Cake Batter Chocolate Bark.

December 3, 2010 · 395 comments

I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to share a recipe with you.

Or to lick a bowl.



The secret ingredient here? You may think I’m crazy… but it’s a spoonful of actual cake mix.

All you must do is whisk it well into the melted white chocolate. Best decision ever.
And don’t worry about “what to do with the rest of the cake mix.” Store it for later. Make more bark. Make cake-mix cookies. Eat it off a spoon. Bake a cake. Mail it to me.


Just don’t not make this because you’re worried about the extra cake mix. It’s simply a detail.

The truth is, I’ve never been much of a “bark” person. I think barks tend to be beautiful, colorful, and make fabulous gifts, but I’m not really interested in eating my chocolate with nuts and fruit. I decided yesterday that I was going to make some form of chocolate bark, but I knew it had to be different. Not plain, old, boring bark.

After laying on the couch slurping butter-soaked shrimp scampi, plowing through a bag of m&m’s and watching 7 hours of Lifetime television, I had my answer: cake batter. I don’t know where it came from. I swear it was an epiphany. Or perhaps I had just swallowed way too much sugar.


Yes, it may be quite a trendy flavor, but can you really ever go wrong? I think not.

And I didn’t want to just make white chocolate bark. This baby needed a little more personality. More spunk. More flavor. More richness. More calories. More reason to buy new bigger pants.


So I added a dark chocolate layer too.

Did you know I have an obsession with sprinkles? Now you do.

I’d put them on everything if I could. Color me 5 years old.



Cake Batter Chocolate Bark

6 ounces high quality dark chocolate (I used Lindt 70%)

12 ounces high quality white chocolate (I used Lindt)

3 teaspoons yellow cake mix

sprinkles of your choice (at least 3 tablespoons worth or more)

Melt dark chocolate either in the microwave or a double boiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour chocolate on. You can smooth it with a spatula to the thickness you desire. Stick in the freeze for 20 minutes.

Melt while chocolate. Whisk in cake mix slowly, stirring well until no lumps remain. Let it set for 3 full minutes (or at least until it slightly thickens). Remove baking sheet with chocolate from the freezer and immediately pour white chocolate on top. Sprinkle on sprinkles. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Once set, break into chunks. Keep refrigerated.


All I really want to know is how I can possibly top this treat. Riddle me that!

{ 321 comments… read them below or add one }

Leslie November 23, 2011 at 12:10 am

Made this tonight – my white to dark chocolate ratio was a bit off but I had to use individually wrapped white chocolates so I may have done the math wrong…seriously, adding is overrated. Regardless, this looks and TASTES amazing. The cake batter is genius and definitely easy peasy, thanks for sharing!

Reply

idiosyncraticeye November 23, 2011 at 8:56 am

Never heard of bark, may need to investigate! :)

Reply

Ape November 23, 2011 at 10:22 am

Hey you? Yeah you…I love you.

Reply

Christy December 1, 2011 at 10:51 pm

Just made this. Got really cute sprinkles from Target to make it more “Christmas”. What is the secret of not having the white chocolate melt/smear the dark chocolate underneath when spreading the top layer?

Reply

Kendall February 1, 2012 at 8:36 pm

If you happen to let the dark chocolate harden a bit first it wont melt underneath the top layer while spreading.

Reply

Lisa Haines December 10, 2011 at 1:32 pm

Yum Yum Yum!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!! I’m going to try it for Christmas!! :)

Reply

Anon Net Guy December 11, 2011 at 9:51 am

I like how you spend the first half of this article talking like you invented this recipe and are some genius for adding cake mix… when this recipe (with cake mix) is already over the internet. In addition, yours is a copy and paste with very slight modifications. Get over yourself and just admit that you found a recipe you liked… not invented it.

Reply

Jessica December 11, 2011 at 10:03 am

Uh, no – over a YEAR ago when I created this recipe, there was no recipe on the internet for cake batter bark because (as always) I did a complete search. Would you like to source your comment? If anything is copied and pasted, it is because people have stolen my recipe without crediting it. I would never copy and paste a recipe and if you actually read my blog you would know this.

Reply

Cordeelia December 11, 2011 at 10:15 am

Tell her girl! She’s nothing but a hater. Your recipes are wonderful and I’m definitely making this for Christmas!!!!

