Description
Salted caramel butter cake bars deliver pure indulgence with layers of rich, buttery goodness and silky caramel. Sweet meets salty in this irresistible dessert that will have you craving another bite before finishing the first.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) butter, melted
- 4 eggs
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
Sweeteners and Flavoring:
- 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) caramel sauce
Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the oven to 350F (175C) and ready a 9×13-inch baking dish with a light greasing.
- Craft the foundational layer by thoroughly mixing yellow cake mix, melted butter, and two eggs until a cohesive dough forms, then gently press the mixture into the prepared baking dish, ensuring an even, compact base.
- Create the luxurious cream cheese layer by whisking softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, remaining two eggs, and caramel sauce until achieving a silky, uniform consistency.
- Carefully cascade the cream cheese mixture over the initial cake mix foundation, spreading it uniformly to cover the entire surface.
- Delicately sprinkle sea salt across the top of the layered dessert, providing a sophisticated flavor contrast.
- Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, watching for a golden-brown surface and a set texture that signals perfect doneness.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature, which helps the layers stabilize and makes cutting into clean, precise bars easier.
- Once thoroughly cooled, slice into individual bars, revealing the decadent layers of caramel, cream cheese, and buttery cake.
Notes
- Softening cream cheese at room temperature ensures a smooth, lump-free filling that blends perfectly with other ingredients.
- Use high-quality sea salt for a more pronounced and sophisticated flavor contrast against the sweet caramel and cake base.
- Chilling the bars in the refrigerator for an hour before serving helps them set and makes cutting cleaner, more precise squares.
- For a gluten-free version, swap the yellow cake mix with a gluten-free cake mix or almond flour blend to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 455 kcal
- Sugar: 39 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg