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Chocolate Caramel Turtle Cake

This chocolate caramel turtle cake is a rich, moist, chocolate cake, topped with chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, and chopped pecans. 
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dessert
Keyword: Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Caramel Cake, Chocolate Turtle Cake, Dessert, Devil's Food Cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Jaida

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate squares, chopped
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ¼ cups boiling water
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 5 oz container of Crème Fraiche
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Nielsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla
  • ½ cup chopped pecans, for topping

For the chocolate ganache:

  • 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp half and half (or milk)
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp Nielsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla

For the caramel sauce:

  • 11 oz bag of caramel candies (I used the squares)
  • 4 oz milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a budnt pan with cooking spray with flour (or you can coat the sides with butter or spray and then flour - just make sure you get every inch of that pan!)
  • Place unsweetened chocolate squares and cocoa powder in a medium bowl, and pour the boiling water over the top. Stir until melted and well-combined, then set aside. 
  • In another bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add brown sugar and mix for another 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape sides of mixing bowl. At medium-high speed, add eggs one at a time, mixing for about 30 seconds in between each addition. Scrape sides of bowl again, then add creme fraiche and vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds or until incorporated. 
  • With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, then add half of the chocolate mixture and mix to combine. Repeat ending with the flour mixture being careful not to overbeat. Remove the bowl from the mixer, scrape sides and mix well by hand until incorporated.
  • Pour the batter into the bundt pan, evening out the top of the batter with a spatula. Bake on the middle rack for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, rest in pan for 10-15 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely. While cake is cooling, make the ganache and the caramel sauce.

For the chocolate ganache:

  • In a small sauce pan, melt the butter, chocolate, and half and half over medium heat, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Stir the powdered sugar into the bowl a little at a time, to avoid lumps, and whisk well. Allow to cool down just a bit (I poured mine on the cake still warm.)

For the caramel sauce:

  • I cleaned out the saucepan that I made the ganache in and used it for the caramel sauce as well. You can do that, or use a different saucepan. Combine the caramels and milk over medium-low heat, stirring every minute or so, until melted. Keep an eye on it and remember to stir - you don't want to burn it! Remove from heat and allow to cool down a bit (still warm is perfect!)
  • Once cake is cooled, place on a cake platter and drizzle with ganache, then caramel sauce, and sprinkle pecans over the top. Serve and enjoy.
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