Turtle Chocolate Layer Cake - Food Today
This Turtle Chocolate Layer Cake features four layers of moist and fudgy chocolate cake layers , filled with salted caramel buttercream frosting and a homemade salted caramel pecan sauce! The outside is covered in more salted caramel frosting with a delicious ganache and salted caramel drip and chopped pecans to finish it all off.
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
Caramel:
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1/4 cup water
- 150 ml heavy whipping cream room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 100g , room temperature
Milk Chocolate Ganache:
- 4.5 oz milk chocolate good quality , finely chopped
- 3 oz heavy whipping cream
Caramel Buttercream:
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups unsalted butter cubed , room temperature
- 1/2 cup caramel cooled
Assembly:
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 6 Turtles Minis
INSTRUCTIONS
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F , grease three 6" round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
- Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour hot water in slowly as not to cook the eggs if very hot).
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
- Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. A total of 30-35mins.
Caramel:
- Place sugar and water into a medium pot , stir to combine , but to not stir from this point forward. Cook over high heat , washing down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water as needed to prevent crystals.
- Cook until desired color of caramel is reached and immediately remove from heat. Very slowly , whisk in heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up (a lot) and boil. Add butter , return to heat , and bring back to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a container and place in fridge to thicken.*
Milk Chocolate Ganache:
- Place chopped chocolate and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Stir to combine. Microwave for 20 seconds , stir. Microwave in 10 second intervals , stirring in between , until smooth and silky. Set aside to cool completely before using.*
Caramel Buttercream:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer , whisk until combined.**
- Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins).
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
- Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
- Add cooled caramel and whip until smooth.***
Assembly:
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving dish. Top with about 2/3 cup buttercream , drizzle with caramel and ganache and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Repeat with remaining layers. Crumb coat the outside and chill cake for 15mins. Frost and smooth the outside , chill for 30mins.
- Using a teaspoon , drip ganache along the edges then fill in the top. Chill for 15mins.
- Repeat with caramel and chill for 30mins.
- If desired , top with rosettes and mini Turtles.****
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