Reply

Jessica December 20, 2011 at 11:34 am

What’s most hilarious about that accusation is that a quick search of “Cake Batter Chocolate Bark” shows that every other result for this recipe was posted after you posted yours (they’re all dated 2011). Hm. What could that mean? ;)

Reply

Marne December 22, 2011 at 2:55 pm

Funnier still is that he doesn’t have the gonads to own his post, hiding behind anonymous guy instead. Way to go dude!

Reply

Lauren December 23, 2011 at 4:41 pm

People are funny.

Reply

Tammy December 12, 2011 at 11:12 pm

I just made it….so beautiful but my white and dark chocolate layers separated and didn’t stick together…..any ideas? I followed the directions exactly!!

Reply

Melanie December 13, 2011 at 2:53 pm

Make sure that your base layer is dry – no condensation – when you spread on the top layer.

Reply

Elona December 14, 2011 at 10:29 am

This sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it! I was looking for a recipe today that I was sure that if anyone tried it, you would have… have you ever made s’mores bark? I’ve never made ANY bark before but for whatever reason (after reading your blog) I have a craving for s’mores. Any suggestions?

Reply

Recipeboy (Brooks) December 14, 2011 at 9:47 pm

Yummmmmm!!!!!!! This is a very colorful recipe and probably very yummy recipe too! :)

Reply

Samantha December 15, 2011 at 7:25 am

I made this last night and it was so easy! Exactly as you said. I kind of think there’s still room for more cake batter though, did you try adding more?

Reply

Jessica December 15, 2011 at 7:39 am

I have added more since making it again – you can definitely try adding a few more teaspoons slowly!

Reply

Samantha December 18, 2011 at 1:22 pm

I added this to my blog as a recommendation to make for a last minute holiday gift, fyi. :) Thanks for being so creative. I love your blog!
http://householdhero.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/homemade-goodie-bags/

Reply

Katie December 18, 2011 at 3:17 pm

YUMMY! Only thing I would do in the future is spread my chocolate thinner… And maybe use higher quality chocolate. This is absolutely brilliant. Can’t wait to try the cookies and cream bark!

Reply

Kelli December 19, 2011 at 3:07 pm

I made this today for my younger sister who had pinned it. She isn’t a fan of chocolate so I only used white chocolate. I am still waiting for it to set up – but the melted chocolate with cake mix in it tastes awesome. I used red and green sprinkles and will put it in clear bags for Christmas. Thanks for posting your recipe.

Reply

Jessica December 20, 2011 at 1:23 pm

Hey Jessica, I know you said to keep refrigerated, but since it’s relatively cold this time of year, do you think this would be safe to send in the mail? I have a friend who would love this, but she’s not an especially big fan of baking. (I can’t understand it, but I guess it’s not for everyone!)

Reply

Jessica December 20, 2011 at 5:58 pm

I really can’t say, but I don’t think I’d ship it. I just don’t feel like it would hold up, but I honestly have no idea!

Reply

toyalise December 24, 2011 at 7:42 am

mine is in the freezer chilling as i type, WOOOO \O/

buuuut i subbed for the white confetti cake mix, just to add to the colorful birthday cake-y effect, and i used a whole tbsp and a half, but it didn’t taste like cake batter. the white chocolate taste came thru very strong… i used ghirardelli white chocolate chips :(

Reply

brittany February 20, 2012 at 10:20 am

I just tried out this recipe for a friends birthday and the same thing happened with mine. The white chocolate taste came through very strong, I can hardly taste the cake batter. Oh well as I already made it, and chocolate tastes good anyway…but I wish it had more of a cake batter taste. I used ghiradelli chocolate too. :/

Reply

hollyj801 March 20, 2012 at 11:14 am

Perhaps it needs to be the yellow cake mix?? I haven’t tried to make this yet, but maybe the confetti cake mix doesn’t have as strong of a flavor, since it’s a white cake mix. I doubt the chocolate is the reason, but then again I don’t know! Just a suggestion : )

Reply

meredith January 1, 2012 at 11:07 pm

Love love your posts about adding cake batter to bark, pancakes etc. Awesome! and a box of cake mix is only $1 and change so worth it.

