Turtle Cake

If you love turtle candy, you gotta try my turtle cake. I layer a super moist chocolate cake with a homemade caramel sauce, chocolate ganache and toasted pecans. It’s a straight up hit and so addictive, you might eat two slices.

How To Make Turtle Cake

1. Add eggs and sugar to bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle.
2. Combine cocoa powder, instant coffee, and hot water in small bowl and mix until smooth. Decrease speed to medium and add chocolate mixture to eggs and sugar. 
3. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in small bowl. Decrease speed to low and add to stand mixer. 
4. Add in buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla and beat until just combined. Batter will be thin; this is normal. 
5. Evenly add cake batter to prepared pans and bake until toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 22-25 minutes. 
6. Remove cakes from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then gently remove cakes from the pans and place on a wire rack and allow to cool fully, an additional 20 minutes.

7. Remove cakes from oven and cool in pans.
8. Then gently remove the cakes from the pans place them on a wire rack, and allow them to cool fully, for an additional 20 minutes. 

For the Caramel

1. Melt butter in heavy-bottomed add brown sugar and heavy cream.
2. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3-4 minutes.

For the Ganache

1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave in increments on low power until most of the chocolate has melted. 
2. Whisk together until completely smooth. Let set.

To Assemble the turtle cake

1. Place the first layer of cake on the strips of parchment.
2. Pour ganache over the first layer, spreading to the edges and allowing to pour over the sides. Then, drizzle with caramel. Sprinkle a layer of pecans over top. Repeat with the remaining layers. 

Turtle Cake Recipe

Easy chocolate turtle cake recipe! It doesn't require any fancy icing skills. Just drizzle the chocolate and caramel ganache over top and sprinkle with pecans!

5 from 13 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

0 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Dessert

Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

• 3 9 inch round cake pans
• Stand mixer

Ingredients

For Cake

• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• ▢ 1 cup hot water
• ▢ 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For Caramel

• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ 1/3 cup heavy cream
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

For Chocolate Ganache

• ▢ 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1 ½ cups pecans to garnish, chopped, toasted

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Instructions

Cake

• Preheat oven to 350F. Liberally spray three 9-inch round pans with nonstick baking spray.
• Add eggs and sugar to bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle. Mix on high speed for about 3 minutes.
• Combine cocoa powder, instant coffee, and hot water in small bowl and mix until smooth. Decrease speed to medium and add chocolate mixture to eggs and sugar.
• Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in small bowl. Decrease speed to low and add to stand mixer.
• Add in buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla and beat until just combined. Batter will be thin; this is normal.
• Evenly add cake batter to prepared pans and bake until toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 22-25 minutes.
• Remove cakes from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then gently remove cakes from the pans and place on a wire rack and allow to cool fully, an additional 20 minutes.

Caramel

• Melt butter in heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
• Add brown sugar and heavy cream. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Don’t go over that time.
• Remove from heat, add vanilla and salt, and allow to cool, about 25 minutes.

Ganache

• In a medium microwave safe bowl, add chocolate and heavy cream
• Microwave in 15 second increments on low power until most of the chocolate has melted.
• Whisk together until completely smooth. Let set for about 5 minutes.

To Assemble

• Use four strips of parchment paper to form a square and line your serving platter.
• Place the first layer of cake on the strips of parchment. (The cake should sit in the center, with about an inch of parchment showing around the base of the cake to catch any spills while pouring.)
• Pour 1/3 ganache over first layer spreading to the edges and allowing to pour over the sides. Then drizzle with 1/3 of caramel. Sprinkle layer of pecans over top.
• Repeat with remaining layers.
• Allow cake to set up for about 30 minutes. Remove parchment strips and serve.

Notes

How To Store & Reheat

Store it at room temperature in an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap. It will last at room temp for up to 2 days. You can also use a cake carrier if you have one. You can also place the cake in the fridge and it will last for up to 5 days.

Can I Freeze?

Before freezing, it’s a good idea to cut your cake into individual slices. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 901kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 413mg | Potassium: 393mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 719IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 4mg

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Recipe Tips

1. Let it Cool: Cool completely before decorating boos. That way your caramel and ganache will set up and not melt.
2. Use Parchment for Spills: Before you pour on the caramel and ganache, place parchment strips around the base of the cake to catch any sticky drips.
3. Whisk with Care: When melting the chocolate for your ganache, go easy on the microwave power. Use low power settings in short increments so it doesn’t scorch and comes out smooth.
4. Drizzle, Don’t Drown: When adding your caramel and ganache layers, less is often more. You can add more to the top if you want.

Recipe Help

I don’t have a stand mixer. Can I use a hand mixer instead?

For sure boos! A hand mixer works just as well for beating everything together.

Can I skip the instant coffee?

You can I don’t suggest it. It really enhances the chocolate flavor.

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

• Chocolate Raspberry Cake
• Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Mint Chocolate Cake
• Devil’s Food Cake

*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!* Post a photo of how your version of the recipe came out on Instagram (using #grandbabycakes)!!

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