• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Red Spatula logo
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Bread & Baking
      • Quick Breads
      • Yeasted Breads
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
      • Bars & Brownies
      • Cakes
      • Cookies
      • Donuts & Mini Donuts
      • Pie
    • Dinner
    • Meat
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Pork
      • Turkey
    • Dips & Sauces
    • Drinks
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Search
  • Whole Grain Resources
  • Travel and Hiking
    • Hikes In The USA
    • International Travel
    • National Parks
    • State Parks
    • Travel within United States
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Bread & Baking
      • Quick Breads
      • Yeasted Breads
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
      • Bars & Brownies
      • Cakes
      • Cookies
      • Donuts & Mini Donuts
      • Pie
    • Dinner
    • Meat
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Pork
      • Turkey
    • Dips & Sauces
    • Drinks
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipe Search
  • Whole Grain Resources
  • Travel and Hiking
    • Hikes In The USA
    • International Travel
    • National Parks
    • State Parks
    • Travel within United States
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Bars & Brownies

    Cake Mix Brownies

    Published: Jul 30, 2019 · Modified: Oct 18, 2023 by Amy Sandidge · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    These easy cake mix brownies are one of the best options for a quick and delicious dessert, made in no time with just a few ingredients. This recipe is great in a pinch, but it tastes so amazing that brownies from cake mix might just become your new go-to easy dessert recipe!

    If you're craving delicious brownies and either don't have brownie mix on hand or don't want to go through the trouble of making homemade brownies from scratch, this cake mix brownies recipe will save the day. It's so easy to turn cake mix into perfectly moist brownies. With just a few ingredients, you will quickly go from box cake mix to mouthwatering caramel turtle brownies that will disappear from your counter even faster than you made them.

    If you've ever wondered how to make brownies from a cake mix, this post is for you! This is the perfect way to change up a box mix in a pinch. While I use chocolate in this recipe, you can also use vanilla cake mix or yellow cake mix for a blondies version.

    Brownies sliced on a cutting board.

    You know from my other recipes, like my fudgy spelt brownies or my peanut butter protein brownies, most of what I make is from scratch, and generally whole foods.

    In fact, this is the only recipe I use from a mix. Go figure. It was a recipe I had gotten from my grandma years earlier. I had modified the measurements a touch until I had got it just the way I liked it.

    Woman holding caramel pecan brownies.

    Why this recipe works

    Great for last minute- This cake mix brownie recipe is perfect for those last-minute baking adventures. Whether you have a special event or are simply in the mood to whip up something delicious, these brownies are 6 ingredients total, and use ingredients you probably already have in the pantry!

    Decadent- These brownies are so rich! They're perfect for those who love turtle brownies and sweet chocolatey desserts in general. They're easy to make, but with a few extra steps, you'll be surprised they're made from a box cake mix.

    Easy to customize- If caramel and pecans aren't your things, you can certainly customize the flavors to your preference! Try chopping up your favorite chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips, or top your brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious cake mix brownie a la mode!

    Let me note on the video above, there are no eggs and oil in this recipe! I reused the content and didn't think about the eggs and oil, disregard this!!

    Ingredients

    Cake Mix- To make this recipe super easy, you simply use a box of chocolate cake mix.  I used a dark chocolate cake mix, but you can use whatever kind you like. Since this is the base for your entire recipe, make sure it's a brand and flavor you love.

    Evaporated milk- Evaporated milk is milk that has been heated to remove some of the water content. It's great for adding to recipes because it has a concentrated, sweet, creamy flavor. Be sure you're picking up evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. They're often right next to each other in the baking aisle and can easily get mixed up.

    Butter- Butter will help the caramels stay soft and gooey when they melt down. It also gives them a thicker sauce consistency which will better fill your cake mix brownies and give each bite a delicious caramel flavor.

    Caramels- I used store-bought caramels for this recipe. It makes the recipe super easy and saves time.

    Chocolate Chips- Adding chocolate chips to brownies is always a good idea! It enhances the chocolate flavor in a way that just cocoa powder doesn't do. You can use semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips for this recipe.