Reply

Lauren Wise January 21, 2012 at 4:21 pm

Wow! Thanks for sharing your creativity. I found you on Pintrest and have intentions on making this for my son’s first birthday. I am going to follow you because I love your wit!!! Keep it coming!!

Reply

Sara January 23, 2012 at 2:27 am

Absolutely amazing! I made this for Christmas and loved it! Also I used the dark chocolate layer idea for peppermint bark. Never making bark without that layer now! Thank you!

Reply

Alicia @ The Humble Foodie February 3, 2012 at 12:47 pm

This bark is delicious! I’ve made it a few times for friends and family–I like that, while bark is usually a seasonal treat for me, the cake batter makes it something that can be enjoyed year round. I hope you don’t mind that I posted the recipe on my blog as well (and of course credited you, as well as Sweetapolita, where I originally found it). This recipe is the one that most of my friends told me they actually made, and they all loved it! Thanks for this great idea.

Reply

Paula@BigBeatCandyCo February 18, 2012 at 9:39 am

Oh, this sounds WONDERFUL!! I can’t wait to give it a try! You have a great site! :-)

Reply

Paula@BigBearCandyCo February 18, 2012 at 9:41 am

OOPS! Can’t spell my own name today! Big BEAR, not big “beat!” ;-)

Reply

Kat March 13, 2012 at 3:08 pm

But…WHY cake mix? You can make bark without it.

Reply

Tammi March 13, 2012 at 7:04 pm

Kat, I think the question is, why not cake mix?? I think it’s a great idea! I make Peppermint Bark every year & love it, I like this variation to another one of my favorite flavors to try.

It’s just something fun…if it bothers you, you really don’t have to make it.

Reply

Nana March 14, 2012 at 8:46 am

hmm…I do have a question but after reading the comments on here I have a feeling that eyes are going to pop out if I post it…

first of all: this was the first recipe I read on this page and I am reading this from half-way around the world, so, can anyone PLEASE explain to me what cake mix is??? or how I can substitute it? Because I REALLY want to try this!

Reply

Beatriz E April 3, 2012 at 11:14 pm

Came mix is all the dry ingredients used in making a cake. Came mix is purchased here in a box, and usually you only have to add eggs and butter or oil in order to make a cake. For the bark recipe, you would not add anything to the cake mix. I hope it makes sense.

Reply

Beatriz E April 3, 2012 at 11:21 pm

If you cannot find cake mix in your country, then I suggest that you get a vanilla cake recipe and mix all the dry ingredients and this would be your homemade “cake mix” that you can add to the bark recipe (only 3 teaspoons of it).

Reply

Ally Jean March 21, 2012 at 11:20 am

OMG! Birthday Cake Bark will be PERFECT for my birthday this Friday. This is just too cute!

I featured your recipe on my blog, stop by and say hello!

http://allyjeanhellyer.blogspot.com/2012/03/food-crush-its-my-birthday.html#more

Reply

Syl Grant March 31, 2012 at 6:32 pm

Thank you for this!! I’ve been searching for days for a recipe to satisfy some weird craving I’ve had recently. This is the one!!! Also what I love about this (also being a sprinkle fan) is that I can use this for any occasion just by changing the colour of the sprinkles. Thanks

Reply

nicole April 1, 2012 at 12:29 pm

okay so picked up the wrong chocolate, and got milk chocolate instead….but still tastes incredible! AND now I have a reason to make more (with dark chocolate next time)!!! Thanks for sharing this, this is a great Easter candy treat for my kiddos!

Reply

AC May 2, 2012 at 3:05 am

Thanks for this post! I’ve been looking for some good treats to have at my 25 b-day party this year (It’s Willy Wonka themed for the kid inside) I wanted something that said “birthday” without being an actual birthday cake… now I can have my “cake” and eat it, too! P.S. Brownie mix in chocolate is good too ;)

Reply

Ellen May 2, 2012 at 11:36 am

I am making this at the weekend for my daughter’s figure skating club competition, not sure how it will turn out as I live in the UK and things are slightly different here, but I know I can buy Lindt chocolate here for sure. I am sure this will be amazing because I happen to think peppermint bark is the most delicious thing on the whole planet, and once I make this, then I am sure that the cake batter bark will top it!!

Reply

Leave a Comment

{ 74 trackbacks }

Previous post:

Next post: