Don’t scoff at cake mix. These Quick German Chocolate Cake Bars are so tasty, no one will guess that a box mix was involved.
I love from-scratch baked goodies, but cake mix has its uses, especially when there is a time crunch. The ‘chemical’ flavor of these mixes can be eliminated with some simple doctoring techniques.
I created this recipe because my husband had a co-worker who requested German Chocolate Cake. There was no way an actual cake was going to be easily ported to his work, and since 2020, I’ve been individually packaging all the goodies that he takes.
That meant a bar recipe was the way to go. The use of cake mix was a necessity as I had little time for fiddly recipes that week. I needed something I could throw together, fast.
These things turned out to be delicious with a great mix of textures from the cakey base to the chewy coconut to the soft chocolate chips on top.. The bars were quite cohesive and stayed together well when sliced and individually wrapped, too!
Bready or Not Original: Quick German Chocolate Cake Bars
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
crust
- 15 ounce German Chocolate Cake Mix such as Betty Crocker brand
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder optional
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, melted
- 1 large egg room temperature
filling
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 cup pecan pieces
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut either shredded or flaked
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a big bowl, mix together the cake mix, espresso powder (if using), butter, and egg. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and even out. Bake for 7 minutes. While that’s cooking, prepare the filling.
- In the same big bowl (no need to wash it), mix together the sweetened condensed mix, vanilla, egg, pecans, and coconut. Once the crust’s first bake is done, bring it out of the oven. Pour the filling over it and even out. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for an additional 24 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely, speeding the process in the fridge, if desired. Use foil to lift bars onto a cutting board to divide into slices. Store covered or individually wrapped at room temperature.
