Ingredients:
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 0.5 cup dark corn syrup
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp sea salt
- 1.5 cups chopped pecans, divided
- 15.25 oz yellow cake mix
- 1 cup unsalted butter, frozen
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions:
- Preheat and prep. Set your oven to 175°C (350°F) and lightly grease your 9x13 inch baking dish with butter. Note: This ensures the sticky caramel base releases easily from the edges.
- Whisk the foundation. In a large bowl, combine the 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, 0.5 cup dark corn syrup, 2 beaten eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, and 0.5 tsp sea salt. Whisk until the mixture is a uniform, silky pale amber.
- Incorporate the pecans. Fold in 1 cup of the chopped pecans into the liquid mixture. Note: Mixing them in ensures every bite has a nutty crunch throughout the custard.
- Pour the base. Transfer the liquid mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer.
- Layer the crumb. Evenly sprinkle the 15.25 oz yellow cake mix over the liquid. Do not stir or press down, just let it sit lightly on top.
- Season the topping. Dust the 0.5 tsp of cinnamon over the surface of the dry cake mix.
- Grate the fat. Take your 1 cup of frozen butter and grate it using the large holes of a box grater. Spread the butter shreds evenly over the entire surface, ensuring no dry cake mix is visible.
- The final crunch. Sprinkle the remaining 0.5 cup of chopped pecans over the butter layer.
- Bake for transformation. Place in the center of the oven for 45 minutes. Bake until the edges are bubbling vigorously and the top is a deep, crackling golden brown.
- Rest for stability. Remove from the oven and let the cake sit for at least 20 minutes before serving. Note: This allows the molten base to set into a sliceable consistency.