Butterscotch Crunch Cake Bars

Home » Desserts » Butterscotch Crunch Cake Bars

An easy snack cake recipe made with a cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, butterscotch morsels and crunchy pecans (or any nuts) that's the perfect easy dessert!

Author: Mandy Rivers | Created: 7/22/26

This easy dessert satisfies so many of my snack cravings! It's sweet (obviously) but we finish it with a sprinkling of salt that really brings out the pecans and balances all the sweet ingredients!

It's glorious while it's warm but I especially love it the next day when the butterscotch chips have firmed up because then we get amazing contrasts in texture with the soft cake-bar base and the crunchiness from both the pecans and the butterscotch morsels!

Be warned, though... if you're a butterscotch fiend like me, you will not be able to stay out of these!

AND I MIGHT BE LOSING IT...

My whole life, butterscotch has given me the warm-and-fuzzies. I have an entire set of memories about butterscotch milkshakes that I must have dreamed up because, according to Mama, they never happened. Leave it to me to have an entire fantasy life around food.

I would have bet a month's pay that this was real. I can remember going with Mama to get her hair done every month then going to Fat Boy's afterwards to get butterscotch milkshakes. Any West Columbia people remember when J.B. White's had that hair salon in Woodberry Plaza?? Anyway, I was talking about it one day and Mama said it never happened because she doesn't like butterscotch (so she would never have ordered me a butterscotch anything) and we never stopped for milkshakes. Ever.

Ummm... what?? I can vividly remember sitting in that green '78 Silverado with the saddle blanket seat cover, sucking down butterscotch milkshakes. Like VIVIDLY remember. Me and Barbara Mandrell would sing our hearts out the whole way home while I sucked the air out the bottom of my styrofoam cup.

But... evidently I made it up so, hey maybe I should write that book because I clearly have an active imagination! 

Well, aside from my make-believe memories of butterscotch milkshakes, those classic Magic Cookie Bars (sometimes called Hello Dollies and 7-Layer Bars) were some of my absolute favorites too! I can remember sneaking into the kitchen to snag a square.

Some modern recipes replace the butterscotch morsels with peanut butter but, I'm here to tell you, the two do not compare. That butterscotch just hits different and my LORD, it's good stuff!

Wait a minute, though... if Mama didn't like butterscotch then why did she always make the Magic Cookie Bars??? Hmmmm... I can't be hallucinating about both of those things. Probably.

CHANGE IT UP

This recipe can be used with all sorts of flavor combinations! Here are some of the variations I have made and a few I think sound good!

• Lemon - Lemon cake and pudding, white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts
• Chocolate  - Chocolate cake and pudding, chocolate chips, walnuts
• Pistachio - White cake, pistachio pudding, white chocolate chips, pistachios
• Peanut Butter - Yellow cake, vanilla pudding, peanut butter morsels, peanuts
• Chocolate Peanut Butter- Chocolate cake and pudding, peanut butter morsels & chocolate chips
• German Chocolate - Chocolate cake and pudding, butterscotch chips, pecans & coconut

Make it however you like! Just have about 2 cups chips/morsels and 1 cup nuts/coconut

FAQ ON BUTTERSCOTCH CRUNCH CAKE BARS

1. What brand and size cake mix to use?  The brand doesn't matter BUT you need to make sure you have a 15.25-oz box (some brands are only about 13 oz).
2. Can I use sugar-free pudding mix?  Absolutely! 
3. Why don't you use butterscotch pudding?  I have - and I like it! - but I like it better with the yellow cake mix.
4. Can I use other flavors?  YES! See the section above.
5. How long do these stay fresh?  I've never had any last longer than 3-4 days but I would guess these will stay lovely well beyond that so long as they are store in an air-tight container.
6. Can these be frozen?  Yes, ma'am! These freeze very well up to 6 months and only need to be thawed to eat.
7. Are they called butterscotch morsels or chips?  Heck if I know. These two words seem to be used interchangeably in the baking world.

