Food has always been a great link to family. Whether it is working with family to create a masterful dish or using a recipe that has been passed down for generations, food has been a great connector. For junior Ryan Pasley, the Heath bar cake has been a link to his great grandma.

The recipe, which includes the basic ingredients for making a cake along with buttermilk and Heath bars, was the invention of Pasley’s great grandma.

“It was originally made by my great grandma,” Pasley said “My great grandma really loved to cook and when she passed, my parents got a hold of her old recipe book and this was one of the recipes in there.”

Even though Pasley never met his great grandma, he feels the recipe helps him to connect with her. 

“I would say it’s important because it’s one one of the things that sticks around because my grandparents were very important to the family,” Pasley said. “I didn’t ever get to really meet them, but they were important to the family, and this recipe is sort of their legacy and what we remember them by.”

To keep the recipe alive, Pasley’s grandma makes the cake every Christmas. Although Pasley feels it may be difficult this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, he still feels it is an important tradition to uphold. 

“My grandmother makes it every single Christmas,” Pasley said. “I don’t think she’ll make it this year, but she does make it every single Christmas and people really do like it.”

For Pasley, the special combination of flavors sets it apart from other cakes. 

“I would say it’s unique,” Pasley said. “I’ve never heard of a Heath bar on a cake before, and I feel like a Hershey’s bar or Twix bar would be less interesting.”

For anyone interested in trying the recipe for themself, Pasley feels the cake will live up to the hype.

“I think the cake will do the talking for itself,” Pasley said. “It’s unique, so if people want to try a unique thing, then I assure them they can go ahead.”