Preheat & Prep: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish — trust me, you don’t want sticky edges.
Mix the Filling Base: In a medium bowl, whisk together corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, ½ cup melted butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth and glossy.
Add the Nuts: Fold in the chopped pecans so they’re evenly coated in that golden filling. Pour the mixture into your prepared dish.
Dump the Cake Mix: Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the pecan layer. Don’t stir — the magic happens as it bakes.
Butter Blanket: Pour the remaining ½ cup of melted butter evenly across the top of the cake mix. Try to cover as much as you can.
Top It Off: Scatter the pecan halves across the buttery top layer. They’ll toast beautifully in the oven.
Bake to Perfection: Bake for 45–50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling around the edges. The middle should look slightly gooey — that’s the charm.
Cool (If You Can Wait): Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