    Pecans- Chopped pecans add a great crunch to these cake mix brownies. While they aren't necessary, they sure do add a special textured element to this rich dessert. Feel free to swap out for your favorite chopped nuts, such as walnuts or even macadamia nuts.

    How to Make Cake Mix Brownies

    The first thing you'll want to do is unwrap the caramels. This takes a while, so it's best to get it done first and set them aside.

    I always like to start my recipe by preparing everything for baking. Measure out the ingredients, preheat the oven and prepare the baking dish with parchment paper so that everything is ready to go and you can enjoy a smooth baking experience.

    Turtle brownies on a white cutting board.

    Prepare the batter and par bake

    First, mix the cake mix and evaporated milk in a large bowl until well combined and the batter has no pockets of flour.

    Take a little over half the cake mix brownie batter and spread evenly in the bottom of your prepared pan. Place it into the preheated oven for the first part of its bake. Be sure to refer to the full recipe at the bottom of the post for precise cooking times.

    Brownie mix in a glass bowl.

    Melt the caramels

    Place the unwrapped caramels into a saucepan. Add the butter and evaporated milk to the pan. Heat and stir until the mixture is smooth and fully melted. Be patient with this part, and don't turn up the heat too much. They will cook down quickly, but too high of heat can cause hardening.

    Caramel in a metal pan.

    Layer the cake mix brownies

    Once brownies are par-baked, pour the caramel mixture over them. Be careful with this part, as you're working with a hot pan. I recommend not doing this on the oven rack but moving it up to the stovetop so that you don't accidentally spill any caramel into the oven.

    Make sure the caramel is spread evenly, and try to keep it off the edges. It is kind of a pain to clean a pan with caramel all over the edges. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the caramel, then the pecans.

    Baked brownies in a metal pan.
    Caramel on brownies in a metal pan.
    Brownies with pecans and chocolate chips on top.
    Turtle brownie mix in a metal pan.

    Finally, finish topping with the rest of the cake mix and spread into an even layer. Be patient with this part as well so that you don't mix up the layers too much.

    I took small amounts of batter and spread them over top of the cake, caramels, chocolate chips, and pecans. The batter is really sticky. I sprayed my hands with cooking spray to help spread without sticking to them, but water works too. You will need to do this often, as it will continue to stick. So take small amounts and flatten across the top. You won't cover the top entirely, and it's not a big deal. When they are cut, you don't even notice!

    Finish baking

    Return the brownies to the oven and continue baking until the caramel bubbles and the cake mix brownies are cooked through.

    The tops of the brownies look awesome. The pieces with the caramel showing through look so good!

    If you want your brownies to look like this, make sure they're almost completely cooled before removing them from the pan.

    These delicious brownies are best served with a large glass of milk!

    Sit back and enjoy. You definitely deserve it!

    Woman holding a caramel brownies.

    Tips

    • If you want chocolate cake mix brownies, you'll have to start with a chocolate cake mix. However, you can easily customize this recipe with a wide variety of cake mix flavors. If you're in need of an easy dessert in a hurry, just use whatever you have on hand, whether that's a red velvet cake mix, yellow cake mix, or strawberry cake mix. Whichever flavor cake mix you go with, you'll get a delicious variation that still has the same amazing brownie texture.
    • Try mixing toffee bits, white chocolate chips, or even peanut butter chips into the brownie batter. You don't have to stick to my mix-ins for your own cake mix brownies. Creativity is truly your friend for this recipe.
    • If you prefer extra gooey brownies and want to get into them right away, scoop them out while they are still warm and serve them with ice cream. This is so delicious!
    Caramel pecan brownies on a white plate.
    Caramel pecan brownies on a white plate.
    Caramel pecan brownies on a white plate.
    Print Pin
    5 from 2 votes

    Cake mix brownies

    These simple to make caramel chocolate brownies are so decadent and delicious!
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword brownie recipes, brownies, caramel and chocolate recipes, caramel brownies, chocolate cake mix recipes, recipes using cake mix, recipes using kraft caramels, turtle cake, turtle cake brownies
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes minutes
    Servings 14 servings
    Author Amy Sandidge

