Crunch Bar meets Rice Krispy Treats in a layered cake I imagined: introducing the Vegan Rice Krispy Crunch Bar Cake.
My original plan was to recreate the Nestlé Crunch Bar as a cake, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Rice Krispy Treats—so I combined both ideas into one over-the-top layer cake.
I used moist chocolate cake layers, chocolate buttercream, and thin sheets of Rice Krispy Treats to build a nine-layer cake—yes, nine layers!
This cake came out fantastic, though not on the first attempt. Fresh Rice Krispy Treats make the cake difficult to slice, because the gooey marshmallow binds and pulls. The flavor was excellent, so I kept working on the idea until I found a solution.
After a few days, the extra Rice Krispy layers began to stale—by design, this was a happy accident. Stale Rice Krispy Treats become crisp and slightly brittle, much like the texture in a Crunch Bar. The marshmallow firms and the cereal regains a satisfying crunch, giving the cake layers the contrast and structure I wanted.
The result is a cake with moist chocolate layers, rich chocolate buttercream, crisp-to-the-bite Krispy layers, and a glossy ganache finish. Plan ahead: the Rice Krispy Treat layers should rest for at least three days to reach the ideal texture before assembling the cake.
To replicate this recipe you can use vegan marshmallows and crisp rice bars as your cereal component. I recommend making the Krispy sheets in pans the same diameter as your cake layers and keeping them thin—about 1/4 inch—so they become crisp without overpowering the cake.
- For the Cake
- All-purpose flour 1½ cups + 3 tablespoons (212 g)
- Granulated sugar ¾ cup (150 g)
- Salt ½ teaspoon (3 g)
- Baking powder 1½ teaspoons (6 g)
- Baking soda 1½ teaspoons (6 g)
- Coconut oil 7 tablespoons (98 g)
- Boiling water 1½ cups (360 ml)
- Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder ¾ cup (70 g)
- Ground flax seeds 6 tablespoons (48 g)
- Hot water 9 tablespoons (135 ml)
- Vanilla extract 2 teaspoons (10 ml)
- For the Chocolate Buttercream
- Vegan butter 1½ cups (3 sticks) (336 g)
- Hi-ratio solid vegetable shortening 1½ cups (336 g)
- Vegan confectioners’ sugar 6 cups (720 g)
- Vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
- Cocoa powder ½ cup
- Hot water ½ cup
- For the Rice Krispy Treats
- Coconut oil 2 tablespoons
- Vegan butter 2 tablespoons
- Vegan marshmallows (about 5 oz; half of a 10 oz bag)
- Puffed rice cereal 2 cups
- For the Ganache
- Vegan semi-sweet chocolate 4 ounces
- Soy milk 3 ounces (6 tablespoons)
- Make the Rice Krispy Treat sheets about 3 days before assembly so they can stale and crisp up.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut oil and vegan butter until melted.
- Add the marshmallows, stirring until fully melted and smooth, then remove from heat.
- Stir in the puffed rice cereal until evenly coated.
- Press the mixture into parchment-lined cake pans that match your cake layer size, keeping the sheets no thicker than 1/4 inch. Spread any remaining mixture onto a silicone mat to the same thickness. Let cool and then allow to rest until slightly stale and crisp (minimum 3 days).
- For the cake layers, mix ground flax seeds with 9 tablespoons hot water and whisk until smooth; let stand 5–30 minutes to thicken into a paste.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk coconut oil, 1½ cups boiling water, and cocoa powder until smooth.
- Add the cocoa mixture, flax paste, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Divide batter between three greased, parchment-lined 7″ cake pans and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25–35 minutes, or until centers are springy to the touch.
- Cool cakes in the pans briefly, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely while you prepare the buttercream.
- Whisk hot water into the ½ cup cocoa powder to make a smooth paste; set aside to cool.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat vegan butter and shortening on medium-high for about 3 minutes.
- Scrape the bowl, then add the sifted confectioners’ sugar all at once, along with vanilla (and salt if using). Mix on low until incorporated, scrape, then beat on high for 3 minutes.
- Add the cooled cocoa paste, increase to high speed, and whip for 2 more minutes until light and fluffy.
- Make the ganache by gently heating the vegan chocolate and soy milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool before pouring over the assembled cake.
- Assemble the cake by layering cake, a thin layer of buttercream, and a sheet of the crisped Rice Krispy Treats, repeating until all nine layers are stacked. Finish with buttercream and pour the cooled ganache over the top.
Enjoy planning ahead for this show-stopping vegan cake—crisp, chocolatey, and full of crunch.