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    Home » Blog » Dessert » Turtle Cake

    Turtle Cake

    Published: Dec 7, 2022 · Modified: Jan 26, 2023 by Aimee Mars · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Chocolate turtle cake topped with chopped pecans on a wooden plate.

    Turtle Cake is decadent, gooey, and full of rich flavor. Paired with a homemade glaze and caramel sauce, it’s a chocolate lovers’ delight!

    Slice of turtle cake covered with chopped pecans on a wooden plate.

    I’m a big dessert lover and am known for my sweet tooth! You can catch me in the kitchen whipping up recipes like cherry cheesecake, eggnog pie, and cookie dough bars on any given week. I’m also really into chocolate, which brings me to today’s dish: chocolate turtle cake.

    Why You’ll Love This Cake

    If you’ve never tasted turtle cake before, you’re in for a treat! It’s inspired by chocolate turtle candy, which are clusters of pecans that are covered in chocolate and caramel. It’s such a yummy combination of flavors and textures — they’re seriously addicting.

    The cake version is made up of two layers of moist chocolate cake, a rich chocolate glaze, and a homemade caramel topping featuring chopped pecans. The end results are so impressive. It’s the perfect dessert to bring to a party!

    The whole thing comes together in under an hour too, which is great news for all of those impatient sweets lovers out there.

    Ingredient Notes

    Turtle cake recipe ingredients in various bowls.
    • Devil’s Food Cake Mix: I use cake mix to make this recipe even easier. All you need to do is add vegetable oil, water, and eggs!
    • Chocolate Chips: Add chocolate chips to butter, sugar, and water to create the chocolate glaze.
    • Caramel Topping: The caramel sauce for this dessert is so simple to make when you start with a jar of caramel topping.
    • Chopped Pecans: A key ingredient in chocolate turtle candy, you know I had to include pecans in this recipe!

    How to Make Turtle Cake

    1. Recipe prep. Preheat your oven to 350° F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
    Chocolate turtle cake process steps 2 and 3.
    1. Make the cake batter. Add the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs to a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
    2. Bake half. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 22 minutes. Store the remaining batter in the fridge.
    Process steps 4 and 5 for making turtle cake.
    1. Create the chocolate glaze. Place a small saucepan over medium heat and bring the milk, sugar, and butter to a soft boil. Make sure to stir frequently! When the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth, remove from heat. Stir in the chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons of water until the chocolate has melted and the glaze is smooth.
    2. Add to the cake. Pour half of the chocolate glaze on top of the baked cake and set the rest aside.
    Turtle cake process steps 6 and 7.
    1. Make the caramel topping. Add the sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle half of it over the chocolate glaze and save the rest for later.
    2. Add the nuts & bake. Sprinkle ½ cup of the chopped pecans on top, then pour in the remaining cake batter. Bake your chocolate turtle cake for 25-28 minutes.
    Turtle cake recipe process step 8.
    1. Assemble. Next, pour the remaining chocolate glaze on top of the baked cake and then add the rest of the caramel sauce. Sprinkle the last ½ cup of chopped pecans on top and serve!

    Storage and or Freezing Instructions

    • Make-ahead instructions: You can make this recipe a few days in advance if you’d like. In fact, many chefs believe this dessert is best enjoyed after it has chilled for some time!
    • Freezing instructions: Allow the cake to cool completely and hold off on adding the glaze and caramel sauce. Then, wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight, then add the glaze, sauce, and nuts and serve!
    • Storage instructions: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, where they will keep for 4-5 days.
    Chocolate turtle cake topped with chopped pecans on a wooden plate.

    Recipe Notes and Tips

    • Switch up the cake mix. I like to opt for Devil’s Food cake instead of classic chocolate for even richer results. You can also use German chocolate cake or triple chocolate.
    • Serve hot or cold. As mentioned, many people like to eat this cake once it has chilled. You can enjoy it however you like!
    • Make individual-sized portions. Use ramekins to make single servings of this turtle cake recipe for a fun party dessert.

    FAQS

    What is turtle cake made of?

    My chocolate turtle cake recipe is made with chocolate cake, homemade chocolate glaze, and caramel topping. It’s finished off with chopped pecans — it’s the ultimate way to enjoy turtle candy in cake form!

    What are chocolate turtles?

    Chocolate turtles are chocolate and caramel-covered pecans. They were originally created by DeMet’s Candy Company and many people make them themselves at home. This chocolate turtle cake recipe was directly inspired by my love for them!

    Related Recipes

    • Chocolate Delight
    • Coca Cola Cake
    • Brownie Cake
    • Chocolate Guinness Cake with Chocolate Ganache

    If you enjoyed this easy recipe, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars.

    Slice of turtle cake on a wooden plate.

    Turtle Cake Recipe

    Turtle Cake is decadent, gooey, and full of rich flavor. Paired with a homemade glaze and caramel sauce, it’s a chocolate lovers’ delight!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 12 Servings
    Calories: 297kcal
    Author: Aimee Mars

    Equipment

    • 9×13 baking pan
    • Saucepan

    Ingredients

    • 1 15.25 ounce box Devil's Food Cake Mix
    • 1 cup Water
    • ½ cup Vegetable Oil
    • 3 large Eggs

    Chocolate Glaze

    • 6 tablespoons Milk
    • ¾ cup Sugar
    • 6 tablespoons Butter
    • 1 ½ cups Chocolate Chips
    • 3 tablespoons Water

    Caramel Sauce

    • 1 14 ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk
    • 1 12 ounce jar Caramel Sauce
    • 1 cup Chopped Pecans

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 350° F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
    • Add the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs to a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
    • Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 22 minutes. Store the remaining batter in the fridge.
    • Place a small saucepan over medium heat and bring the milk, sugar, and butter to a soft boil. Make sure to stir frequently! When the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth, remove from heat. Stir in the chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons of water until the chocolate has melted and the glaze is smooth.
    • Pour half of the chocolate glaze on top of the baked cake and set the rest aside.
    • Add the sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle half of it over the chocolate glaze and save the rest for later.
    • Sprinkle ½ cup of the chopped pecans on top, then pour in the remaining cake batter. Bake your chocolate turtle cake for 25-28 minutes.
    • Next, pour the remaining chocolate glaze on top of the baked cake and then add the rest of the caramel sauce. Sprinkle the last ½ cup of chopped pecans on top and serve!

    Notes

    • Switch up the cake mix. I like to opt for Devil’s Food cake instead of classic chocolate for even richer results. You can also use German chocolate cake or triple chocolate.
    • Serve hot or cold. As mentioned, many people like to eat this cake once it has chilled. You can enjoy it however you like!
    • Make individual-sized portions. Use ramekins to make single servings of this turtle cake recipe for a fun party dessert.
     

    Storage and or Freezing Instructions

    • Make-ahead instructions: You can make this recipe a few days in advance if you’d like. In fact, many chefs believe this dessert is best enjoyed after it has chilled for some time!
    • Freezing instructions: Allow the cake to cool completely and hold off on adding the glaze and caramel sauce. Then, wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight, then add the glaze, sauce, and nuts and serve!
    • Storage instructions: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, where they will keep for 4-5 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 310IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AimeeMarsLiving or tag #AimeeMarsLiving!

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