Mammaw's Milky Way Cake
This is the best cake ever! My grandmother would make it when I was a little girl and now I make it for my family. I've not met anyone who does not like this cake!
This is the best cake ever! My grandmother would make it when I was a little girl and now I make it for my family. I've not met anyone who does not like this cake!
- Carbohydrate 129.981266666651 g
- Cholesterol 393.825277777751 mg
- Fat 30.2027925694378 g
- Fiber 1.58520836810271 g
- Protein 17.0746804166555 g
- Saturated Fat 12.7725832291624 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (269g)
- Sodium 193.687256944305 mg
- Sugar 128.396058298548 g
- Trans Fat 3.14803244444417 g
- Calories 843 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Melt butter and candy bars; set aside.
- Beat eggs, one at a time.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix together.
- Fold in Milky Way bars and butter mixture.
- Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours in a 13x9 pan (you can also use 3-9" round cake pans).
- Melt candy bars and butter.
- Stir in milk and powdered sugar.
- Add additional milk if needed.
- Beat until smooth and spread on cooled cake.
Why does chocolate seize when combined with hot fats, and how can that chemical reaction be avoided? Melting candy bars containing nougat and caramel requires strict temperature control. Direct, high heat scorches the milk solids in the chocolate and separates the sugar suspension, leaving behind a gritty, grainy sludge that refuses to incorporate into batter. Lowering the oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit protects the delicate dairy proteins from burning during the extended baking time required by dense sugar matrices.
Achieving the correct density relies heavily on fat distribution and gluten development. Beating the eggs one at a time introduces mechanical leavening, creating a stable emulsion that supports the heavy weight of the melted confectionery. Over-mixing at this stage forces too much air into the batter, producing large pockets that collapse under the weight of the chopped walnuts. Fold the melted chocolate and butter mixture in gently at the final stage to preserve the trapped air cells.
Adapting the hardware changes the required thermal timeline. While a standard 13x9 inch metal pan distributes heat evenly across a large surface area, dividing the batter among three 9-inch round pans decreases the volume per vessel. Check the round pans around 45 minutes to prevent over-baking, whereas the thicker 13x9 inch format requires up to 90 minutes. Cool the layers completely on wire racks before applying the powdered sugar icing to prevent the butter-based spread from melting into a translucent glaze.