MORE CAKE MIX RECIPES TO TRY!

White Chocolate Berry Bundt Cake - Tender white chocolate cake with a berry swirl based on Nothing Bundt Cakes famous White Chocolate Raspberry cake. 

Honey Bun Cake - An easy cake recipe with all the classic flavors of a honey bun made with a doctored up cake mix, cinnamon and brown sugar. 

Impossible 5-Ingredient Chocolate Cake - An easy chocolate bundt cake recipe that's moist, fudgy and decadent made with just five ingredients. 

Cherry Danish Cake - A semi-homemade cake dotted with cherry pie filling, drizzled with sour cream icing and topped with slivered almonds. 

White Wine Cake - Brown sugar, cinnamon and white wine transform an ordinary cake mix into an indulgent, super moist bundt soaked in a simple wine glaze. 

Recipe for Butterscotch Crunch Cake Bars

Butterscotch Crunch Cake Bars

Yield: 12 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

An easy snack cake recipe made with a cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, butterscotch morsels and crunchy pecans (or any nuts) that's the perfect easy dessert!

Ingredients

• 1 15.25-oz yellow cake mix
• 1 3.4-oz instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 11-oz bag butterscotch chips
• 1 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 13x9 pan; set aside.
2. Combine oil, milk and eggs in a bowl then stir until eggs are mixed in well. 3/4 c. oil, 1/4 c. milk, 2 eggs
3. Add cake mix and pudding mix to wet ingredients then stir until well combined (some small lumps are OK).
4. Spread batter in the bottom of prepared pan.
5. Top batter evenly with butterscotch chips then pecans. Sprinkle a hefty pinch of salt on top then bake for 25 minutes or until set in the middle and sides are starting to brown. 1 bag chips, 1 c. pecans, salt
6. Remove from oven then cool at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or let cool completely then cut into squares.
7. Store in an air-tight container up to 5 days.

Notes

• The cake batter will be thick but a sturdy spoon will mix it just fine. Feel free to use a hand-held mixer or your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. 
• Use a 4-serving box of instant pudding (sugar-free and some brands weigh less than 3.4-oz).
• Be sure to check out the post above the recipe card for substitutions, variations and FAQ.
• You can skip the salt if using other flavor variations above (the salt really only helps with the super sweet butterscotch and unsalted pecans).

Author: Mandy Rivers

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2026/07/butterscotch-crunch-cake-bars.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2026

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Date Nut Snack Cake

Home » Desserts » Date Nut Snack Cake

An old-fashioned recipe for chewy, chunky snacking cake squares made with pecans or walnuts, dates and simple ingredients!

Author: Mandy Rivers | Updated: 7/28/26

This is a recipe I have loved my entire life. The texture is unlike anything else I've had... the cake to date/nut ratio is about even so every bite is chunky and chewy in the best way!

There's only one cup of flour in the batter but we get a sort of baked meringue thing going on from the eggs which also adds to the chewiness (I'll get into that in a minute). 

Mama would keep these in the freezer to be pulled out if company stopped by or when any of us was craving something sweet. She had two mini bundt pans and would sometimes divide the batter between them. They were the cutest little things to set on a pretty plate.

I think we might have called this a "Christmas cake" when I was growing up. Or maybe I just think that because we always had them around during the holidays?? They're a great stand-in for fruit cakes. They keep well and are sturdy but don't have all the candied fruit some folks don't like.

This was the thing we dropped off when somebody had a baby, someone passed away or other such occasions. Through the years, so many people have told me that having this cake to set out was worth 10 frozen casseroles because, even when we've just had a baby or a funeral, we Southern women still feel like we have to roll out the hospitality and be good hostesses.

I had no idea what I was doing when I brought Baby Girl home from the hospital. I was completely overwhelmed and, in hindsight, probably had some baby-blues going on. Mama had left me one of these and I would stand at the counter with tears in my eyes and carve off little squares because something about this cake just makes me feel cared for, like everything's gonna be OK. Yep, reading this back to myself, I 100% had post-partum depression... who cries while their eating cake??

