Description

Indulge in these Gooey Salted Caramel Butter Cake Bars featuring a rich, buttery cake base, a luscious caramel center, and a sweet crumbly topping. With the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors, these bars are ideal for any occasion and easy to make with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake Base:

1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg

For the Caramel Layer:

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
10 ounces soft caramel candies, unwrapped
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the Topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Base

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking dish.
In a bowl, mix the yellow cake mix, melted butter, and egg until a soft dough forms.
Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and set aside.

Step 2: Make the Caramel Layer 5. In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk, caramel candies, and butter. 6. Stir continuously until the mixture is smooth and fully melted. 7. Remove from heat and stir in sea salt. 8. Pour the caramel mixture evenly over the baked cake layer.

Step 3: Prepare the Topping 9. In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract until crumbly. 10. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the caramel layer. 11. Lightly sprinkle additional sea salt, if desired.

Step 4: Bake and Cool 12. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. 13. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into bars. 14. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm for extra gooeyness.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Warm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before serving for a gooey texture.
Freeze individually wrapped bars in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
chill time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: gooey caramel bars, butter cake bars, salted caramel dessert, easy caramel bars, caramel butter cake