Cake Mix Toffee Bars (Printer-friendly)

Buttery, chewy bars with rich toffee and chocolate layers on a simple cake mix base.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Base Layer

01 - 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 1 large egg

→ Topping

04 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
05 - 1 cup toffee bits
06 - 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

# How-To Guide:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, and egg. Mix until a soft, uniform dough forms.
03 - Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan, creating a smooth base layer.
04 - Bake for 15 minutes until just set but not browned.
05 - Remove from the oven. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the hot base; let sit for 2-3 minutes until melted, then gently spread with a spatula.
06 - Sprinkle toffee bits and chopped pecans (if using) over the melted chocolate layer.
07 - Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes until the toppings are slightly bubbly and edges are golden.
08 - Let cool completely in the pan before cutting into 16 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together in under ten minutes of active work but taste like you spent twice as long
  • The cake mix creates this incredibly tender, cookie-like base that holds up beautifully under all that gooey topping
  • Everything melts together into these perfect pockets of chocolate and toffee that make people pause and close their eyes when they take a bite
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the chocolate soften on that hot crust before spreading—trying to spread cold chips over warm dough just makes a mess and pulls up the base
  • If you cut them while they're even a little warm, the chocolate will smear everywhere and you'll lose that clean layered look
03 -
  • A light sprinkle of flaky sea salt right after they come out of the oven creates this incredible salted chocolate effect that feels fancy but takes zero extra effort
  • If your toffee bits have all sunk to the bottom of the bag, give the bag a gentle shake before opening to redistribute them evenly

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