Caramel Brownies With German Chocolate Cake Mix
These caramel brownies with German chocolate cake mix have rich, chewy brownie layers, semisweet chocolate chips and a gooey caramel center. This dependable cake mix brownie recipe has been my go-to for two decades and gets devoured every time!
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Servings: 12
Calories: 462kcal
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz German chocolate cake mix
- 3/4 cup salted butter melted
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 11 oz caramel bits or individually wrapped soft caramels
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare the brownie batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the German chocolate cake mix, melted butter, 1/3 cup evaporated milk and vanilla. Stir until completely combined. The batter will be very thick.
- Bake the bottom layer: Press half of the brownie batter evenly into the prepared baking dish using your fingertips. Bake for 8 minutes.
- Make the caramel filling: While the bottom layer bakes, combine the unwrapped soft caramels or caramel bits with the remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth.
- Assemble the caramel brownies: Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the partially baked brownie layer. Pour the melted caramel mixture over the chocolate chips. Drop the remaining brownie batter over the caramel in small clumps. It will not completely cover the caramel.
- Finish baking: Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes. The exposed brownie batter should look set and the edges may begin pulling slightly away from the pan. A toothpick test is not reliable because of the gooey caramel and melted chocolate.
- Cool and serve: Let the brownies cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares. They will still be gooey after 30 minutes, so allow additional cooling time for cleaner slices.
Notes
- Caramel options: Individually wrapped soft caramels and caramel bits made for baking both work great. Caramel bits eliminate the need for unwrapping, but they can sometimes be difficult to find.
- Expect thick batter: The brownie batter will be much thicker than traditional brownie batter. Press the bottom layer into the pan with your fingertips and drop the remaining batter over the caramel in clumps.
- Leave some caramel exposed: The top batter will not completely cover the caramel, and that is exactly how it should look.
- Make turtle brownies: Sprinkle 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans over the chocolate chips before adding the caramel.
- Add sea salt: Sprinkle a small amount of flaky sea salt over the caramel before adding the final brownie layer.
- Try another cake mix: A 15.25-ounce box of devil’s food cake mix works well in place of German chocolate cake mix and gives the brownies a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Cutting tip: Wipe the knife between cuts or lightly coat it with cooking spray to help it glide through the sticky caramel.Briefly baking the bottom brownie layer before adding the filling helps keep the gooey caramel tucked in the center.
Nutrition
Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 468mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 408IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 3mg
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