Turtle Cake
Yield: 1 Cake
This gorgeously lofty cake features three layers of tender dark chocolate cake that are smothered with rich fudgy frosting, creamy caramel, and crispy salted pecans.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil (or your favorite neutral oil)
- 1 cup whole fat buttermilk (do not substitute homemade buttermilk)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Fudge Frosting
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into tablespoon-sized portions
- 12 ounces (2 cups) good quality semisweet chocolate chips
Caramel and Pecans
- ¾ cup (purchased) thick, rich caramel sauce or ice cream topping (use a bit more if you like)
- 1½ cups roasted, salted whole pecans (I like the ones from Trader Joe’s)
Instructions
- Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9″ round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, then grease the paper. Set pans aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together egg, oil, and buttermilk.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Gradually add wet ingredients to dry, until well mixed. Slowly add the hot coffee. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes rest in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Fudge Frosting: Once the cakes are cool, make the fudge frosting. In a saucepan, mix milk and sugar. Add butter. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and whisk until completely smooth. If frosting is thicker than you'd like, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons hot coffee. Let stand until thickened a bit, yet smoothly spreadable - refrigerate for a bit, if needed.
- Assemble: Place one cooled cake layer, top side down, on a cake plate. Spread with one-third of the fudge frosting, pushing it out gently from the edges to make a petal effect. Sprinkle with ½ cup pecans, drizzle with ¼ cup caramel. Add next cake layer, again top side down. Repeat with the same measurements of fudge frosting, pecans, and caramel. Add final cake layer, top side up, and frost with petal effect. Finish with remaining pecans and caramel.
- Chill cake 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Notes
To store in refrigerator: Store the cake covered on a platter or refrigerate individual slices in an airtight container. The cake will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
To store in the freezer: Freezing isn’t ideal, but it can be done. I recommend freezing the cake (either whole or in slices) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen through, wrap the cake in plastic and transfer to a large freezer bag or an airtight container, or wrap in a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, remove any plastic wrap while the cake is still frozen, then thaw in the fridge in an airtight container or with a cake cover.
adapted from the famous Turtle Cake at Cafe Latté in St. Paul, MN
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 630kcal Carbohydrates: 96g Protein: 6g Fat: 28g Saturated Fat: 10g Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g Cholesterol: 32mg Sodium: 634mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 75g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.