The first time I made this myself, I had to ask Mama if her recipe was written down right because there's no butter or oil in it. Mama's notorious for writing recipes wrong so I had my doubts, but I made it anyway. I stood corrected, she had written it down correctly. The cake was exactly like I remembered it. 

Her recipe also read to use a full POUND of dates and another full POUND of pecans. I didn't even bother asking her about that because I knew that couldn't be correct.

You have to watch her. Her "it's good enough", "too bad, so sad" personality comes through when penning recipes. I guess all those times she told me, "you better figure it out" paid off because I can, it seems, usually figure stuff out.

WHY THIS WORKS WITHOUT OIL OR BUTTER

As I learned when I first developed my Crackle-Top Fudge Brownies, whipping the eggs with sugar until they are glossy and pale yellow (called "foaming the eggs"), creates a base for batter that makes it moist and chewy. An added bonus is that anything you mix in the batter will stay put and not sink to the bottom (perfect for this recipe with all the dates and pecans!).

I also think there's plenty of fat in 4 whole eggs which is probably enough to work in a small batch recipe like this.

6 FAQ ON PECAN DATE SNACK CAKE

1. If starting with whole dates, how much do I need?  One 10-oz carton of dried, whole dates yields 2 cups diced.

2. Can I substitute other nuts?  Yes! Walnuts are amazing in this. 

3. What if I don't like dates?  Maybe don't make a date-nut cake?? Just kidding! You can use raisins, chopped candied cherries or dried cranberries. 

4. Can I double the recipe?  Absolutely! Bake in a 13x9 metal baking dish and cook the same amount of time.

5. Would it be OK to add coconut?  Sure! I'd use 1 cup of sweetened flaked coconut.

6. Can I use a glass baking dish? Metal is always best for baking (see section below) but if you only have glass, reduce the heat to 300 degrees and cook 5 minutes longer.

WHY METAL IS BETTER WHEN BAKING

Uneven Baking: Glass and ceramic are better insulators than metal. It takes longer for the heat to transfer through them but when it does, it traps the heat in, overcooking the sides and bottom before the center can catch up.

Texture & Rise: Because the edges cook and harden so quickly, the center often domes up or collapses, resulting in an uneven cake structure.

Residual Cooking: Metal pans cool down quickly when removed from the oven, but glass and ceramic hold onto heat, causing cakes to continue baking and potentially dry out by the time they're cool.

Recipe for Date Nut Snack Cake

If you enjoy cakes like this, try my Pecan Pie Cake and Old-Fashioned Raisin Cake too!

Date Nut Snack Cake

Yield: 16 Squares

Author: Mandy Rivers

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

An old-fashioned recipe for chewy, chunky snacking cake squares made with pecans or walnuts, dates and simple ingredients perfect with coffee and hot tea!

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced pitted dates
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 4 cold eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8x8 or 9x9 metal pan with cooking spray or rub with butter OR line pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil first then apply cooking spray or butter (so you can lift the whole cake out of the pan if desired).
2. Add eggs, sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix on low until well combined then increase speed to medium-high and whip 4 minutes or until pale yellow and glossy.
3. Mix in baking powder and salt then add flour. Mix on low speed until just combined and no dry flour is present.
4. Stir in dates and pecans then pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 325 45-55 minutes or until light golden brown and set in the middle.
5. Cool in pan completely then cut into squares.

Notes

• I recommend cutting into 16 squares. I cut the batch pictured here into 9 squares before remembering how rich and dense these are.
• Cut into 36 squares for serving on a cookie platter or dessert tray.
• See FAQ above the recipe card for more info.

Author: Mandy Rivers

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2026/06/date-nut-snack-cake.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2026

date nut cake, pecan date cake, walnut date cake, date snack cake, snack cake, snacking cake, cake squares, dates, pecans, walnuts, chewy, recipe, best, easy, how to, 8x8, 9x9

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Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars

Home » Brownies & Bars » Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars

A soft and chewy oatmeal cookie bar with a generous slathering of marshmallow buttercream frosting that will remind you of the classic Little Debbie sandwich cookies. 

