Whip Up a Sweet Turtle Caramel Cake Recipe Today!
Decadent desserts often surprise us with their simplicity, and this turtle caramel cake delivers pure indulgence in every luscious bite.
Chocolate lovers will swoon over the rich layers of sweet caramel nestled between moist cake crumbs.
Melted chocolate cascades down the sides, creating stunning rivers of pure pleasure.
Pecans add a delightful crunch that contrasts beautifully with the smooth, silky texture.
Each forkful promises a symphony of classic flavors that dance across your palate.
The combination of chocolate, caramel, and nuts creates a dessert that feels both nostalgic and exciting.
You’ll want to savor every single morsel of this irresistible treat.
What’s Inside Turtle Caramel Cake
For Cake Base:For Caramel and Nut Layers:For Topping and Garnish:Quick Recipe Overview
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Calories: 380 kcal
Servings: 13
Kitchen Tools For Turtle Caramel Cake
Directions For Making Turtle Caramel Cake
Crank your oven to a toasty 350F and get your baking pan ready by giving it a light grease or lining.
Whip up the chocolate cake mix following the package’s guidance. Slide it into the oven and bake until perfectly golden. Let the cake rest and cool down for a few minutes.
Grab a wooden spoon handle or straw and playfully poke holes across the warm cake’s surface, creating channels for flavor magic.
Pour luscious caramel sauce over the cake, making sure it seeps into every single hole. Smooth it out with a spatula so the sauce covers every inch.
Scatter chopped pecans and chocolate chips generously across the caramel-soaked cake. Let everything cool completely and settle into deliciousness.
Spread a cloud-like layer of whipped topping evenly across the cake’s surface.
Drizzle extra caramel and chocolate sauces over the top. Sprinkle remaining pecans for a beautiful, tempting finish.
Tuck the cake into the refrigerator for an hour, letting all the flavors dance together. Slice and savor every decadent bite!
Turtle Caramel Cake Tips And Extras
Serve Turtle Caramel Cake With Style
Stash And Plan Turtle Caramel Cake
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Gooey Turtle Caramel Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 13 1x
Description
Delectable turtle caramel cake blends rich chocolate, gooey caramel, and crunchy pecans into a heavenly dessert. Chocolate cake layers with caramel drizzle and pecan crumbles create an irresistible sweet experience you’ll savor to the last bite.
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) water
- 1 cup (240 milliliters / 8 fl oz) caramel sauce or dulce de leche
- 1 cup (120 grams / 4.2 oz) chopped pecans
- ½ cup (90 grams / 3.2 oz) mini chocolate chips
- 1 container (8 oz / 225 grams) whipped topping (or 2 cups whipped cream)
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters / 2 fl oz) caramel sauce, for drizzling
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters / 2 fl oz) chocolate syrup, for drizzling
- ¼ cup (30 grams / 1 oz) chopped pecans, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Fire up the oven to 350F (175C) and coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Mix the chocolate cake batter according to package instructions and pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake and Cool: Bake until the cake achieves a golden hue, then remove and let rest for 10 minutes while maintaining residual warmth.
- Create Flavor Channels: Puncture the cake’s surface using a wooden spoon handle, generating strategic pathways for flavor infiltration.
- Caramel Infusion: Lavishly drench the perforated cake with caramel sauce, ensuring comprehensive coverage by guiding the liquid into every crevice with a flexible spatula.
- Texture Enhancement: Sprinkle chopped pecans and miniature chocolate chips across the caramel-saturated landscape, allowing these textural elements to nestle into the moist terrain.
- Creamy Topping: Once the cake reaches ambient temperature, blanket the surface with a smooth, even layer of whipped topping, creating a pristine covering.
- Decorative Finale: Execute elegant drizzle techniques with caramel sauce and chocolate syrup, creating artistic linear patterns across the creamy surface. Garnish with remaining pecan fragments for visual and textural contrast.
- Chill and Serve: Transfer the assembled dessert to the refrigerator, allowing a minimum one-hour integration period for flavor development and structural refinement before serving.
Notes
- Caramel Absorption Technique: Create deep, evenly spaced holes while cake is warm to maximize caramel penetration and ensure rich, consistent flavor throughout each slice.
- Temperature Control: Allow cake to cool slightly before adding caramel to prevent immediate absorption and maintain structural integrity of the dessert base.
- Nut and Chocolate Distribution: Sprinkle pecans and chocolate chips immediately after caramel to help them naturally settle into sauce, creating a more integrated topping.
- Chilling Strategy: Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to meld and develop a more cohesive texture, enhancing overall taste experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 34 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
Marcus Foley
Food Critic & Kitchen Coach
Expertise
Recipe Testing and Troubleshooting; Time-Saving Kitchen Hacks; Global Flavor Exploration; Engaging Food Writing and Honest Reviews.
Education
Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), New York, NY
Marcus Foley, based in Atlanta, GA, is a friendly food expert who makes cooking fun and simple.
With hands-on training from the Institute of Culinary Education and years of tasting everything from street food to fine dining, he shares easy kitchen hacks, global flavor ideas, and step-by-step recipes that turn kitchen mishaps into delicious surprises.