Paul Newman Cake

Looking for an easy cake recipe that is perfect for the summer? Our Paul Newman cake is full of rich chocolate and caramel flavors and couldn’t be easier to make!

This Paul Newman cake combines flavors of chocolate and caramel with Heath candy bar pieces, baking up a deliciously sweet and decadent cake. Bring this cake to your next summer barbecue or potluck for a dessert that’s always a crowd pleaser!

slice of chocolate cake on a spatula

What is Paul Newman Cake?

Paul Newman cake has also been known as Better than Anything cake. It’s a Poke cake, which means holes are poked into the cake after baking and then it’s filled with some sort of topping.

In this cake, we fill the cake with butterscotch caramel topping and sweetened condensed milk and the results are so good!

This Poke chocolate caramel cake comes together with only five easy ingredients. This is one of the easiest and most loved cake recipes you can make in a flash!

ingredients for paul newman cake

How to Make Paul Newman Cake

We typically like to make our cakes from scratch, but when you need to make a cake in a hurry, this boxed-cake recipe can’t be beat.

You can make this easy cake recipe with just five ingredients! Follow these instructions to make this delicious cake.

  • Bake the cake according to the directions on the box in a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. Let cool. Any brand cake will work. Just make sure it will fit a 9×13 pan.
  • Poke holes into the top of the cake using the end of a wooden spoon or a large meat fork.
  • Reserve about ¼ cup of butterscotch caramel ice cream topping for drizzling on top of the cake.
  • In a small bowl, combine the remaining ice cream topping with the sweetened condensed milk. Mix well.
  • Pour this mixture over the top of the cake, spreading if necessary to cover the whole cake.
caramel pouring over chocolate poke cake
  • Spread the Cool Whip over the top of the cake.
  • Sprinkle with chopped Heath bars and drizzle with the remaining ice cream topping.
  • Keep chilled until serving.
  • Enjoy!

Variations for the Paul Newman Cake

  • If you can’t find German chocolate cake mix, you can use any chocolate flavor.
  • If you really don’t want to use a boxed cake mix, you can make this cake using our German chocolate cake recipe.
  • Other brands of ice cream topping will also work.
  • You can also use equal parts of caramel topping and butterscotch topping if you are unable to find the butterscotch caramel topping.
  • You may not use all of the 12 oz. container of Cool Whip, but you want a nice thick layer on top covering the cake.

Can I Make this Cake Gluten Free?

Yes, to make this cake gluten free, use a gluten-free cake mix. Heath bars, caramel topping, and Cool Whip are all gluten-free ingredients.

paul newman cake with one slice missing in the middle

Can I Make A Lighter Version of the Cake?

You can lighten this cake up a bit by using a sugar-free cake mix, sugar-free ice cream topping and low-calorie Cool Whip. Swap out one of the ingredients or swap out all three to make a lower calorie, lower sugar cake.

piece of paul newman cake on a plate with a bite out of it

Enjoy making and serving this classic Paul Newman cake that really is better than anything! Party guests will definitely be coming back for seconds and asking you for the recipe!

piece of paul newman cake
piece of paul newman cake

Paul Newman Cake

4.42 from 34 votes
Looking for an easy cake recipe that is perfect for the summer? Our Paul Newman cake is full of rich chocolate and caramel flavors and couldn't be easier to make!
Servings 15
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients on the back of the box)
  • 17 ounces Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel Ice Cream Topping (divided)
  • 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (about ½ a can)
  • 12 ounces Cool Whip (thawed)
  • 3 Heath bars (chopped)

Instructions
 

  • Bake the cake according to package directions in a 9×13 baking pan.
  • Poke holes into the top of the cake using the end of a wooden spoon or a large meat fork.
  • Reserve about ¼ cup of ice cream topping for drizzling on top of the cake.
  • In a small bowl, combine the remaining ice cream topping with the sweetened condensed milk. Mix well.
  • Pour this mixture over the top of the cake, spreading if necessary to cover the whole cake.
  • Spread the Cool Whip over top the cake.
  • Sprinkle with chopped Heath bars and drizzle with the remaining ice cream topping.
  • Chill until serving.

Notes

  • If you can’t find German chocolate cake, just chocolate is fine.
  • If you can’t find that specific brand of ice cream topping, use an equal mix of caramel and butterscotch.
  • If you’d like a smaller amount of Cool Whip on the cake, you may just get by with 8 ounces.
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 384mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 1mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 282
Keyword easy box cake mix, picnic, summer

Other Poke Cake Recipes

About Julie Clark

We are Julie, Maddie, and Kinslee – a mother and daughter team sharing with you the best cakes to satisfy any need or sweet craving that you may have. Welcome to our family’s kitchen!

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5 stars
I am getting all,all these recipes, love poke cakes, also love dump cakes. Thank you , I too share my secrets ingredients and knowledge in & for my baking & cooking, LOVE your recipes and website