Description
Rich chocolate turtle cake brings together classic caramel, pecans, and chocolate layers in a dessert that promises pure indulgence. Chocolate lovers will savor each decadent bite of this crowd-pleasing southern classic.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 package devil’s food cake mix (18.25 oz / 517 g)
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 6 oz (170 g) semisweet chocolate morsels
- 1 cup chopped pecans (120 g)
- 2 packages turtle candies (7 oz / 198 g each, diced and halved for garnish)
- 1 container cream cheese frosting (16 oz / 454 g)
- 1 cup milk (240 ml)
- ½ cup canola oil (120 ml)
- ½ cup canned dulce de leche (120 ml)
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 tsp chocolate extract
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules
Instructions
- Preparation: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Thoroughly grease two 8-inch round cake pans and dust with cocoa powder for seamless cake release.
- Batter Creation: Combine chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding mix, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, chocolate extract, and instant coffee granules in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer until batter becomes silky and homogeneous, incorporating semi-sweet chocolate morsels and chopped pecans for rich, textural depth.
- Baking Process: Distribute batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 30-34 minutes, rotating midway to ensure uniform cooking. Verify doneness by inserting a toothpick – it should emerge with minimal crumbs.
- Cooling and Assembly: Allow cakes to cool completely on wire racks for 45-60 minutes. Slice each cake horizontally into two layers using a serrated knife. Craft filling by blending cream cheese frosting with dulce de leche until achieving a smooth, luxurious consistency.
- Layering: Construct cake by spreading cream cheese-dulce de leche mixture between layers, interspersing diced turtle candies for added crunch and caramel notes.
- Frosting and Decoration: Enrobe entire cake with chocolate fudge frosting, ensuring complete and elegant coverage. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes to set frosting.
- Final Touches: Prior to serving, cascade additional dulce de leche over the cake’s surface. Embellish with pecan halves and halved turtle candies, creating a visually stunning and decadent dessert.
Notes
- Chocolate Selection: Use high-quality semi-sweet chocolate morsels for richer, more intense flavor depth.
- Coffee Enhancement: Instant coffee granules boost chocolate’s natural richness without adding noticeable coffee taste.
- Baking Precision: Check cake doneness early to prevent overcooking; every oven varies slightly in temperature and performance.
- Layering Technique: Chill cake layers briefly before assembling to minimize crumbling and make frosting application smoother.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 42 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg