If you love Italian Cream cake but you’re looking for something with more of a bar or cookie texture you’ve definitely come to the right place! This is one of my simplest (but tastiest) recipes yet. And it starts with canned frosting and a box of white cake mix!
Can I Make Bars out of Cake Mix?
This has been the question on my mind over the past few days. A friend shared a recipe that got me intrigued. So, I decided to try my hand at a few variations on her recipe (with her permission, of course).
Over a week’s time I baked more than a dozen different types of bars. I have to say, I’ve been on quite a roll making these.
My favorite one by far was the German Chocolate. So that got me to thinking: Coconut. Pecans. These same two ingredients are in my very favorite cake of all time: Italian Cream.
Could I, perhaps, turn the German Chocolate Bars into Something that Resembled Italian Cream-type Bars?
The idea sounded simple enough! Just swap out the German chocolate cake mix with either a yellow or white. (I usually go with white.)
So, that’s what I did! I also decided on another addition. Whenever I bake Italian cream cake I add pecans and coconut to the batter. So, the bottom layer of dough on these bars is loaded with both of those ingredients.
I was hoping to end with something that would give me those delicious reminiscent flavors of pecan pie, and this certainly did the trick! Only, there’s no corn syrup necessary with this one!
Enough chatter! Let’s make some Coconut Pecan bars!
Coconut Pecan Bar Ingredients
- white cake mix
- chopped pecans (plus more for sprinkling on top)
- shredded sweetened coconut (plus more for sprinkling on top)
- butter (room temperature)
- large egg
- canisters of coconut pecan frosting
That’s it! Just a few simple ingredients!
How to Make these Easy Layer Bars
These came together so easily and quickly!
Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spray the bottom of the pan with non-stick spray then place a piece of parchment paper in it as you see in the photo (sideways, for easy grabbing later).
Spray again (lightly) with nonstick cooking spray.
Place cake mix, melted butter, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. If you don’t have a stand mixer just use a medium bowl and electric mixer or wooden spoon.
Once it’s fully incorporated, mix in the pecans and coconut at medium speed.
When you end up with will be the consistency of cookie dough.
Press dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and scoop both cans of coconut pecan frosting directly onto the partially cooked dough.
As it begins to warm, the frosting can be smoothed out. Get it as level as you can.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes. It will still be a light brown.
Remove and sprinkle with more coconut flakes.
Now sprinkle on a few more pecans.
Place back in the oven for 10 more minutes until it’s a lovely golden brown.
Remove and place on wire rack to cool.
At this point you’re going to wonder how these will ever come together. They’re going to look super wet. Don’t worry! Just let them cool for an hour on the counter.
After cooling on the counter, place them into the fridge for a while. I usually leave mine for an hour or so.
Now you can cut them into squares! See! I promised they would turn into bars!
Serve and enjoy!
Leftover bars can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 days covered in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container.
Bars can be frozen in freezer bags up to two months.
What to Expect from These Easy Dessert Bars
This was my first time to make this recipe but it won’t be my last!
I just knew I was going to love these delicious bars, y’all! I was so crazy about the German Chocolate version that I figured this one would be great, too, especially with that buttery crust.
And I was right! They’re decadent! They’re rich. They’re absolutely loaded with texture. I think I’m going to call them Coconut Pecan Dream Bars! Talk about an easy recipe.
The topping is unbelievable good but so is the buttery shortbread crust.
I can’t point to one thing in this recipe that I didn’t enjoy! It’s just luscious! I plan to make it again and again! (This will be an easy one to serve at a brunch or a women’s event at your church.)
This is truly one of those easy desserts you can whip up in a hurry.
Variations on these Coconut Pecan Pie Bars
I’ve decided I like this idea so much that I’m going to try it next time with an even different cake flavor – butter pecan! I feel like butter pecan bars will be unbelievably good with coconut pecan frosting on top!
If you want to really change things up, add the coconut and pecans to the bottom layer, but make a rich cream cheese topping in place of the canisters of coconut pecan frosting. Just cream two blocks of room temperature cream cheese with a can of sweetened condensed milk and pour it on top of the Italian cream cake. You can still sprinkle coconut and pecans on top for the final ten minutes of the bake. Yum!
Brown sugar shortbread crust: Add half a cup of brown sugar to the bottom crust before mixing and baking.
Pie Crust: I haven’t tried it, but you could always use a traditional pie crust base for this recipe.
Semisweet chocolate chips: Sprinkle a handful onto the crust before adding the frosting.
More Delicious Desserts from Out of the Box Baking
Follow this link for a comprehensive post listing more of my fall cookies and bars, perfect for autumn!
Learn more about doctored cake mixes, the theme of this blog.
For the master list of all doctored cake mix recipes on this site, visit Doctored Cake Mix Recipes, Master List.
That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe.
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Easy Coconut Pecan Bars
If you love coconut pecan cake but you’re looking for something with more of a bar or cookie texture you’ve definitely come to the right place! This is one of my simplest (but tastiest) recipes yet. And it starts with canned frosting and a box of white cake mix!
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (plus more for sprinkling on top)
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut (plus more for sprinkling on top)
- 1 stick butter (room temperature)
- 1 large egg
- 2 canisters coconut pecan frosting
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spray with non-stick spray then place a piece of parchment paper in it as you see in the photo (sideways, for easy grabbing later).
- Spray again (lightly) with baking spray.
- Place cake mix, butter, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. If you don’t have a stand mixer just use a large bowl and mixer or spoon.
- Once it’s fully incorporated, mix in the pecans and coconut.
- When you end up with will be the consistency of cookie dough.
- Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and scoop both cans of coconut pecan frosting directly onto the partially cooked dough.
- As it begins to warm, the frosting can be smoothed out. Get it as level as you can.
- Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove and sprinkle with more coconut.
- Now sprinkle on a few more pecans.
- Place back in the oven for 10 more minutes.
- Remove and place on wire rack to cool.
- At this point you’re going to wonder how these will ever come together. They’re going to look super wet. Don’t worry! Just let them cool for an hour on the counter.
- After cooling on the counter, place them into the fridge for a while. I usually leave mine for an hour or so.
- Now you can cut them into squares! See! I promised they would turn into bars!
- Serve and enjoy!
- Leftover bars can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 days covered in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container.
- Bars can be frozen in freezer bags up to two months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 111Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 72mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g
The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.
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Janetta
Wednesday 23rd of August 2023
Yummers! I'm saving this recipe. Can't wait to try it.
booksbyjanice
Thursday 24th of August 2023
Woot!