Mom’s Retro Heath Bar Cake for #SundaySupper Retro Recipes

If you love toffee and chocolate, you’re going to love Mom’s Retro Heath Bar Cake!!

Hi Everybody! Welcome to #SundaySupper’s Retro-Recipes theme for the day. This Heath Bar Cake is a recipe that my mom used to make when I was growing up. It is seriously one of my favorite dessert memories from my childhood. Surprisingly this is the first time I’ve ever made it. Hmmm. Wonder what the heck I was waiting for?

When I was growing up, my mom used to get gently kidded that the only time she ever baked was when company was coming over. Even though it was said in jest, it was pretty much a true story. LOL. Sorry mom.

My mom used to get kidded about her frozen desserts too. She was the one in the family with the sweet tooth (and still is to this day). Every night after we finished off our family dinner (5:30 p.m. – no exceptions), mom would pull out some type of frozen Sara Lee dessert and cut off a frozen hunk or two for herself and whoever wanted a dessert that particular night.

It was rare that I ever partook in those frozen confections, as I was always the one who reached for whatever was left in the bottom of the vegetable bowl. Weird kid, I know. Unless of course, mom was serving her Heath Bar Cake.

Mom got this recipe for Heath Bar Cake from her aunt Regina sometime in the early ’60s when Heath toffee candy bars were in their hay day. These days large Heath bars may be hard to come by, but the smaller snack-sized ones should be easily found on grocery store shelves.

This recipe from mom’s Aunt Regina was written to be baked in a 9×13 pan, but my mom would always divide the recipe and bake two cakes in round disposable 8″ aluminum pans. I chose to bake my cakes just the same way mom did for that blast-from-the-past feel and to aid in today’s #SundaySupper retro-recipes theme.

This is where it comes in handy to have a recipe that makes two cakes. One for the family, and one for the company. Which is why, I guess, my mom divided the recipe into two cakes… to get her family off her back! LOL

MOM’S RETRO HEATH BAR CAKE   {PRINT THIS RECIPE}
Yield:  2 – 9″ cakes       Prep Time: 15 minutes     Bake Time: 35 minutes

½ cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk (I used 2%)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8-10 mini Heath bars, rough chopped
½ cup chopped pecans
baking spray
2 – 8″ round disposable cake pans (or 1- 9×13 baking pan)

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-In a large bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until incorporated. Slowly blend in the flour to form a crumb-like texture. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture and set aside.

-Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, egg, milk, and vanilla to the large bowl and beat until well blended.  Spray the pan/pans with baking spray. If using the two round pans, divide the dough evenly between the two pans. If using a 9×13, pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

-Sprinkle the reserved crumble topping evenly over the cake batter. Divide the Heath bars and pecans (if using 2 round pans), and sprinkle them evenly over the crumble topping.

-Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

I’m so glad I finally asked my mom for this recipe and I can’t wait to serve this Heath Bar Cake to friends and family. Of course, I’ll have to take one out of the freezer to thaw, first! HaHa! Love you, Mom!!!

Ready for more retro recipes? Take a step back in time and check out all the other recipes from the #SundaySupper group by clicking on the links below:

Bodacious Breakfasts and Appetizers:

• Classic Chex Party Mix from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Healthy Green Goddess Dip from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Homemade Doughnuts from Cosmopolitan Cornbread

Made in the Shade Main Dishes:

• Bacon Wrapped Individual Meatloaf from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Chicken ala King from Recipes Food and Cooking
• Chicken Rice Casserole from Curious Cuisiniere
• Chicken in a Basket from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Chicken Parisienne from Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen
• Chicken Pot Pie from Whole Food | Real Families
• Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast from FoodieTots
• Creamy Baked Pork Chops from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Individual Beef Wellingtons from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Mom’s Chicken Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuits from Simply Healthy Family
• Mom’s Shepherd’s Pie from Momma’s Meals
• Ravioli di Magro from Manu’s Menu
• Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy from Webicurean
• Sweet and Sour Pork Meatballs from Palatable Pastime
• Tuna Noodle Casserole from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Uptown Goulash from Family Foodie

Swell Side Dishes:

• Creamy Lime Gelatin Salad from Magnolia Days
• Harvard Beets from Take A Bite Out Of Boca
• Retro Crock Pot Crabby Soup from Seduction in the Kitchen
• Roasted Broccoli Cheese Casserole from NeighborFood
• Seven Layer Salad from Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Wedge Salad from Our Good Life

Dreamy Desserts:

• Bananas Foster from The Redhead Baker
• Creamsicle Jello Mold from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Frosty Chocolate Dream Bites from Wallflour Girl
• Hummingbird Cream Cheese Cookies from Dandelion Greens
• Jello Poke Cake from The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Mom’s Heath Bar Cake from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Old Fashioned Banana Pudding from Pies and Plots
• One, Two, Three Jello from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Original Mayonnaise Chocolate Cake with No Cook Fudge Frosting from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Eat, Drink and be Tracy
• Raspberry Crunch from Peaceful Cooking
• Tunnel of Fudge Cake from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

The Bee’s Knees Beverages:

• Blood Orange Sidecar from Nosh My Way
• Crème de Menthe Parfait from Food Lust People Love
• Vanilla Bean Old Fashioned from The Texan New Yorker

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

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Thanks for stopping by!

Until we eat again,