Chocolate Turtle Birthday Cake

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In July I made Tomiko’s birthday cake, a white chocolate raspberry cake that was light, fluffy and fruity. Karlos, however, loves things that are nutty and chocolatey. To my surprise, he allowed me to bake his birthday cake too (instead of getting one from Dufflet Pastries). After prodding him with questions as to what kind of cake he would like (cheesecake? peanut butter?), I decided I would make a Chocolate Turtle cake, using moist, homemade cake layers, homemade chocolate frosting, and homemade caramel sauce. I didn’t have pecans on hand, so I used walnuts instead. I’m happy to say the cake was a hit!

Don’t be afraid of the amount of coffee in the cake. Coffee enhances the chocolate taste, and you don’t actually notice any coffee flavour. It’s kind of like how mustard enhances the taste of cheese but is often undetectable itself. If you are going for a mocha flavour, however, add extra instant coffee to the brewed coffee used in the cake layers, and to the frosting.

Chocolate Turtle Birthday Cake

 

Author:

Kiku Corner

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 12

Prep time: 1 hour 30 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 1 hour 55 mins

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Ingredients

For the Cake:

• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (see note)
• ⅔ cup cooking oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1¾ cups sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
• 1½ cups pecan or walnut halves, toasted

For the Chocolate Icing (makes about 2½ cups):

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 6 Tbsp butter
• 1 12-ounce package (2 cups) semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1 - 2 tsp freshly brewed hot coffee

For the Caramel Sauce:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

For the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease three 9-inch cake pans*. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper; dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Set pans aside.
3. In a small bowl, stir together wet ingredients (egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla); set aside.
4. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, ½ cup cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Gradually add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, beating with an electric mixer until combined. Gradually beat in hot coffee.
6. Pour batter into prepared pans; spread evenly.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near centre comes out clean. Cool cakes on a wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pans, then invert cakes on racks. Remove cakes from pans. Peel off paper; cool thoroughly.
8. When the cakes are cool, make the Chocolate Frosting and Caramel Sauce.

For the Chocolate Frosting:

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and milk. Add butter.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
3. Add semisweet chocolate pieces. Using a wire whisk, mix until smooth.
4. If frosting is too thick or grainy, stir in coffee.

For the Caramel Sauce:

1. Heat sugar and water together in a non-aluminum pan.
2. Bring to simmer and cook without stirring until amber-coloured (it should take about 15-20 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, heat cream in another pot.
4. When sugar is amber-coloured, slowly pour in hot cream, whisking constantly until well blended. Let cool.

To Assemble

1. Place 1 cake layer, top-side down, onto a serving plate.
2. Using an offset spatula or wide knife, work quickly to frost the top of this layer with one-third of the frosting, pushing it out slightly from edges to drizzle over the sides..
3. Arrange one-third of the pecans on top and drizzle with ¼ cup of the caramel sauce. Top with the second layer, top-side down.
4. Repeat with frosting, pecans and caramel sauce. Top with the third layer, right side up. Repeat with remaining frosting, pecans and caramel sauce.
5. Chill cake 1 to 2 hours before serving.

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