    Ingredients

    • 1 chocolate cake mix
    • 1 can evaporated milk
    • 6 tablespoons butter
    • 30 caramels, I used Kraft
    • ½ cup chocolate chips
    • ¾-1 cup whole pecans

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x19 pan. You can simply spray, or line the bottom with parchment as I did.
    • In a medium-sized saucepan, preferably heavy-bottomed, open the caramels and put them in the pan. Set aside.
    • In a medium-sized bowl, add cake mix and ¾ cup evaporated milk. Mix well. Spread a little over half of the batter in the bottom of a 9x9 pan. It will be thick and really sticky. I like to spray my hands or wet them and press them in the bottom. Don't worry about perfection here, it will spread and even out when it bakes. Place in oven. This will be par-baked, that's partially baked.
    • While it is baking, add butter and ½ cup evaporated milk to the pan with caramels. Place over medium heat. Melt caramels, mixing really consistently. They will burn quickly, so be careful with them.
    • Once brownies are partially baked, mine took about 10 minutes, remove them from the oven.
    • Spread the caramel mixture over top, spreading almost to the edges. Next, sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel, then pecans. Last, take the remaining batter and working with small amounts spread it across the top. Again, it will be very sticky. I prefer to do this with my fingers, so make sure to spray or get them wet.
    • Spread the small amounts out into small disk shapes ( about ¼ inch thick), nothing perfect here then lay them across the top. It won't cover the whole top, and that's just fine. This is not a perfect type of recipe, so don't sweat it!
    • Return to oven and continue to bake until the caramel bubbles on the edges and the top layer of cake batter is cooked through. Mine took about 15 minutes.
    • Remove from oven.
    • At this point, it is up to you how you proceed. You can either scoop it or eat it right away while it is warm. It's really good with some ice cream! Or you can allow them to cool and cut into squares as we did. I prefer them this way. The choice is your's though, they really are amazing either way.

    Notes

    • If you want chocolate cake mix brownies, you'll have to start with a chocolate cake mix. However, you can easily customize this recipe with a wide variety of cake mix flavors. If you're in need of an easy dessert in a hurry, just use whatever you have on hand, whether that's a red velvet cake mix, yellow cake mix, or strawberry cake mix. Whichever flavor cake mix you go with, you'll get a delicious variation that still has the same amazing brownie texture.
    • Try mixing toffee bits, white chocolate chips, or even peanut butter chips into the brownie batter. You don't have to stick to my mix-ins for your own cake mix brownies. Creativity is truly your friend for this recipe.
    • If you prefer extra gooey brownies and want to get into them right away, scoop them out while they are still warm and serve them with ice cream. This is so delicious!
    • Bars & Brownies
    « Juicy Baked Turkey Burger Recipe
    Fluffy Carrot Cake Pancakes »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

      Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Anita says

      July 30, 2019 at 1:56 pm

      5 stars
      Such a sweet story!! I just adore recipes that hold such meaning and such great memories. So beautiful Amy!
      XO - Anita

      Reply
      • admin says

        July 31, 2019 at 4:11 am

        Thank you Anita!! That is a very sweet compliment!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Amy! I am a culinary school graduate creating a comprehensive collection of recipes, with a focus on incorporating whole grains. My goal is to craft dishes that resonate with the whole family. 

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Slices of grilled stuffed pork tenderloin on a white plate.
      Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
    • Breakfast Oat Groats Instant Pot Recipe
    • Virgin pina colada with a drink umbrella and pineapple wedge on it.
      Virgin Pina Colada Recipe- with Coconut Milk
    • Lemon curd in small mason jars with fresh lemons on the side.
      The Best Thick Lemon Curd
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Subscribe

    Are Whole Grains and Carbs the Big Bad Wolf?

    Subscribe and find out. I will be sending out weekly or biweekly updates on recipes I am creating!

    Thank you for subscribing!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 A Red Spatula

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.