Oatmeal Creme Pies are, hands down, my absolute favorite Little Debbie snack! When I first made the Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting I use on the Easy Cookie Sandwiches, I knew I'd have to figure out a copycat recipe for the oatmeal creme pies because the frosting tastes (and feels) JUST like the creamy filling.

I tried and tried to make a cookie as soft, chewy and moist as Little Debbie's but they would never hold their shape. And any adjustments I made changed the chewiness too much (making them too dry to compare to Little Debbie's).

So I decided to make them into cookie bars! This was the perfect solution because the bars are easy to handle and keep their share but still have the chewy, moist texture. I loooooove them!

The batter may seem a little odd to you when you first mix it up. Since we're using melted butter and vegetable oil, it may seem more like a cake batter than a cookie batter.

But once it has cooked and set, you'll see it's more like a cookie. You'll pick these up and eat them just like a cookie... or, I should say, just like a Little Debbie!

These keep and travel well. If you're planning on taking them somewhere, leave them in the pan (and skip the parchment paper). They will stay fresher longer if you leave them in the pan as well (less cookie surface area exposed).

KEY INGREDIENTS & WHY WE USE THEM

BUTTER AND OIL - We use butter for the flavor and body (and melting it helps makes the cookie bar chewy). The vegetable oil also makes the cookie bars chewy but its most important function is keeping them moist.

BROWN SUGAR - You can use either light or dark brown sugar but I highly recommend using dark brown sugar because it has more molasses in it which helps with flavor and color.

SPICES - I'm not 100% sure what exact spices are used in the Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies but I think this combo of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger gets us pretty close! Feel free to experiment. I imagine you could even use some pumpkin pie spice.

QUICK-COOKING OATS - Also called "instant" oats, quick-cooking oats make for a much more tender cookie base. If you need to use traditional old-fashioned rolled oats, pulse in a food processor once or twice to break the larger grains down a bit.

ABOUT THAT MARSHMALLOW BUTTERCREAM FROSTING...

NOT TOO SWEET - You may look at this and think TOOTHACHE but it's not overly sweet.

CREME VS. FLUFF  This recipe was created using Marshmallow Creme (not Fluff). Marshmallow Fluff is a little stiffer but I imagine you could still use it if you reduce the sugar. I'd start with 3/4 of a 1-lb bag/box of sugar then add more if needed.

CONSISTENCY - This has a springy consistency that really holds up (which is why it's so great in cookie sandwiches). It also pipes like a dream if you'd like to use it on cakes!

WHOA, THAT'S A LOT - This recipe does make a generous amount of frosting but it can't easily be halved (1 tub of marshmallow creme and 1 pound of powdered sugar). You don't have to use all of it (I do because I LOVE it). You could probably frost two pan of cookie bars with one recipe of frosting if you'd prefer.

IS IT CREAM OR CREME?  They are the same and can be used interchangeably. I use Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme because it's easy to find. Other brands spell it "cream" but it's all the same (yummy) stuff. Interestingly, Little Debbie spells it this way in their Oatmeal Creme Pies so maybe that's confirmation that the filling is, in fact, made with marshmallow creme like I've always suspected. 

A FEW RECIPE NOTES WORTH READING

1. DO NOT use the "spoon and sweep" method when measuring the flour for this recipe. Use the measuring cup to scoop the flour from your bin to really pack the flour. If you'd prefer to weigh the flour, we want 150 grams.
2. Don't add the marshmallow creme before the butter or it will stick to the mixing bowl.
3. Heat the marshmallow creme 15-20 seconds in the microwave and it will be MUCH easier to spoon out of the container and less sticky to work with. Remove lid and seal before heating.
4. Unfortunately, you will not be able to use the cookie bar recipe to make individual cookies. Individual portions would spread too much.

