 <p>Why not extend the helper?</p> <p>Create a class in <code>app/View/Helper/myTimeHelper.php</code>. In there add the reference to the old class you'll be extended like:</p> <pre><code>App::uses('TimeHelper', 'View/Helper'); class myTimeHelper extends TimeHelper { public function niceShort(&lt;whatever input the original is getting&gt;) { // your new logic for the things you want to change // and/or a return TimeHelper::niceShort(&lt;whatever&gt;) for the cases that are //fine as they are. If you don't need that then you can remove App::uses. } </code></pre> <p>Finally you can have your helper imported as <code>myTime</code> with </p> <pre><code>public $helpers = array('myTime'); </code></pre> <p>or even change the default <code>Time</code> to call <code>myTime</code> so you don't need to change anything else in your already written code:</p> <pre><code>public $helpers = array('Time' =&gt; array('className' =&gt; 'myTime')); </code></pre>