This Mars Bar traybake is made with golden syrup and crispy cereal to make a quick and easy dessert. It’s a gooey, crunchy and chocolatey cake slice, and best of all, there’s no baking required!
If you like no-bake chocolate tray bakes then you’re going to love this Mars Bar slice! With just 5 simple ingredients, you can whip this up to feed a crowd in less than a couple of hours.
Jump to:
What is Mars Bar traybake?
Mars Bar traybake, or Mars Bar slice, is a chocolate caramel crispy “cake”. Despite what its name may suggest, there’s actually no baking needed for this recipe. You just melt, mix and refrigerate!
Mars Bar cake is said to have first been created in Australia but it has since become super popular in the UK too. Some people make their Mars Bar traybake with Digestive biscuits which produces something more similar to a Scottish tiffin, but I like to make mine with Rice Krispies or Cocoa Pops for that added crispy texture.
Think of this tray bake as a homemade version of chocolate caramel Mars Bar Rice Krispie squares!
Ingredient details
This crispy traybake is made with golden syrup, butter, Rice Krispies, milk chocolate and of course, Mars Bars! Here are a few notes:
Butter: Any kind of butter or margarine will work fine for these Mars Bar Rice Krispie squares.
Golden Syrup: Golden syrup is a thick, sweet, sticky liquid that helps to bind the rest of the ingredients together. It’s best to use golden syrup if you can, but an equal amount of honey or agave nectar can work in a pinch.
Mars Bars: In grams, the total weight of the Mars Bars should be roughly 200g. That’s 4 full-size (51g), 5 multipack-size (39.4g), or 11 fun-size bars (18g).
Crispy cereal: Most Mars Bar slice recipes are made with rice crispies but I have always used Coco Pops in mine just because I love chocolate so much! Any crispy cereal is fine to use, it all just depends on your preference or whatever you have at home.
Chocolate: Last but not least is some chocolate for the topping. You can use milk, white or dark chocolate depending on how sweet you like your desserts. You can even use a mixture of different types of chocolate and marble them together to make a pattern. For this recipe, I used Dairy Milk chocolate and I think this worked perfectly!
Equipment for Mars Bar cake
As I mentioned, this is a no-bake Mars Bar tray bake so there isn’t a lot of equipment needed to make it. In fact, there are just 6 things required for this recipe:
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Large mixing bowl
- 8x8-inch
- Baking paper
- Heatproof bowl
If you don’t have an 8x8-inch tin handy, you can use a larger tin if you don’t mind having slightly thinner slices.
How to make Mars Bar traybake
Step 1: Line your tin with baking paper and set it aside for now.
Step 2: Chop the Mars Bars (4 full-size Mars Bars) into small pieces and measure of 100g of butter. Add the Mars Bars and butter to a saucepan along with 2 tablespoons of golden syrup.
Place the pan over low heat and stir occasionally until melted. There may be a small few lumps of Mars Bar that don’t melt completely melt but don’t worry!
Step 3: Place 130g of Coco Pops or Rice Krispies into a large mixing bowl then pour in the melted Mars Bar mixture. Mix well until all of the cereal is evenly coated.
Step 4: Transfer the Mars Bar cake mixture to your lined tin and press it firmly into place. I like to use the bottom of a measuring cup to do this, but you can use your hands if you prefer.
Step 5: Melt 250g of chocolate. You can do this over the stove or in small bursts in a heatproof bowl in the microwave.
Step 6: Pour the melted chocolate over the Mars Bar slice and spread it out evenly. Place the whole thing in the fridge for 2 hours until the layer of chocolate on top has set.
Step 7: Once set, remove it from the tin using the baking paper. Cut into 12 equal-sized squares.
To prevent the Mars bar cake topping from cracking when you cut into it, use a warm knife. You can do this by dipping the knife into boiling water and drying it immediately before cutting.
FAQ
It will last at least a week if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. This makes it great for preparing in advance for parties or bake sales!
Yes, Mars Bar slice can be frozen. Pop the tray bake slices into an airtight container or wrap them tightly with tinfoil before freezing. When you’re ready to eat your Mars Bar Rice Krispie squares, let them set at room temperature for an hour or so until fully defrosted. Once defrosted, do not refreeze.
This happens due to the hard chocolate topping. You can ensure a crack-free Mars Bar cake by warming the knife in boiling water and quickly drying it before slicing. Alternatively, you can let the tray bake sit out at room temperature for an hour or two before slicing.
In the UK, there are Mars Bars and Milky Way bars. Mars Bars are made with soft nougat, a layer of caramel and a milk chocolate coating. A Milky Way consists only of nougat and chocolate.
In the USA, a UK Mars Bar is called a Milky Way bar, and a UK Milky Way is called a 3 Musketeers bar. All 4 chocolate bars are owned by Mars Inc.
Top tips
- Use a scale to measure the butter and cereal accurately. This will ensure your Mars Bar slice isn’t too crumbly nor too sticky.
- Use a low heat when melting the ingredients. Make sure to stir occasionally too to prevent burning.
- Press the mixture firmly into the tin. This ensures you don’t end up with a crumbly Mars Bar tray bake.
- Use dark chocolate for the topping if you prefer it to be less sweet.
More no-bake traybake recipes:
I hope you like this Mars Bar traybake! If you enjoy the recipe, please give it a share using the share buttons on the page. Happy baking!
Mars Bar Traybake Cake (No-Bake Caramel Rice Krispie Squares)
Ingredients
- 4 Full-size Mars Bars (total weight should be approximately 200g)
- 100 g Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Golden syrup
- 130 g Rice Krispies or Coco Pops (sub for any other crispy cereal)
- 250 g Milk chocolate (or white chocolate if you prefer)
Instructions
- Chop the Mars Bars into small pieces and place them into a saucepan along with the butter and golden syrup.
- Place over a low heat and stir occasionally until melted.
- Pour the mixture into a large bowl along with the Coco Pops. Mix until well coated.
- Transfer the mixture to an 8x8-inch tin lined with baking paper. Press it firmly into place using your hands or the bottom of a cup.
- Melt the milk chocolate and spread it evenly over your Mars Bar cake.
- Refrigerate for around 2 hours until the chocolate topping has set.
- Remove from the tin and cut into slices. You can use a warm knife to prevent the chocolate from cracking (see notes).
Video
Notes
- To prevent cracking, dip the knife into boiling water and quickly dry it before slicing.
- Store Mars Bar traybake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Leave a Reply