Caramel Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake from a boxed mix gets a special treatment when spread with an easy butterscotch frosting and draped with a caramel-nut topping. “I love to make this cake for guests or to take to potlucks,” writes Gloria Guadron of Washington, Indiana. “It’s easy yet looks like it took all day.”
12 ServingsPrep: 25 min. + cooling Bake: 30 min. + cooling
Ingredients
- 1 package German chocolate cake mix (regular size)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant butterscotch pudding mix
- 1 cup cold 2% milk
- 2-1/2 cups whipped topping
Directions
- Prepare and bake cake according to package directions for two 9-in.
- round baking pans. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to
- wire racks to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and
- cream. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
- Increase heat to medium. Do not stir. Cook for 3-6 minutes or until
- bubbles form in center of mixture and color is amber brown. Remove
- from the heat; stir in pecans. Cool at room temperature for 30
- minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. Let stand
- for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in whipped topping. Cover and
- refrigerate until thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Place one cake layer on a serving platter; spread with 3/4 cup
- pudding mixture. Top with remaining cake layer; spread remaining