Preheat your oven to 350ºF. This step is essential for ensuring your bars bake evenly. While the oven heats up, it gives you time to gather and prepare your ingredients.
Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. This will prevent sticking and make it easy to remove the bars once they’re baked.
In a large bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs. Mix until well combined. The batter should be thick and slightly sticky.
Press about two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan, creating a nice base. You want it to be even and cover the entire bottom.
In a microwave-safe dish, combine the chocolate chips, butter, and sweetened condensed milk. Microwave in one-minute increments, stirring after each, until the mixture is smooth and melted, creating a rich fudge layer.
Pour the fudge mixture over the base layer of cake mix dough. Spread it evenly with a spatula to ensure every bite has that rich chocolate flavor.
Now, drop the remaining one-third of the cake mix dough over the fudge layer. You can use your hands to flatten bits of the dough before placing them down, creating a rustic look.
Bake the bars in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep an eye on them; they should be set and slightly puffed up. A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs.
Once done, remove the bars from the oven and sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top while they’re still warm. This gives a delightful crunch and festive look.
Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting them into squares. This step is crucial, as it allows the fudge layer to set properly.
