🍮 Golden Toffee & Caramel Drench Cake
A gooey, messy, and absolutely addictive dessert that gets better with every bite.
The Shopping List:
- The Base: 1 box Yellow Cake Mix (plus the required eggs, oil, and water listed on the box).
- The Soak: 1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk.
- The Gold: 1 jar Caramel Sauce (divided use).
- The Cloud: 8 oz Whipped Topping (thawed) or homemade stabilized whipped cream.
- The Crunch: ½ cup Toffee Bits (Heath bars or similar), crushed.
- Chef's Touch: A handful of toasted pecans (optional) for texture.
Step-by-Step Method:
- Bake the Foundation: Preheat your oven and mix the yellow cake batter following the package directions. Pour into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and bake until golden. Crucial: Let the cake sit on the counter for just about 5 minutes after taking it out—it needs to be warm, but not piping hot.
- Create the Wells: Grab a wooden spoon with a rounded handle. Use the handle to poke holes all over the surface of the warm cake. Don't be shy; you want deep channels for the sauce to hide in (aim for rows about an inch apart).
- The "Liquid Gold" Infusion: While the cake is still warm and receptive, pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the top. Use a spatula to guide it into the holes. Immediately follow this by drizzling half of your caramel sauce over the milk layer.
- The Chill: Let the cake cool completely at room temperature, then cover it and place it in the fridge. It needs to chill for at least one hour so the liquids can saturate the sponge and turn it into a custard-like consistency.
- Messy Assembly: Once cold, slather the whipped topping edge-to-edge. Finish by scattering the crushed toffee bits generously over the white cloud. Finally, take the remaining caramel sauce and drizzle it artistically over the entire masterpiece.
- Serve: Slice into messy squares. For an extra professional touch, top with toasted pecans right before serving.