but they’re both delicious!

Watch the Recipe Video:

More Favorite Poke Cake Recipes

• Tres Leches Cake
• Caramel Tres Leches Cake
• Red Velvet Poke Cake
• Strawberries & Cream Layered Poke Cake

If you make this better than “anything” cake recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️

This recipe was originally published in June 2013.

Photography by Dee Frances.