MORE DESSERT BAR RECIPES TO TRY!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars - An easy chocolate chip cookie bar with peanut butter fudge sandwiched between an oatmeal cookie crumble layer. 

Sno Ball Brownies - An easy recipe for fudgy brownies, marshmallow buttercream and coconut just like the classic Hostess Sno Ball snack cakes! 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars - All the goodness of chocolate chip cookies made easy in one big easy batch of chewy bars. 

Man Bars - An easy and unique cookie bar made with graham cracker crumbs, sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips, cut and rolled in powdered sugar. 

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares - A dessert recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer. 

Almond Joy Magic Cookie Bars - A true spin on the original classic recipe for Seven Layer Hello Dolly Magic Cookie Bars that Almond Joy fans will love!

Recipe for Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars

Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars

Yield: 24 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

A soft and chewy oatmeal cookie bar with a generous slathering of marshmallow buttercream frosting that will remind you of the classic Little Debbie sandwich cookies. 

Ingredients

Oatmeal Cookie Bars

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1 cup flour, packed (see notes)
• 1.75 cups quick-cook oats

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

• 1 7-oz. tub marshmallow creme
• 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon milk or cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1-lb. box powdered sugar

Instructions

Oatmeal Cookie Bars

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray. Optional: line pan with a parchment paper sling (covering the bottom and long sides of the pan with enough overhang to lift the cookie base out of the pan in one piece). If you'd like to leave the bars in the pan to frost and store, you can omit this step.
2. Combine butter, oil, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl then mix until well combined using a hand mixer. 1 stick butter, 1/4 c. oil, 1 c. brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 Tbsp vanilla
3. Add cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and ginger then mix again. 1.5 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp each nutmeg and ginger
4. Add flour and oats then mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. 1 c. flour (packed), 1.75 c. oats
5. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan then bake at 325 degrees 20-25 minutes or until edges are starting to brown.
6. Cool completely in the pan then lift cookie base from pan and ice with Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting.
7. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

1. Add butter to a mixing bowl then blend on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until fluffy and smooth. 1 c. butter
2. PRO TIP: Remove lid and seal from marshmallow creme then microwave for 15 seconds (optional but this makes it MUCH easier to spoon from the tub).
3. Spoon marshmallow creme into bowl with butter then mix until well incorporated. 1 tub marshmallow creme
4. Add milk, vanilla and powdered sugar then mix on low until smooth and spreadable. Add more milk or cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed to reach a spreadable consistency. 1 Tbsp milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 lb powdered sugar

Notes

• DO NOT use the "spoon and sweep" method when measuring the flour for this recipe. Use the measuring cup to scoop the flour from your bin to really pack the flour. If you'd prefer to weigh the flour, we want 150 grams.
• Use salted butter in this recipe (plus the salt). Just trust me.
• Use light or dark brown sugar (I used dark brown in this batch).
• I use Jet-Puffed brand marshmallow creme.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2026/03/oatmeal-cream-pie-bars.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2026

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Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares

Home » Desserts » Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares

A dessert recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolate Bars. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. WHAT ARE DUBAI CHOCOLATE BARS?
3. WHAT MAKES THEM SO SPECIAL?
4. WHERE TO GET PISTACHIO BUTTER

Thanks to TikTok, my youngest daughter is obsessed with Dubai Chocolate Bars. Within days of first seeing a video about them she set out to make her own.

She researched the ingredients, ordered a few hard-to-find ones online (don’t worry – this recipe uses ingredients you can find at any grocery store!) and even bought candy bar molds and everything!).

And I must say, I am equally in love with the flavors and textures of this confection! So much so that I made these cake squares in their honor!

WHAT ARE DUBAI CHOCOLATE BARS?

Dubai Chocolate bars are candy bars with a crispy pistachio cream filling covered with milk chocolate. The cream filling is made with pistachio butter (like peanut butter or Nutella but made from pistachios) and a crispy shredded phyllo pastry called knafeh (kunafa or kataif).

