Description
This decadent Chocolate Caramel Dump Cake combines rich chocolate cake batter with luscious caramel sauce and a silky chocolate ganache topping. Easy to prepare in one dish, it offers a delightful blend of gooey caramel and moist chocolate cake, finished with optional crunchy toppings for texture.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (approximately 15.25 oz)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup caramel sauce
For the Ganache:
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Optional Toppings:
- Chocolate shavings
- Chopped nuts or toffee bits
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake Batter: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the chocolate cake mix, eggs, milk, melted butter, baking powder, and sour cream until smooth and well combined.
- Layer the Caramel: Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly. Warm the caramel sauce slightly to make it easier to drizzle, then drizzle it evenly over the batter layer. Gently spoon the remaining batter on top, spreading lightly to cover the caramel.
- Bake to Perfection: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Make the Ganache: While the cake is baking, heat the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl until hot but not boiling, about 1-2 minutes. Add the chocolate chunks to the hot cream and let sit for one minute, then stir gently until the ganache is smooth and glossy.
- Finish and Serve: Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes. Pour the warm ganache evenly over the top of the cake. Add chocolate shavings or chopped nuts or toffee bits if desired. Let the ganache set for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For extra texture, sprinkle chopped nuts or toffee bits over the caramel layer before adding the remaining cake batter.
- You can substitute light cream for heavy cream for a lighter ganache, but ganache texture may vary slightly.
- If caramel sauce is too thick, warm it gently in the microwave to make drizzling easier.
- Use unsalted butter to control salt levels in the cake batter.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and warm slightly before serving to soften the ganache.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
