TURTLE CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

This Turtle Chocolate Layer Cake begins with wealthy, decadent and wet chocolate cake layers that are packed with a caramel pecan sauce and included in a easy caramel frosting, then completed off with a caramel and ganache drip and chopped pecans! 

This Turtle Chocolate Layer Cake capabilities 4 layers of wet and fudgy chocolate cake layers, packed with salted caramel buttercream frosting and a home made salted caramel pecan sauce! The outdoor is included in extra salted caramel frosting with a delicious ganache and salted caramel drip and chopped pecans to finish all of it off! If that doesn’t sound truely tempting, I don’t recognise what does!

Although that is a Turtles cake, there in reality aren’t any turtles in this recipe. And by using turtles I suggest the chocolate candy, not real turtles. I just couldn’t discover everywhere to add them, and if we’re being sincere, between all of the high-quality layers, they weren’t in reality wished. 

Now I did definitely have plans to add turtle goodies to the cake, so i bought pretty a few packs. when you consider that I modified my mind closing minute, and didn’t want the candies to go to waste (I had to withstand ingesting them all) I decided to create some other turtles dessert which I’ll be sharing someday quickly, so look out for greater Turtle deliciousness!

INGREDIENTS

CARAMEL PECAN FILLING:

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup salted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp salted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

CHOCOLATE CAKE LAYERS:

• 2 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 and 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 and 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 Tbsp instant coffee granules
• 2 and 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature

SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM:

• 3 cups Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
• 12 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
• 3/4 cup Salted Caramel Sauce, cooled completely(recipe above)
• 3-6 Tbsp heavy cream or milk, as needed

GANACHE DRIP:

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

ADDITIONAL GARNISH:

• 2 cups chopped pecans
• Whole pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE CARAMEL PECAN FILLING:

1. For the Toasted Pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
2. In a small bowl, soften 2 tablespoons of butter within the microwave for approximately 30 seconds. Drizzle the melted butter onto the pecans and toss collectively to coat pecans.
3. Spread pecans onto organized baking sheet and bake in oven for five-6 minutes till toasted and aromatic.
4. Put off the pecans from the oven and kind of chop. Set aside.
5. For the Caramel Sauce: add the sugar to a large heavy-bottomed non-stick saucepan and heat over medium warmth, stirring continuously using a heat resistant rubber spatula or a wood spoon till the sugar is melted and turns a medium amber caramel coloration. don't worry if the sugar clumps up, simply maintain stirring and it'll melt easily. preserve a close eye at the pot because the sugar can without difficulty burn, and you will have to start another time. 
6. As quickly because the caramel turns a deep amber, add the butter cubes, whisking constantly till butter is melted and completely blended. 
7. As soon as butter is combined, slowly pour within the heavy cream whilst whisking vigorously, be careful because it will begin to bubble up furiously. The caramel may additionally start to clump together if your cream is just too cold. if so, just preserve stirring until caramel melts backpedal. 
8. Permit caramel to boil for 1 minute, then cast off from warmth. Stir within the vanilla (non-compulsory) and salt. you can pass over the salt in case you don’t want the caramel to be salted. 
9. Upload the chopped toasted pecans to the caramel sauce and stir till blended. 
10. Let caramel cool to room temperature earlier than pouring into a jar or an airtight box. Set aside or store within the fridge till equipped to apply. 

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE:

1. Repeat the above steps five-eight to make any other smaller batch of salted caramel sauce. Set apart to chill absolutely or keep in a jar or an airtight field inside the refrigerator until geared up to apply. 

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (177°C). prepare four eight-inch spherical cake pans with parchment rounds, and grease the edges. Set apart.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk to combine, set aside.
3. Inside the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed till light and fluffy, 4-6 minutes. Scrape down the perimeters and backside of the bowl.
4. Decrease the velocity to medium-low and add eggs one by one, blending after each addition until just blended. Scrape down he aspects and bottom of the bowl. 
5. In a small bowl, combine the vanilla and instantaneous coffee granules. upload the sour cream to the batter at the side of the vanilla espresso combination and beat on medium speed until combined.
6. Alternately add dry substances in thirds and buttermilk in 2 additions to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry components. Beat every addition simply until blended. Divide batter equally among the cake pans, a little over 2 cups in line with pan.
7. Bake two layers at a time for 20-25 mins or till a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and cake springs lower back while gently touched.
8. Remove desserts from oven and permit to cool in pans for approximately 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling racks to cool absolutely before frosting. Or at this factor, you may wrap all of the cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and freeze or refrigerate till equipped to gather. 

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM:

1. Within the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter till exceptional pale and fluffy, approximately five-6 mins. 
2. Scrape down the edges and backside of the bowl.add half of the powdered sugar, one cup at a time and beat on low speed after every cup till mixed. 
3. Once blended upload cooled salted caramel sauce and preserve to conquer until mixed and easy. 
4. Add closing powdered sugar one cup at a time, blending on low speed till it’s all mixed. If the frosting is just too thick, add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time till you attain the favored consistency. 
5. Growth speed to medium-high and beat for about five-7 mins, or till frosting is mild and fluffy. 

FOR THE GANACHE:

1. Put the chocolate chips into a medium bowl. Set apart. 
2. Warmness the heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan until it simply starts offevolved to boil. 
3. Put off hot cream from heat then pour it over the chocolate chips. cowl the bowl and allow it to sit down for five minutes. 
4. Cast off cowl and stir ganache until clean. Set aside to chill. 

ASSEMBLY OF THE TURTLE CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE:

1. Use an offset spatula to location a dollop of frosting onto a cake board or serving platter that’s on a turntable. region one cake layer on pinnacle and spread about 1 cup of the salted caramel buttercream on pinnacle of the first layer. 
2. Scoop a few frosting right into a disposable piping bag and snip off the stop. Pipe a rim round the edges of the cake and pour on a cup of the pecan caramel sauce and spread into an excellent layer. Repeat with all layers, setting the very last layer upside down. 
3. Frost the complete cake with a skinny layer of salted caramel buttercream. sit back the cake for 30 minutes. 
4. Get rid of cake from fridge and frost the whole cake with a thick layer of frosting. kick back cake inside the fridge for any other half-hour or in the freezer for 10-20 minutes. 
5. Cast off and unfold a thin layer of frosting onto the lowest of the cake. Press the chopped pecans up the lowest so it can stick onto the sparkling frosting. 
6. Pour ganache and remaining caramel sauce into separate disposable piping baggage or a ziploc bag and snip off the tip. Drip the ganache off the threshold of the cake and fill the center. Use an offset spatula to to unfold the ganache over the pinnacle. Repeat those steps with the caramel sauce, pouring it on top of the ganache. 
7. Line a few pecan halves across the top to create a border and sprinkle more chopped pecans within the centre. Slice and serve!

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