A simple modification to a chocolate box cake mix and a bag of caramels can easily become this outrageously delicious Chocolate Caramel Cake with two layers. Topped with crunchy pecans and chocolate chips, this is a dessert everyone will definitely love. Let's get baking!
Ingredients
- Chocolate Cake Mix — Ghirardelli is my favorite, or use a gluten free mix, like Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix.
- Bag of Kraft Caramels — these are usually found in the baking aisle of the grocery store. Caramel baking nibs or sauce will not work the same. The individually wrapped caramels work best.
- Evaporated Milk — this lends a richness and creaminess to that bottom layer of cake.
- Unsalted Butter — room temperature is best!
- Kosher Salt — optional, but adds a wonderful "salted caramel" flavor.
- Chopped Pecans — optional but adds a wonderful texture and crunch. I do half the cake without pecans for the kiddos.
- Chocolate Chips — semi-sweet is best, and also creates a great cake topping with texture and deepens the chocolate flavor.
What comes in a box cake mix?
A typical chocolate cake mix, like Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker or Ghirardelli have mostly the same ingredients:
- Enriched Wheat Flour (all-purpose flour)
- Sugar
- Cocoa Powder
- Baking Soda
- And then there is less than 2% of a long list of ingredients like xantham gum, artificial ingredients, etc.
Best Chocolate Cake Mix
According to Taste of Home, Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Cake Mix is the perfect balance of moist and tender with just the right lift to make it pleasantly fluffy. The runner up is Betty Crocker's Super Moist Devil's Food Cake Mix.
I agree with this opinion, as Ghirardelli really knows what they're doing when it comes to anything chocolate. Their brownie mix is by far the best and their cake mix is just as rich and delicious. And my second favorite is also Betty Crocker, partly because of their ingredients (flour first, sugar second) and partly because of the price and flavor.
Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix
My favorite gluten free chocolate cake mix is Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix. Not only are Pamela's mixes gluten free, but they are dairy free too, which makes them easier on the stomach and just as amazing.
The runner up is Krusteaz Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix. Sweet, tender, easy to find and a reasonable price.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" baking dish. Make the box cake mix per the instructions on the box. That was easy!
Pour half the mix into the baking dish. Place on middle shelf and bake for about 20 minutes. Be sure to stop when it's just barely set, and not wiggling in the middle anymore. You just don't want to over bake it. 20 minutes is just about right.
While the cake is baking in the oven, unwrap caramels and place in saucepan. Add evaporated milk and butter and turn on to medium heat. Heat until fully melted, stirring often to keep from scorching. Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in salt.
Remove the cake from the oven and gently pour the caramel sauce on top. This sauce will soak into the bottom layer and makes it this ultra-moist caramel cake.
Next, pour the rest of the cake batter on the top of the caramel sauce, sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts on top, and continue baking for 20-25 minutes. This makes a yummy just-chocolate layer. Isn't that simple?
Storing this cake
Storing a 9x13 inch sheet cake can be as easy as covering leftovers in the dish with foil and keeping at room temperature up to 5 days.
To make ahead of time, bake cake and cool completely in the baking dish. Next, remove cake and wrap tightly in saran wrap and then a layer of foil (this will keep out freezer burn). Cake will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply place cake in the refrigerator overnight to thaw and enjoy!
More box cake mix recipes
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake — so lemony and simple!
- Orange Chocolate Cake — tastes great with gluten free too!
- Yellow Cake Mix Coffee Cake — our most popular recipe!
- Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake — vegan too!
Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix Ghirardelli or similar
- 11 oz bag of Kraft caramels
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans optional
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly spray a 9"x13" inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix cake according to directions on the box. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes until just barely set.
- While cake is baking, place caramels, milk and butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Heat until fully melted, stirring often to keep from scorching. Do not boil. Remove and stir in salt.
- Remove cake from oven and pour caramel mix on top of cake while still hot. Pour remaining cake batter on top of caramel mix. Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips and pecans, if using, on top of cake.
- Place the cake back in the oven until fully baked, 20-25 minutes, until center springs back when touched and edges are set. Remove and allow to cool completely before serving.
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