WHAT MAKES DUBAI CHOCOLATE SO SPECIAL?

FLAVOR: Roasted pistachios and milk chocolate go together on such a mind-blowing level that if Reese’s tried it before peanut butter and chocolate, America’s favorite candy combo would have a green center.

TEXTURE: The ultra creamy pistachio butter mixed with the crispy knafeh creates the most amazingly perfect contrast. It’s brilliant!

BEAUTY: The luxurious, rich chocolate browns combined with the fresh, crisp greens from the pistachios is gorgeous. Seriously, it’s just pretty to look at. 

OK, well The Baby might have the patience and attention to detail to rock out homemade confections with ingredients she had to order online, but this mama ain’t cut from the same stuff.

It’s verrrrry rare that I cook anything with ingredients I can’t find at my grocery store AND I don’t have the gentle touch is takes to pour chocolate into molds. Especially when you have to add a filling! YIKES! 

So, I made these cake bars instead! And I made it with easy-to-find ingredients so you can taste the flavor combo yourselves!

WHERE TO GET PISTACHIO BUTTER (OR CREAM)

It’s also called pistachio “cream” by some manufacturers. Here are the brands available in the stores near me in South Carolina. 

WAL-MART: Bettergoods Pistachio Nut Butter (what I used for this batch)

FRESH MARKET: The Fresh Market Pistachio Cream

PUBLIX: Il Colle del Gusto Pistacchiosa

AMAZON: Gusto Etna Pistachio Butter (We’ve used this brand for the chocolate bars and the cake bars)   

INGREDIENTS FOR DUBAI CHOCOLATE CAKE SQUARES

Cake Layer: Pistachio pudding mix, white cake mix, eggs, milk and oil are combined to make the cake layer.

Dubai Chocolate Topping: Milk chocolate chips are melted with pistachio butter then stirred with Rice Krispies cereal (to mimic the crispy shredded phyllo pastry) then everything gets topped with chopped pistachios.

The Substitution: If you can easily find the crispy shredded phyllo pastry called knafeh (kunafa or kataif), then definitely use it! If not, plain Rice Krispies offer the same crispy crunch with a very similar flavor! 

Recipe for How to Make Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares

Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cake Squares

Yield: 24 Squares

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

A simple recipe with easy-to-find ingredients for pistachio cake topped with a crispy chocolate pistachio butter layer with the same flavors as the famous, viral Dubai Chocolates.

Ingredients

Pistachio Cake Layer:

• 1 box instant pistachio pudding
• 1 white cake mix
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Dubai Chocolate Layer:

• 1 12-oz bag milk chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons pistachio butter (see notes)
• 1/2 cup Rice Krispies cereal
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted pistachios

Instructions

Pistachio Cake Layer:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 cake pan with parchment or aluminum foil then spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. Combine egg, egg white, milk and vegetable oil in a mixing bowl then stir until well combined.
3. Add cake mix and pudding mix then stir until smooth. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan then bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes away clean.
4. Cool cake completely in pan then top with Dubai Chocolate Layer.

Dubai Chocolate Layer:

1. Add chocolate chips and pistachio butter to a glass bowl then heat in the microwave 1-2 minutes, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds, until the mixture is just melted and can be stirred smooth.
2. Stir in Rice Krispies cereal and salt then spread over cooled cake.
3. Sprinkle chopped pistachios over warm chocolate then cool completely.
4. Once cool, lift from pan then cut into squares.

Notes

• The brands of Pistachio Butter that I have used are very thin (can mostly be poured from the tablespoon without leaving too much behind on the spoon). If your pistachio butter is as thick as Nutella, use 3 tablespoons. If it’s as thick as traditional peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy), use 1/4 cup.
• I imagine you could use any nut butter if you can’t find pistachio but use the measurements in the note above. I bet cashew butter would be delicious!
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips can be used but milk chocolate is best!
• Use any 4-serving size box instant pistachio pudding.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2025/08/dubai-chocolate-pistachio-cake-squares.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2025

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