Chocolate Turtle Layer Cake

Sky high and full of chocolate and caramel goodness this Chocolate Turtle Cake is the perfect sweet indulgence that you need in your life at any given moment!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword 3 layer cake recipe, caramel, chocolate cake

Prep Time 50

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 20

Servings

Calories 968kcal

Author Julie Clark

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup strong hot black coffee (or hot water)

For the frosting:

1 cup salted butter softened
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup caramel sauce
7-8 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

For the ganache:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

For the caramel:

6 tablespoons salted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup buttermilk

For topping:

Chopped pecans
Mini Turtle candies

Instructions

Make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease with shortening then dust with flour 3 8" round cake pans.
In large bowl whisk together your dry ingredients until combined.
Add in your eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and eater and stir until combined well.
Pour the cake batter evenly among the 3 prepared pans.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until center us set and toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool in pans for about 5 minutes before turning out onto cooking racks to cool completely.

Make the frosting:

In large bowl beat together your butter and shortening until smooth.
Add in your caramel sauce and continue beating until incorporated.
Add in your powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until mixed in well.
Add your heavy cream as needed to reach desired consistency.

Assemble the cake:

To assemble cake place one layer of your cake on a turntable or cake board and spread with about 3/4 cup frosting and smooth to sides.
Place another layer on top and repeat topping with last layer.
Frost around your sides and over top until cake is covered and smooth, reserving about 1 cup of your frosting for decorating.
Place cake in fridge to harden slightly (helps the ganache and caramel set).

Make the ganache:

Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until it is very hot and steaming, but not boiling.
Place the chocolate in a small glass bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Cover the bowl with a plate and allow the bowl to sit for 3-5 minutes.
Remove the plate and stir the chocolate and cream together. This will take maybe 2 minutes of stirring to get it completely combined, but eventually you’ll get a smooth, dark, silky chocolate.
Allow the ganache to cool for 10 minutes.
Remove your cake from the refrigerator and drizzle your ganache over the sides of your cake, return to fridge to set up.

Make the caramel:

While ganache is setting up make your caramel by adding all the ingredients to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil stirring constantly for about 5-10 minutes or until mixture turns golden in color, set aside to cool just slightly.
Remove cake from refrigerator and drizzle your caramel down sides over ganache then return to refrigerator to set up again removing after about 10 minutes.
Add your remaining frosting to piping bag fitted with a 1M tip (open star tip) and pipe swirls on the top edges of cake.
Top with pecan turtle candies and press your crushed pecans up the sides of the cake about 1 and a half inches.
Cut and serve!
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Inspired by Liv for Cake

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition