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Easy Cake Mix Caramel Bars were called Caramel Licks back in the day. These caramel bars with caramel frosting are made using cake mix and are the perfect bar cookie to make for a quick dessert for the family or a pitch-in at work.
Table of Contents
Ingredient List for Caramel Cake Mix Bars
Love caramel?
Then you’re in luck. These cake mix bars are caramel flavored, plus they’re topped with caramel icing. Check out the simple ingredients needed to make these cookie bars.
- Yellow Cake Mix
- Caramel Ice Cream Topping
- Large Eggs
- Hot Water
- Shortening
- Chopped Pecans (optional)
Where’s the caramel flavor come from? You’ll need a jar of caramel ice cream topping for these caramel cake mix bars. We’ve even used sea salt caramel sauce for some added decadence.
The second shortcut ingredient is a box of yellow cake mix.Cake mix bars are one of our favorite recipes, and this caramel version is a favorite with everyone who tried them. If you have not tried our Original Gooey Bars with Yellow Cake Mix, be sure to do that soon. We love these Caramel Pecan Toffee Bars made with a yellow cake mix too.
For example, Barbara made a huge pan (every batch is a huge jelly roll pan) of these dessert bars and took them to share at her kids’ school when play practice let out. Let’s just say, she is now the coolest parent at St. Joe in the eyes of the 4th and 5th graders.
Barbara suggests a couple of essential tools for making these bar cookies.
First, a jelly roll pan. We use a 15.25 inch by 10.25 inch pan but there are several options that are about the same size. Both Barbara and I have a jelly pan roll with a lid which makes it super easy to store and transport your bar cookies!
Second, a flat icing spatula. A flat icing spatula works great to spread both the thick batter AND the caramel icing too.
Pantry Staples
How To Make Caramel Bars with Yellow Cake Mix
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray or grease a jelly roll pan.
- In a large bowl, combine yellow cake mix, eggs, shortening, pecans, hot water and caramel sauce using an electric mixer (a stand mixer will work too).
- Spread caramel mixture evenly into jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven until golden brown.
- To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar, butter, milk and remaining caramel topping until smooth.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack, and pour icing over the bars.
- Serve as bars or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
For the full recipe for caramel bars, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Caramel Licks
This is a vintage recipe from Grandma. Now, it’s not our Grandma, but that’s ok. This recipe originated from the Mom of a good family friend. Jackie gave Barbara a recipe book of her favorite recipes as a wedding gift, and Barbara claims it is the Best Gift Ever!
This recipe is really what this blog is meant to be…an opportunity for Barbara and me to share some of our favorite recipes from family, friends and our favorite old cookbooks!
Jackie recently told us that her this was all the Grandkid’s favorite recipe from Grandma, and in her family they called them Caramel Licks.
Recipe FAQs
- For easy transfer and cutting of the bars, line the jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- These easy cookie bars use jarred caramel topping. The jar will be divided between the bars and the icing.
- Chopped pecans are optional.
- These make a huge pan; these are perfect for a pitch in.
- Let the easy caramel bars cool completely before icing.
- The original owner of these Caramel Licks say they taste even better as they sit – if they last that long!
- You could change up the flavor by using a chocolate cake mix and hot fudge as the topping or maybe peanut butter. We love recipes that use cake mix because they are such time savers!
Recipe Variations
- Make these chocolate caramel bars by adding chocolate chips to the caramel mixture.
- If desired, sprinkle extra chopped nuts over the top before baking.
- Use walnuts instead of pecans, if desired. Or, omit nuts completely.
Cake Mix Recipes
We love starting with boxed cake mix when we are making a dessert for a crowd. From cake bars to cinnamon rolls, using a cake mix is so versatile.
Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls,
Chocolate Chip Gooey Bars
Cherry Almond Dump Cake
Triple Chocolate Cake
Honey Bun Coffee Cake.
Pistachio Coffee Cake
Print Recipe
Easy Cake Mix Caramel Bars – Caramel Bars with Cake Mix Recipe
Easy Cake Mix Caramel Bars were called Caramel Licks back in the day. These caramel bars with caramel frosting are made using cake mix and are the perfect bar cookie to make for a quick dessert for the family or a pitch-in at work.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time45 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake mix caramel bar cookies, cake mix caramel bars, caramel bars with cake mix, caramel bars with yellow cake mix, caramel licks, easy caramel bars, yellow cake mix recipes
Servings: 24 Bars
Calories: 219kcal
Author: Barbara
Ingredients
Caramel Bars
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup pecans chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup caramel topping
- 2 Tablespoons hot water
Caramel Frosting
- 1 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 3 Tablespoons caramel topping
- 2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Spray or grease a jelly roll pan. To make cleanup easy, line with parchment paper.
Combine cake mix, pecans, shortening, eggs, caramel topping (1 cup), and hot water with mixer.
Spread evenly in the greased jelly roll pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar, butter, 3 Tablespoons caramel topping and milk in mixer until smooth.
Once cake has cooled, spread caramel frosting evenly.
Notes
- For easy transfer and cutting of the bars, line the jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- These easy caramel bars use jarred caramel topping. The jar will be divided between the bars and the icing.
- Chopped pecans are optional.
- Caramel bars with cake mix make a huge pan; these are perfect for a pitch in.
- Let the easy caramel bars cool completely before icing.
- The original owner of these Caramel Licks say they taste even better as they sit – if they last that long!
- Try our famous Gooey Bars with Yellow Cake mix.
- The nutritional information is auto-calculated and can vary depending on the products used.
Nutrition
Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg