Chocolate Cake Mix Makes This German Chocolate Dump Cake Ridiculously Easy

There are two words that entice an excitement like no other when paired together: chocolate and cake. No matter what type you end up being served, you just know you're in for a decadent experience when that magical description is uttered. But then there's German chocolate cake — a drool-worthy, layered treat that brings coconut and pecans into the mix. It's a delicious, even more indulgent take on a classic, and you can create an easy version at home using a box of cake mix and a few other pantry staples.

The key is to transform the dessert into a good old chocolate dump cake, which basically involves tossing all of the ingredients into one rectangular dish and baking until set. For this German chocolate version, all you have to do is scatter a layer of shredded coconut and chopped pecans into the bottom of a pan, sprinkle dry chocolate cake mix on top, and then pour in a can of sweetened milk and some melted butter. That's it –- no stirring, no beating, no waiting around.

As the pan heats in the oven, the cake mix will slowly absorb the milk and butter, creating a gooey, rich texture that's packed with moisture. The crunchy nuts and coconut balance this out nicely, and the salt in the butter will cut through some of the sweetness. And you can amp things up even further with a few simple tweaks. 

If you add some extra melted butter and brown sugar to the coconut and pecan layer, the ingredients will fuse together to create a slightly chewy, caramel-like texture. Another way to achieve this effect is to add a chopped candy bar, like a Heath bar, to the bottom. Snickers is another good option, as is Mars or even Twix. Or just use plain chocolate chips if you don't care about the toffee flavor.

You can also use evaporated milk instead of condensed, and the type of cake mix is up to you. Devil's food cake is most commonly used, but any type will work. You could even use a yellow or vanilla cake mix if you want to veer away from chocolate (gasp), but if you want to stick to the usual, any of these boxed chocolate cake mixes should work fine.

There is also another approach to this you can explore: Prepare the cake mix according to the package instructions, pour it over the coconut layer, and then swirl in a mixture of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and melted butter. This creates a topping more akin to frosting, but it still melts into the cake beautifully, adding to the fudgy texture. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or some salted caramel sauce. Just give it a few minutes to cool so that it holds together on a plate. And if you're a fan, you can try this cherry cola dump cake next.